Disseny Hub Barcelona reclaims legacy of forgotten fashion pioneer Asunción Bastida

Disseny Hub Barcelona is hosting an exhibition to recover the legacy of Asunción Bastida, a prominent figure in Spanish haute couture who operated a large fashion house in Barcelona.

The museum organized the show alongside La Fábrica to highlight the career of Bastida, who opened her first business in 1926 and eventually established a high-fashion house at 96 paseo de Gràcia. Researcher Laura Ballarín initiated the project after discovering family archives in Huesca.

These records revealed that Ballarín's great-aunt, Vicky, worked as a mannequin for Bastida for thirty years and traveled to New York and Egypt during the 1950s. The exhibition aims to move beyond the narrative that historical female fashion figures were merely seamstresses by showcasing Bastida's role as a visionary entrepreneur. Bastida achieved several milestones, including winning a license to reproduce Christian Dior designs in Spain during the 1950s.

She introduced linen and cotton into haute couture, promoted women's trousers, and presented some of the first bikinis in the country. The exhibition features notable pieces, such as the short pearl grey lace wedding dress she created for actress Lola Flores. It also honors the mannequins who worked for her, providing them with rare economic independence during that era.