A one-hour drive into the mountains of Barcelona’s backland, rural La Llacuna seems an unlikely place to discover luxury. This tiny spot – a locality with less than 900 inhabitants - remains the well-kept secret of some of Europe’s grandest fashion houses. La Llacuna made it onto the international fashion map thanks to its only factory: a knitwear atelier run by the Puig Romeu family. Small-town producers of knitted garments since the eighties, the Puig Romeu grew their factory into an innovative global player. The turning point was the family’s unexpected encounter with Japanese craftsmanship. Driven by their passion for Japan’s textiles, the family business evolved into a one-of-a-kind manufacturer by combining Catalan and Japanese knitting traditions. The merging of western and eastern techniques resulted in surprising and 'unheard of' materials.

Josep Puig Romeu, the youngest member of the family, proudly connects his family’s manufacturing heritage with his own delicate and experimental aesthetics. Surrounded and supported by like-minded creatives, Josep recently founded his own designer label Bielo, named after the estate where it originated. The eponymous brand blends the designers' refreshing look on fashion with the Puig Romeu's profound knowledge of high quality fabrics. The result is a modern and refined collection featuring variations on traditional cuts and a wide variety of textures. Josep Puig Romeu and his team rigorously experiment with inventive knitting techniques resulting in unusual structures, capable of transforming their ideas into corresponding shapes and volumes. Each collection is marked by distinctive, playful colour combinations and pattern experimentations with luxurious knits.