Cult Shop: the design store with verve made in Spain

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The story behind Llop, the fashion and design store located on a picturesque street in Madrid’s Las Letras neighborhood, dates back to 1945. It was then that the founder’s grandfather, Alex Llop, left southern Spain and found work in a textile factory. in rural Catalonia, and he began to use a farcell paño, traditional checkered cloth of the region that was used as a scarf, carrying bag or tablecloth. Years later, Llop was inspired by his grandfather’s work farcell, which had been passed on to him by his mother. “I wanted to explore how this very humble fabric could be transformed into something quite luxurious,” she says. Using her 25 years of experience in Italian haute couture, she reinvented fabric as clothing.

This collection became the starting point of a personal journey through Spanish crafts. With experience of scouring the globe in search of exquisite painted fabrics to grace the catwalks of Milan, Llop applied this same approach to Spanish design and was astounded by the diversity of contemporary creators he discovered, from the windswept expanses of the Catalan Empordà to Sun. Balearic Islands soaked.

I realized that I needed to show a side of Spain that few people get to see.

The fruits of his explorations now cover the whitewashed walls of lopalong with the original checkered clothing. Prosper Riba Vilardell’The playful collection of glass vases in bold colors (€65) sits alongside globular wax candles from Mulier Studio (from €22) and the concrete creations of Sergio Serra Mir – from craggy totem poles to characterful busts and concrete canvases (€85). The new clothing collections combine references to workwear and classic tailoring, reimagined to fit Llop’s vision of a modern Spanish lifestyle brand. Everything is united by a refined sensibility, a harmonious color palette and a commitment to made in Spain.

sculptural jug totem 1, 2 and 3, €240 each

Fig and amber and palo santo and tonka candles€65 each

Large ceramic loom. Llop began with “terracottas from the town near the one where I grew up in Catalonia, [which] captures that sense of honesty with the material and commitment to craftsmanship” and has since expanded to include the traditional terracotta bowls of Mundet ceramics (made with a technique that dates back to the Roman Empire, from €9.50) and the geometric shapes in pastel tones of Nuria Soler Romeo (from €220). “This is not luxury as a brand, but luxury for craftsmanship, care and connection to the land,” she says.

Although the store represents a spectrum of Spanish design, it seems that a love letter to Catalonia is at the heart of Llop’s project, which he describes as “a little corner of the Mediterranean in the center Madrid”. She achieved his vision by whitewashing the walls, opening the windows and flooding the space with light, “so it feels like the coastal Mediterranean architecture found in cities like Cadaqués.” Downstairs, the basement has been painted brilliant white, creating a barrel-vaulted sanctuary reminiscent of the chapels of the Balearic Islands. “When I’m here, I’m in my bubble,” says Llop, “as if I were on the beach.”

Having spent his career working for Italian luxury brands who believe that “Italian craftsmanship is always the best”, Llop is excited to focus on the specialties of his homeland. “Once I started exploring Spanish crafts, I realized that it is just as powerful and that I needed to show a side of Spain that few people get to see.” When asked what the next leg of this intergenerational journey could be, Llop simply says: “My only plan now is to settle in and enjoy every moment.” To live!

Llop, San Pedro 9, Local 4, Barrio de las Letras, Madrid; llopmadrid.com