Welcome to The Director’s Cut, an interactive column featuring fashion, beauty and career advice from RGNN Director and Founder, @isabelevabohrer.
When you get dressed in the morning, do you ever stop to think about who dyed your denim? Who embroidered your blouse? Who created the pattern for your blazer?
With the rise of social media, and especially Instagram stories, the glitz and glam of the fashion world has gained increasing visibility over the last years. The regular public now has unprecedented access behind the scenes to careers such as those of stylists, who before international figures like Rachel Zoe, were only known to industry insiders.
But there are still so many careers, or better yet, so many people, that go unnoticed. It is under this premise that Madrid es Moda is opening Madrid Fashion Week this year. “Oficios: el arte invisible de la moda,” which translates as “trades,” or “crafts,” the “invisible arts of fashion” is the official event slogan. The goal: to revitalize Spanish auteur fashion and highlight the work of artisans and creatives that so often goes unseen.
Organized by the Asociación Creadores de Moda de España (ACME, the Association of Fashion Creators of Spain), Madrid es Moda is supported by Madrid Capital de Moda, a City Hall initiative that is placing Madrid on the map as another fashion capital seeking to compete, in Europe, with Paris and Milan. It was thus no surprise that Mayor of Madrid José Luis Martínez-Almeida came to inaugurate Madrid es Moda himself.
Following in the footsteps of previous seasons, – last September, it was at the National Archeological Museum, – the inauguration took place at another of Madrid’s emblematic artistic hubs, the Conde Duque Contemporary Cultural Center. It wasn’t a regular runway show; choreographer Dani Panullo had been invited to compose a dance performance to depict the hidden trades and crafts of fashion. As such, the designers were up on stage, adorning, sewing, and embroidering their creations. The sunny weather accompanied the event, and last but not least, the models walked down the grandiose Conde Duque stairs and across the center’s impressive patio to present Spanish auteur fashion in all of its colorful splendor.
In fact, it is these kinds of artistic narratives that will mark the remainder of the three-day event, from February 12-14, 2024. A total of 28 Spanish brands, including, in alphabetical order, Álvaro Calafat, Carlota Barrera, Daniel Chong, Devota & Lomba, Dominnico, Enneges, Ernesto Naranjo, Evade House, Fely Campo, García Madrid, Guillermo Décimo, Javier Delafuente, Juan Vidal, Leandro Cano, Luis Berrendero, Maison Mesa, María Lafuente, Miguel Marinero, Moisés Nieto, Odette Álvarez, Oteyza, Paloma Suárez, Peñalver Brand, Pilar Dalbat, Roberto Verino, The Extreme Collection, Viriato, and We Are Spastor, will be showcasing their collections.
The locations? A series of distinguished venues throughout the Spanish capital, from the Ateneo de Madrid, a private historic club for intellectuals, to the Serrería Belga, a recently renovated cultural center that now forms part of Madrid’s Paisaje de la Luz, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.
A quick glance at the Madrid es Moda program and you’ll see that the event formats, too, are varied; some designers have chosen the classic catwalk, presentation, or even cocktail reception settings, while others have opted for dance performances and photography exhibitions to unveil their collections.
Tomorrow, a special homage will be rendered to Modesto Lomba, owner of the brand Devota & Lomba and President of ACME. In January 2024, Lomba was awarded a Gold Medal for Merit in Fine Arts by King Felipe VI of Spain for his work, which in fashion has always specialized in haute couture and ready-to-wear designs.
A selection of Madrid es Moda events will be open to the public, including an exhibition on the invisible crafts of the fashion industry at the Plaza de Colón, several pop-up stores and exhibitions throughout the city, as well as a grand closing party at the Estación de Chamartín.
More information
- Madrid es Moda
- February 12-14, 2024
- For more information on events open to the public, please visit madridesmoda.com
Thank you, Madrid es Moda, for inviting us.
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