NUDE PROJECT’S MASÍA GALLERY IS THE PLACE YOU WANNA BE
editor ELIANA CASA
What started in a bedroom between two friends in 2018 has grown into one of the most recognised streetwear brands today. Nude Project isn’t just a label: it’s an entire universe, one that pulls you in until you find yourself appreciating every single detail. And behind each detail, there’s often a funny or unexpected story waiting to be discovered.
all images courtesy of NUDE PROJECT
To celebrate the opening of their first flagship store in the city where the brand was born—Barcelona—we dove headfirst into this universe. Bruno Casanovas and Alex Benlloch invited us to experience a 24-hour deep dive into Nude Project on Sant Jordi, a day when the city is awash with red roses and books. Even the city’s usual chaos couldn’t stop Bruno from arriving at the new space, Masía Gallery, named after his grandparents’ old farmhouse and art gallery in L’Empordà. While waiting for him, I wandered through the store and noticed old photographs: Bruno’s grandmother with Salvador Dalí, his grandmother with Kenzo—the real diva of the house, I’d say.
“Masía Gallery starts right here,” Bruno explained as we sat down. Our roots are all we have in the end, and this store is proof of that. Designed by El Departamento, the independent experimental studio founded by Marina Martín and Alberto Eltini, the space features artworks from longtime friends and collaborators like Filip Custic, Pedro Hoz, and Carlota Pérez de Castro. The store redefines what a retail experience can feel and look like: a living collage, where every piece echoes a piece of the brand’s past.
We continued our journey by bus, pausing at the key locations of the brand before finally arriving at its headquarters with Bruno, and got to discover the real Nude Project world—people at laptops, behind cameras, or surrounded by books—shaping a movement that feels just passionate, and genuine. Spending one day with co-founders Alex and Bruno was a reminder that our greatest strength lies right there, in being real while embracing failures, mistakes, discipline, and authenticity. “I just wanted to do something with my life,” Bruno said. And that’s exactly where our conversation began.
EC: How did you and Alex meet?
BC: Through social media—kind of like a good version of Tinder.
EC: From a bedroom to stores and pop-ups across Europe and even LA, with huge turnouts. How does that feel?
BC: Unreal. Especially when people like Justin Bieber or Madonna wear the brand. These are people I’ve admired my whole life. More than the hype, it’s about recognition—when someone you respect acknowledges your work, it means a lot.
EC: You call it Nude Project, but you dress people up. Kind of ironic, no?
BC: It actually started as a mistake. We had another name, but we couldn’t register it legally. So we kept “NP” and searched dictionaries—Italian, English, French—until we landed on “Nude Project.” At first, it felt weird, like, “Are people really going to wear this?” But we liked the irony, so we went for it.
EC: Were you worried people wouldn’t take you seriously as a young brand?
BC: Totally. When you’re young, you’re insecure about everything. Recognition matters. For me, the way to deal with that was discipline: showing up early, leaving late, working harder than everyone else. Even if I wasn’t the smartest or most experienced, I could control that. And people notice. Especially older people, they respect effort.
EC: Your motto is “by artists, for artists.” How do you define creativity within the project?
BC: We’ve always admired artists—anyone who can create something from nothing. I think that brings real value to the world. I don’t necessarily label myself as an artist, more as a creative. I’m lucky to work with amazing creatives and have them connect with the brand. Even customers who aren’t artists professionally often relate to that creative side. Everyone has a “misfit” part of them, and the brand speaks to that.
EC: Your campaigns are funny, sexy, and a bit reckless - and you and Alex often place yourselves at the centre of them. What’s the thinking behind making yourselves part of the storytelling?
BC: Looking back, honesty has always worked best for us. The more truthful and sincere a campaign is, the better it performs. Whenever we try to be something we’re not…that’s when it fails. We still get insecure before every campaign, but staying real is what works for us.
EC: You even made a campaign about failure. What keeps you motivated when things go wrong?
BC: I don’t really see it as a failure. I mess up all the time, but that’s how you learn the most. When things go well, you don’t learn much. But when you mess up, that’s when you grow fast. I try to see every mistake as progress.
EC: The store feels very personal, almost like a home. What’s the idea behind that?
BC: I don’t want stores to feel transactional. If you just want to shop, go online. The store should be a place where people hang out, connect, meet others—like a space for the “outcasts”. This store is inspired by my grandparents’ house. They introduced me to art and design. My grandma had incredible style, and my grandpa was secretly an amazing painter. They’re not here anymore, so this is also a way to honour them and bring their energy into the project.
EC: If three songs were on a Nude Project playlist right now, which ones would they be?
BC:
Touch the Sky – Kanye West
Congratulations – Mac Miller
Buffalo Soldier – Bob Marley
EC: Dream collaboration, both artist and brand?
BC: Brand: Marni.
Artist: Rosalía.
EC: Manifesting, right?
BC: What better place if not here.
EC: Best and worst part of working with your best friend?
BC: Best: trust—you can’t replicate that.
Worst: always talking about work, but I don’t mind because I love it.
After our chat, I was invited to an intimate dinner on the store’s third floor, accompanied by a performance from Carlota Pérez de Castro—featuring salsa dancer Polina Sofia climbing onto the table and using her body as a brush to create an impromptu painting. For one evening, we all became part of this living canvas that is Nude Project, and it felt just like home.
