Balenciaga at the Thyssen, Madrid

While I'm here in Madrid, visiting my parents, I'm able to spend time scouting for the Grove. We actually carry several Spanish lines- in Spain there's a heavy emphasis on resort wear, bright colors and fun trims, all categories we embrace. There's a lot of "fun" fashion here- Zara has my heart, and lines like Bimba & Lola and Desigual offer affordable, stylish clothes and accessories. But of course Spain has the real thing, too.

I went to the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum today to see an exhibit on Cristóbal Balenciaga and his inspiration pieces. We had a private tour where our guide explained how many of the styles and silhouettes we saw Balenciaga create had their beginnings in the works of Spanish painters.

The entire exhibition was a visual feast, and really renewed my excitement for finding all sorts of beautiful things to bring back to Florida. While we may not be able to have Balenciaga in store (I wish...sigh), we can find special pieces where the color is as rich, the details are as special, and the creativity really shines. That's what we want to bring to The Grove!