With the back drop of a live bass player and multi-instrumental musician, Barcelona based designer Josep Abril launched his Spring Summer 2011 collection on Tuesday morning. Labelled ‘Luxury’, the Armand Basi One creative director showed a collection of casual tailoring and fine knits. Using a colour base of grey and white, he successfully mixed in outbursts of blue and red magenta. Those two shades also formed the sole base for Abril’s fairly formal shoes, while red socks were also constantly on display.

Quite tellingly, Abril showed his semi formal tailoring on female models, which spurred an androgynous feeling. Knitwear – both heavy and light – featured throughout, sometimes even incorporated into tailored outfits in the shape of trousers or the back of a jacket. Blue and red suits were only out matched by a grand finale of white ones in a beautifully structured thin fabric. Also over sized T-shirts and tunics added to Abril’s summer vision.

Dazed Digital: What inspired you?
Josep Abril: Luxury! This was my version and interpretation of luxury. It’s not about ostentation, it’s about having time to use qualitative fabrics.
 
DD: You mixed male with female models...
Josep Abril: Yes, I wanted to cancel the divide between menswear and women’s clothes because it’s also a luxury for women to be able to dress in men’s clothes.
 
DD: You had a lot of thin knitwear in the show!
Josep Abril: Both thin and heavy knits, yes. The heavier stuff is from my winter collections and this was the first time I used it for a summer show. They’re made out of silk and cotton, which gives them an interesting texture.
 
DD: What about all the red colours...
Josep Abril: ... It’s not red - it’s magenta. It’s a primary colour. For me that shade of black and the blue are as important as black this season.
 
DD: Do you have a favourite piece?
Joesp Abril: The loose shorts!