Seat hosts the history of skateboarding, the fashion trend laboratory

“Fusta i Rodes” is a sample of the skate collection housed by Sören Manzoni at Manzoni’s Garage

“Barcelona is the world capital of skateboarding“, says Manzoni, who has one of the largest skateboarding collections in Europe. Since the beginning of the 1950s, skateboarding has been a generator of street culture. For this reason, in the exhibition, you can also see everything that derives from it: clothes, cinema, music, arcade machines…

Some of us pass through this universe as something provisional in our lives and others remain there, in a permanent adolescence and rebellion. However, it is undeniable that it is a mirror in which top brands look at themselves.

One example: In 2016, Miu Miu presented a short film directed by Crystal Moselle, honouring the female friendship between skateboarders. And after 25 years of history, Supreme (whose origins go back to asphalt and wheels) is considered the most influential streetwear brand in the world, with collaborations with major brands such as Louis Vuitton.

With a similar trajectory to fashion, skateboarding has gone through different stages, each with its own slogans. “In the 80s, skatebording is not a crime; during the 90s, skate and create community; in the 2000s, skate and discover; and now, skate and share in social media,” laughs Sören.

Translated into clothing it could be: In the 80s, “more is more”; in the 90s, “less is more”; in the 2000s, “from the bottom, more and from the top, less”; and now,  “wear and share in social media”.

 

From left to right: Leopard skateboard, and Saint Laurent skateboard bathed in gold paint. Saint Laurent has a number of exclusive skateboard designs and models. Sabana Dance Skate and Manufacture de Boucleries, two short boards by Hermès, inspired by the house’s silk scarves.

“Brands like Dior, Gucci, Hermès or Louis Vuitton always have an eye on the skate community,” says Manzoni. And he continues, “in footwear it’s very noticeable, but also in how skate brands are joining luxury,” he confirms. In 1917 French luxury brand Hermès announced the launch of skates made of light beech wood and created by its artistic director Henri d’Origny.

The new era

It used to be much more complicated to see girls skateboarding. Now, it’s all the rage on Instagram. There is a whole movement. And this can be assured by the new generation on a skateboard. At just 13 years old, Daniela Terol is already a legend.

“Skateboarding is cool and that’s what people want, that’s why they dress like skaters even if they don’t skate. And it’s through fashion that I express myself as a sportsman“, admits Daniela, who listens to pop and is discovering English rap. She reveals that she buys in big chains big consumer goods, but “I combine it with brands from the sector such as Element, Thrasher or t-shirts from music groups at the flea market“.

Her father, Iván Terol, also has something to add: “Daniela’s clothes are very varied, she changes her ideas quickly from one day to the next, there’s no middle ground, she either hates it or it’s the best thing in the world. She’s a teenager! “, he exclaims.

The precursors

And JM Roura was also a teenager when he started skateboarding, a pioneer in Spain. He acknowledges that the Internet has been the biggest radical change in the scene: “Before, if you wanted to learn a trick, it was trial and error. When a new video was going to come out, there was a lot of expectation and we watched it a thousand times. Also, the magazines were a very precious material, they passed from hand to hand“.

For JM, skateboarding is much more than wood and wheels. Roura recalls that, when it was still a child’s game that-wouldn’t-come-to-nothing, skateboarding around the block where he lived already gave him a “feeling of freedom“. And this is something Manzoni also shares.

And, at the age of fifty, they’re both still skating. Skate brands are gaining more prominence and joining luxury brands. “The fact that skateboarding is involved in fashion adds a degree of acceptance. The fact that it is becoming more than just a sport and is being integrated into society is positive,” they say in unison.

When we asked Roura about the Supreme case, he was clear: “It started as a skateboard brand in New York, and a meeting space for the community. Then it metamorphosed into a super trend, to the point where anything with its logo on it becomes a cult object for many fans”. Other brands: “I like Carhartt, Dickies, Loser Machine… And, of course, Hydroponic Skateboards, which is my sponsor,” he concludes.

Iconic art

Another important element in the exhibition is art. One of the works on display is “Rat 4 Life“. It is dedicated to Barcelona and is by Jimbo Phillips. He is the successor of his father Jim Phillips, the well-known Santa Cruz artist who created the “Screaming Hand“.

Jimbo defines himself as “specialising in bold, eye-catching graphic designs and mind-blowing illustrations that fit perfectly on a skateboard or in an art gallery“. Is that a statement of intent or not?

 

Images provided by the brands mentioned