CONFIDENTIAL: LADY ESCORPION

CONFIDENTIAL: LADY ESCORPION

‘I have an obsessive need to fit things together in interesting ways. I like to take colors and shapes into my own hands.’

Rosita Missoni

15VIII17 – BARCELONA, SPAIN.

Regardless of the bizarre Catalan challenges facing the country, fashion, just as politics and culture, is going through a particularly complex time. But to 63-years-old Lady Escorpion, who has always borne knitted fabric as a hallmark, lack of prejudice and aesthetic stereotypes have made her a veteran for any career, and so she has merit. An authentic icon becoming stronger with each new decade –as well as it happens with ageism- preserving the maturity as an inexhaustible source of talent, personality and know-how.

Behind the Igualada’s garment brand Escorpion, it conceals a poetic vindication technique and a firm sustainable commitment, both anything but granted. Brand’s creative director, Sybille Horaist since 2003, admits that the engine that drove the Igualada’s Rec neighborhood new construction facilities in Barcelona, providing for dyeing and finishing processes, was to equip it with state-of-the-art machinery and the latest technological advances that suggest the most efficient production method, significantly in electric energy and capable of reducing environmental impacts.

In 2013, the Catalan company specializing in knitwear overturned its business strategy definitively abandoning the retail to channel multi-brand and department stores such as El Corte Ingles in Spain. Currently, Escorpion has about 450 sales outlets in the Spanish State.

French designer Sybille H. Gramaglia, the driving force behind the brand, true to her fascination with symbolism, contends that they do strongly back the digital and online communication and acknowledge that in the last few seasons, so to speak, the way how fashion communicates, designs & sells have moved to the digital field, where the game playing online makes too much noise & the shows are vividly dominated by social networks.

A mother of three, the Parisian designer keen to promote creativity in downtime, admits that 2015 marked the start of a new challenge for the Escorpion group with the launch of its capsule collection: Escorpion Studio Barcelona, shown within the framework of the 080 Barcelona Fashion Week. The collection went on sale after the event. Its creation came to answer the increasing demand of ‘fast fashion’, of ‘ready to buy’ collections. The idea of working without seasons and break with the established rules, ‘see, buy, wear’, is gaining ground.

90% of the production takes place in the factory of Igualada (Barcelona) and in the workshops of Mataró (Barcelona), North of Portugal and Asia. Only in Spain, with these suppliers, the Escorpion Group contributes to create around 100 jobs indirectly.

The process of becoming international started in the 80s of the last century has evolved remarkably thus and where it is headed, where exports account for half of the turnover of the Group: the company has moved up in places such as Germany and Italy, has reactivated its presence in markets hit by the crisis, such as Portugal and Russia, and it has strengthened its distribution strategy in North America.

Knitwear is its essence, discusses Sybille, who keeps a warm aura of everydayness in a face-to-face interview. This fabric supports a broad range of uses, artistic creativity and excellence. We do innovate with fantasy yarns from the Italian Pitti Filati Trade Show and Spanish yarns also. So, we combine these yarns with fine and superfine wool high value on the international market, linen, viscose, denim and printing.

Since dress according to age is an utter foolishness, Sybille points out that she enjoys exploring without feeling straitened and ensures Lady Escorpion little cares age because she feels in good physical shape both the 50 and 60. Even more reason to continue to dress her and, as could not be otherwise, to seduce her daughter with their collections.

Under the direction of the fourth family Biosca generation, the entrepreneur Bernat Biosca carrying out the role of single administrator, coexists in the management with new partners who rescued the company from declaring bankruptcy. The secret of their success lies with a combination of elements: the infusion of new resources, a change in strategy that the brand began to introduce in 2012 on trade policy and expansion and implementing new technologies to production and logistics. There is no doubt that Escorpion has weathered the storms and could either succeed.

There are only temporary agents associated with economic and sociocultural changes. From its establishment in 1954, from its origins in 1929 as socks manufacturer, from that historical 1919-factory to date, Escorpion has too well proven its ability to adapt to the new times and celebrates 63 years in knitted clothing sector: wool consolidates its position and weaves advanced patterns and irreverent prints, remaining the major players of tricot the sweaters and asymmetries. Escorpion threatens to continue promising the benefits of quality, trend and contemporaneity that have always distinguished this brand.

Written by Adelaida Subías

Photo Credits: 080 Barcelona Fashion, Igualada’s historical records, Escorpion & Adelaida Subías

Editing & producing by Renovatio©