Although a revolution has begun, the change hasn’t happened overnight. Since Fall of last year, professionals associated with Barcelona Fashion Week (BFW) knew that things were going to change in terms of how the week was organized and promoted. But the end results, however, have come as quite a shock to some. For months there’s been speculation and rumors about Barcelona’s fashion future, and although everything is still not clear, day by day more light is shed on the issue.

Last Wednesday, during the local TV Programme, “Els Matins de TV-3,” the Conseller de Comerc, Turisme i Consum de la Generalitat, Josep Huguet, accused some Gaudi designers of being a “private club” that for years has benefited from public funding. His comments were based in large part on the final report compiled by Professor Jose Luis Nueno of IESE.

The report states that the Pasarela Gaudi, which receives 90% of its budget from governmental support, a whopping 7.4 million euros, with half ending up in a few companies’ pockets, has become, in essence stagnant. Other highly successful catwalks, as is the case of New York, receive no state or city subsistence.

After the report was made public, some “fashion players” were clearly in favor; others undoubtedly against, particularly those ingrained in the “Flaque era” are angry and threaten to leave Barcelona for Cibeles. Toni Morral (Konrad Muhr), Secretary of the Association of Designers Gaudi, feels that the decision by the Conseller has been “destructive” and in doing so has handed over the fourth most important worldwide catwalk – the “Spanish Pasarela” to Madrid.

Repercussions have been highly significant. Last week, Paco Flaque, Director of Moda Barcelona and the long standing organizer of BFW decided to step down from organizing the January 2006 show, which was to be his last. Flaque, in charge of the event since the 70’s, and a Barcelona icon to many in the fashion sector, has continually received millions to implement the event, with up till now, little or no questions asked.

But the interesting question is, “Why?” What truly motivated the Conseller to make such a dramatic change in reorienting BFW, roughing up so many important feathers in the Barcelona fashion/political community? It seems as if one response is clearly what the Conseller is saying. Pasarela Gaudi should be established as a catwalk for young emerging designers to promote Catalan fashion internationally.

However, one can also speculate that the crucial thrust behind the Conseller’s decision was based on the incredible and unexpected success of the new fashion fair held last summer “Bread & Butter.” This international fair, which had its start in Berlin in 2001, is self-financed and has become in such a short time a worldwide fashion reference by creating an astounding amount of city benefits while at the same time synergizing with other cultural events thus guaranteeing more international press and exposure. Suffice it to say, in its first edition, this social phenomenon has had widespread repercussions which have put into doubt the lack of growth, and some may call, “obsolete” Pasarela Gaudi.

Finally the tri-party Catalan government has seen the beauty of a different “model” of doing business without “amiguismo” or nepotism and has realized that opening up the process to other more progressive European models can bring Barcelona the success it’s always hoped for. The decision by the Conseller to radically change its support, after so many years of “turning a blind eye” shows courage and, if taken as a benchmark, is likely to be played out in other important arenas. Barcelona’s future “progress” as a first-class world leader depends on it.