Guillermo Justicia is an independent fashion designer, and his name also gives its name to his brand based in Barcelona. In his project, Justicia brings fashion closer to art and incorporates inspiration —silhouettes, volumes, textures— from nature.
Each season he shapes a new conceptual universe to offer a unique experience to the client. “Beyond designing clothes or accessories, I want to create emotional and visual experiences that allow people to immerse themselves in the narrative of each collection.” He creates timeless and versatile collections, and with this approach he seeks for the pieces to be loved, preserved and used for a long time.
We interviewed Guillermo during the photo shoot for the 10th anniversary campaign of Moritz Feed Doc, with Félix Valiente behind the camera.
What is your strong point as a creator?
What I like most is developing new conceptual collections that are very different from each other. Experimenting and creating a new universe each time. Most brands go for a constant aesthetic every season, and sometimes I think: is my style recognizable? But I want to keep experimenting and searching for my language. It is also important to have a more commercial part of the collection to sustain the structure.
Your favorite moment.
Creating the runway show is very exciting. It is the environment where the strong pieces of the collection are best understood. [He shows us on his phone screen a very voluminous sweater made of merino wool from the transhumance of León. It weighs 5 kilos. The sweater is part of the Void collection and is knitted by Esther Santamaría].
How do you translate this brand vision to social media?
I’m working on it, because until now I’ve handled it in a very editorial, very ‘curated’ way, with runway photos, etc., and I miss showing all the people behind a project. The more personal side of the brand. I like this more homemade naturalness, even if aesthetically it looks less polished. I like seeing it in other brands.
How do you separate the brand between the workshop and your home?
I can’t (laughs). The brand’s clothes are spread all over the house. Over time I’ve seen that the most practical thing is to have pieces at hand, because shipments are made with very little margin and you have to move quickly. I live with my family. My grandmother was a seamstress. When I have to sew something by hand I ask her for help. They handle it well, they are patient. Right now I have big boxes in the dining room, the clothing rack in the hallway. I don’t have a schedule, I work all day. Maybe lunchtime arrives and I have the whole table occupied with fabrics, and I move everything to another space.
Do you buy a lot of clothes?
Not at all. I have two pairs of trousers that I always wear, and I dress in my samples or prototypes. I use clothes for many years, I like repeating and wearing them out. Sometimes I have also bought things not to wear but because I like looking at them and studying them.
Do the independent brands in the country communicate with each other?
Yes. My closest friends don’t work in fashion, but over time and through shared experiences you make friends in the profession: designers, photographers, makeup artists, models, etc. Among small brands we get along well. In this job you go through tough moments and it helps a lot to support each other, comment on situations and see that we are all in the same place.
Which designer would you like to see a documentary about?
For example, Comme des Garçons or Iris Van Herpen. In general, I like following brands that are not my style. Things I wouldn’t do, but that conceptually and technically are impeccable.
Which film from this year’s program would you recommend?
It’s hard to choose just one; in fact I already plan to go to several. I’m really looking forward to seeing The Designer is Dead, the documentary by Miguel Aldover, because of the very critical position he has always maintained toward the fashion industry. I’m interested in seeing more closely this perspective on the system and his trajectory.
