San Sebastian, city of fashion
San Sebastian, city of fashion
Local commerce is one of the hallmarks of San Sebastian, a city with a wide range of establishments and a great variety of products that are distinctly local in nature: fashion that is “Made in San Sebastian.”
The big event to promote the fashion industry is the “San Sebastian Moda Festival,” Gipuzkoa’s fashion week, which is held twice a year and includes fashion shows, showrooms, lectures, conferences, markets, and workshops that bring together the entire textile sector value chain and are held in two main locations: the San Telmo Museum and the Balenciaga Museum.
The size of the city makes the shopping area both convenient and pleasant, and other capital cities are no competition compared with ours. While there are also leading boutiques in the Gros and Antiguo districts, most stores are concentrated in the Old Town and in the center: Goiuri, a local brand that designs bikinis; ‘Manuela va de fiesta,’ a boutique that specializes in party gowns and accessories; Irulea, which makes clothing for babies that even the children of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge use; and Eguzkilore, the jeweler that makes pieces inspired by Basque symbolism, are all good examples of local companies.
Some firms bear the name of their founder, such as Isabel Zapardiez, Yolanda Torres, and Claudio Munoa. The first two are synonymous with haute couture, specializing in brides and female wedding guests; they are brands that can be combined with the know-how of Casa Munoa, which designs and manufactures exceptional jewels for both women and men in their own workshop.
Other local companies like Minimil, creator of New Basque Style, Indi & Cold, with more than 600 points of sale around the world, and Loreak, which has successfully established itself in France and the United Kingdom, have an important presence on the city’s fashion scene. These are three examples that back up the fact that San Sebastian is a good operational base for clothing firms.
Nostalgic visitors seeking to take back home a souvenir from their visit to the city can stop by Pertegaz, the boutique of the renowned couturier that currently sells accessories and travel items, or the mythical Ponsol, a hat shop founded in 1838 that specializes in berets and Panama hats.
These are only a small glimpse of all the boutiques, designers, and training centers that specialize in fashion and are part of this sector, which is greatly important for the city. Travelers who wish to visit the shops of San Sebastian can plan their shopping visit at sansebastianturismo.com, the website that brings together not only information about the fashion brands but also information about the dining industry, souvenir shops, art galleries, local accessories, surf fashion, etc. – it’s a glove that is a sure fit for any fashion lover.
