‘Barcelona’ blog category archive

Vinçon

Like moths to a flame Vinçon’s warm glow of red neon has been drawing shoppers since the late 1960’s.

Offering products from the classic to the quirky, Vinçon sits in a privileged position on Passeig de Gracia. A contemporary home design store and Barcelona institution of chic. Oozing cool in an age of internet shopping and Amazon deliveries. Vinçon remains box fresh.

Fernando Amat

Based in the former home and studio of Catalan artist Ramon Casas, it’s architectural structures and form create the perfect frame to highlight the products and furnishings, and a terrace overlooking La Pedrera forms the perfect backdrop.

Formerly a porcelain imports firm founded in 1934. Fernando Amat, architect, interior designer and co-owner, re-vitalised the store in the late 60’s. Amat, the second generation owner, turned the retail concept on it’s head, taking inspiration from Terence Conran’s London store. Instilling a philosophy in which the products themselves were the exhibits, and the store a relaxed public space to view and enjoy.

You can have any colour, as long as it’s black!

And so began mass production and the Ford Model T. Whether Henry Ford actually uttered the famous quote is a matter of debate. What’s not in question, however, is the process behind it – Fordism.

In the early 1900’s, an industrial revolution in manufacturing began. A system designed, literally, to spew out low cost, standardised products, offering workers better pay and working conditions.

The ripple effect grew into a tidal wave, crossing countries and continents. From North America to Stalin’s Russian, leading into war production and then onto Japan’s post-war electronic boom.

Design and manufacture from the people for the people, an endless conveyer belt of identical products. The choice was yours, as long as your choice was the same choice.

With the launch this month of a new store in 5^th Avenue, New York. The Camper brand continues to push the boundaries and defy the convention in retail design.

So how exactly did a Mallorcan family business grow to the dizzy heights of downtown Manhattan, with 52 stores based in 4 continents & an expanding hospitality sector of hotels & restaurants?

The story is one of duel contrasting philosophies. Since the birth of it’s first sales outlet in Barcelona in 1981, the product has maintained it’s strong identity. It’s sole firmly entrenched in Mallorcan soil, speaking the same visual language whichever continent it crossed.