Interview: BCN Fashionistas

Esther Levy & Vanessa Burrows

Barcelona socialites & bloggers

Esther: I was born and raised in Barcelona. At 18, I moved to Los Angeles to study, and did my Masters in Costume at New York University, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I then became a fashion correspondent for Marie Claire magazine, and have now started Friend & the City, a personal shopping service in Barcelona.

It’s been five years since I moved back to Barcelona for good. I came back simply to enjoy the good life this city has always offered.

For me Barcelona has the best of California, without everything being so far away, and the avant-garde feel of New York, without the stress.

Vanessa: I’m half-Brazilian, half-German, but born in Paris. You could say I’ve had itchy feet all my life, so I soon left Paris to live in Berlin, London, Rome, Bangkok and for the last eight years in Barcelona. My fashion technology start-up (www.bodi.me) requires me to travel a lot but when I’m home, you’ll find me at a trendy terrace restaurant, shopping in uptown boutiques or attending fabulous parties with other fashionistas I’ve met in this city.

I love the fact that I can always bump into someone I know in Barcelona—there’s always a familiar face around. My friends will tell you I’m a big party animal and Barcelona is the perfect playground for me in that sense.

We met each other at a ‘mix & match’ party. After a glass of rosé we discovered our kids went to the same school, which gave us another excuse to connect, besides friendship, shopping and business.

We are personal shoppers, storytellers and socialites who can advise, guide, organise and introduce you into the most privileged circuits in town, for business or pleasure. We’ll be your best friend.

There are many reasons to enjoy the city’s uptown area. There are more gardens and parks. There are more open spaces with training circuits like Carretera de les Aigües or amazing gyms like the new Metropolitan. There are also many beautiful and extraordinary homes in Pedralbes and Sarriá.

There are some very trendy shops in Amigó and Santaló, close to the market of Galvany. L’Illa is a fabulous shopping centre where the local uptowners find everything they need in one stop.

The most fabulous event we have ever been to has to be the Pronovias 50th anniversary party at the Italian Pavillion in Montjuïc a couple of weeks ago. They had reconstructed a palacete replica of their new flagship store in Sevilla. Attending were celebrities, aficionados, fashionistas and members of the international press and friends. They also turned the MNAC Palace museum into a night club under that gorgeous dome. It was pretty wow!

Summer wardrobe must-haves to look out for in Barcelona are t-shirts with great messages (Markus Lupfer), sailor stripes for the Brigitte Bardot look (Castañer) day time metallics (Size, Como Agua de Mayo), glam sportswear (Jofre 20,TCN and Yerse) and strappy heels (Pura Lopez).

Our future is our present, discovering the latest trends, building content and social networking to keep helping VIPs with the same enthusiasm we have been doing for years. We’re also building a shopping site with our favourite picks from new and upcoming designers, and fashionista secondhand clothes.

Our Recommmendations:

For lunch: Escriba, Bar Mut, Chez Coco, Pepito, La Cuina de’en Garriga, Cañete and Martinez.

For dining al fresco: Isabella’s, Nuba, Bar Turó, Mishima or romantic dinners at Abac or Tram Tram.

For dinner: Mutis, Boca Grande and Blanc at the Mandarin Oriental.

For cocktails: Omm, Pullitzer and the 1898 Hotel Rooftop

To party: Private homes, Ocaña and Bling Bling.

To catch up some more with the BCN Fashionistas, check out their website:

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