Here’s What You Missed at Barcelona Fashion Week

Of all the shows I saw this season, RUBEARTH lingered the longest. Gabriel Nogueiras’ brand is known for its sustainable ethos and poetic presentation, but this collection took things further — bordering on spiritual. Models moved like apparitions across a pale, desert-like stage. Earthy textures, mossy greens and charred reds conjured a world somewhere between apocalypse and rebirth. A sculptural bag shaped like twisted driftwood felt less like an accessory and more like a message from the natural world. There was nothing flashy, nothing forced — just a quiet, hypnotic kind of power that stuck with me.

RUBEARTH doesn’t follow trends; it follows energy. The collection felt like a love letter to the elements — an invitation to slow down and reimagine luxury as ritual rather than product. It was the kind of show that made you feel more grounded the longer you stayed.

Whereas RUBEARTH was meditative, DOMINNICO was pure spectacle. The show opened with dramatic lighting and thumping bass, setting the tone for a maximalist parade of latex, fringe, metallics and high-glam silhouettes. It was part Western fantasy, part pop princess hallucination — with enough shimmer to catch the eye of any front-row TikTok star.

New York fashion favorite Martin Gregory walked the show, as did none other than Mia Khalifa in a turn that felt both unexpected and completely on-brand for DOMINNICO's celebrity-literate world. As PAPER previously reported, Khalifa has been entering a new era as a fashion and cultural figure, and seeing her strut the runway in full regalia felt like confirmation. The brand doesn’t just cast models, they cast icons. The cowgirl-inspired looks and textures were to the point and shimmery, and in a sea of global sameness, DOMINNICO's point of view still feels personal.

Álvar Merino's Into the Unknown collection balanced utility with emotion. Known for their technical detailing and stormy palette, this season introduced softness into the brand’s structural approach. Silhouettes were streamlined but never sterile — sheer overlays, thoughtfully placed panels and storm-gray outerwear moved with intention. It wasn’t flashy, but it didn’t need to be. The drama was in the restraint. One coat in particular, with its subtle curve at the spine and near-weightless drape, felt like it could hold all the seasons at once.

There’s a quiet philosophy to Merino’s designs — a belief that beauty can emerge from restraint. This show didn’t fight for your attention. It earned it slowly, through precise tailoring and thoughtful construction. It’s the kind of fashion that builds trust with every step.

404 Studio is building its own universe. And this season, that universe was glitchy, nostalgic and slightly chaotic (in the best way). Inspired by the 1995 cult film Hackers, the collection remixed early internet aesthetics with punk knitwear and cyber-grunge silhouettes. Mesh tops were layered over shimmering bralettes, crochet pieces twisted around the body like protective webs. It was subversive and sweet at the same time — like if Trinity from The Matrix had a Depop store.

There’s something incredibly self-assured about the brand’s world building, and this collection only deepened its codes. The casting, the music, the styling — all of it felt in sync with the brand’s glitch-girl DNA. Sad girl internet chic, but make it handwoven.

Acromatyx’s latest offering was rooted in Spanish heritage, but filtered through a dark, deconstructed lens. The collection, titled “007 Esencia,” leaned into mystery and asymmetry — floral embroidery, oversized tailoring and sharp black-on-black layering. The influence of traditional Spanish dress was evident, but it was twisted just enough to feel contemporary and a little dangerous.

There’s a tension in Acromatyx’s work — the past and future colliding, beauty and distortion sharing the same garment. It’s the kind of fashion that doesn’t beg for attention, but commands it quietly. It reminded me that not all maximalism is loud — some of it is whispering, with a knife tucked in its sleeve.

And Then There Was the Afterparty

After the last show, we all hopped on a shuttle bus and headed to the surreal Poble Espanyol, where it felt like we were filming for The Cheetah Girls 2 — or at least The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, which actually filmed there once. The closing party at Opposite was a fittingly chic end to the week, and maybe dramatically, I found myself yearning the moment I’d have to fly back to the states. Not every Eurotrip is so curated in its beauty and style. 080 Barcelona Fashion proved, once again, that its strength lies in how distinct its designers are.

Til next time, Barcelona.

This article is a sponsored collaboration between 080 Barcelona Fashion and PAPER.