ALÍCIA ROSELLÓ

We met Alícia in 2016 doing natural cosmetics workshops at @duduá and we became good friends :)

In 2006 I founded Duduá , a space to promote contemporary art and crafts. First it was a store and gallery and then I turned it into a workshop space to learn many techniques. I also organize the Festivalet , an independent design and crafts fair in Barcelona and Talleres Nómadas where we go on adventures to Morocco, Guatemala, Mallorca or Crete to learn with local artisans.

WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE A GREAT LOVER OF CRAFTS AND VINTAGE OBJECTS, WHERE DOES THAT PASSION COME FROM?

Since I was little I grew up surrounded by old objects with stories behind them. My family's house has always been like a small museum. I spent my summers in an old house in the middle of the forest and my mother, who was very talented in crafts, taught me many techniques and we always made things with our hands. Hence my passion for making things by hand and discovering new techniques that are about to disappear.

WHEN AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO CREATE DUDUÀ? AND FESTIVALET?

When I finished my degree in 2006 I was very tired of being in front of the computer all day (I studied digital design!) and I wanted to do things with my hands again. I had been learning crochet, screen printing and sewing on my own for a while now. At that time there was no space in Barcelona to sell or exhibit the work of young people, much less artisan products, so I decided to open my own place and bring all the objects that I liked, from artisans and designers from here and abroad, and give them a space. where to exhibit. Festivalet was born in 2009 when we saw that there were no interesting craft fairs in the city and also because of the need to bring the products it sold in Duduá to a larger audience. As the store was located on a small street in the Born neighborhood, it was difficult to reach many people, so together with Elisa Riera we got together to organize the 1st edition in December 2009 and then it has grown year after year.

MAMITA MADE HER FIRST SALE AT THE FESTIVALET, WHAT CATCHED YOUR ATTENTION ABOUT A COMPLETELY UNKNOWN BRAND AT THAT TIME?

At that time I had not considered that cosmetics could be from small independent brands. I imagined that the world of cosmetics could only belong to large multinationals. I liked the idea and the origin behind Mamita Botanical, that everything was truly natural and also the image it exuded. Everything clean and simple. At that time it was not very common to find natural cosmetic brands like Mamita Botanical in Spain. I think you were very pioneers.

WE KNOW THAT YOU ARE GREATLY INVOLVED IN IMPROVING THE PLANET AND THAT SINCE YOU WERE CHILDREN YOU WERE VERY CONSCIOUS. COULD YOU TELL US SOME ANECDOTE ABOUT WHEN YOU WERE CALLED *”CAPTAIN ENCIAM”?

Ahahahaha, because when I was little I was very environmentalist and read books on the subject. When I was about 11 years old I read an article in a newspaper supplement about cosmetics and cleaning brands that experimented on animals and there were horrible photos and a list of well-known brands that did so. I was shocked so I decided to write a letter to each of the brands asking them to stop testing on animals, and if they didn't, my class would boycott them. Ahahaha, what naivety. Some of them answered me saying no and others sent me discount vouchers... Years later the European Union banned animal testing.

BEING ALREADY A BIG FAN OF MOMMY, COULD YOU EXPLAIN YOUR BEAUTY RITUAL TO US?

I love all Mamita's products, but depending on my mood and time I dedicate more or less time to it daily. What never fails in my daily life is the cleanser, the toner and the super cute cream. I use the cleanser in the shower and when I get out I put on the toner and then the cream that I have fallen in love with since I smelled it the first time. A few times a month I also use the scrub. I still remember the first time I used it and then I was shocked when it touched my skin.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE OR MUST-HAVE PRODUCT?

This question is very difficult, but if I had to choose just one, I would say the cleanser because it is very versatile and because I think there are very few products like this and in this format on the market.

JUST AS AT MAMITA, WE KNOW THAT YOU ALSO BELIEVE THAT KNOWLEDGE SHOULD BE SHARED. HOW DO YOU THINK THIS INFLUENCES YOUR WORK?

Since I created Duduá, one of my objectives was to disseminate artisan techniques and their tradition. Without transmission of knowledge things disappear into oblivion. So one of my maxims is always to share what I discover.

WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND MAMITA? WE KNOW YOU ALWAYS DO :)

Yes, I am a big fan and I always recommend it :P I love it because it is natural and simple. I don't need 3000 products or complicate my life. I like simple things. And I know that there are no products that are harmful to me or the planet. What I eat is just as important as what I put on my skin. Plus, I love that it's all local and supporting small local brands and labs.

TO FINISH, WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR MULTIPLE INTERESTS AND FOR YOU TO RECOMMEND US SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TO SEE LATELY, OR HAVE SEEN, HEARD...

There is a book that I have reread lately that has changed my way of seeing things a lot, it is called Goodbye Things by Fumio Sasaki. It's about a Japanese man who went from maximalism to minimalism and tells how it changed his life and his way of seeing the world and even eating! And my second recommendation is the Se Regalan Dudas podcast and Instagram @sesegalandudas. They are two Mexican girls who talk about all those things that go through our minds but almost no one dares to say out loud.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH ALÍCIA!

PHOTOS: Fabri

*Capità Enciam: was a fictional character created in the mid-90s by Catalan television. Played by Pep Parés, Capità Enciam (lettuce) starred in short episodes made up of one or two scenes in which he raised awareness among viewers about the uses of recycling, humorously parodying comic book superheroes. His motto was: “small changes are powerful.”