While New York Fashion Week was overshadowed by the unruly behavior of the CFDA chief violently restraining a PETA activist from protesting at the COS show, the fashion was there as well but as expected as always. The big names like Ralph, Michael and Tommy had shows which would be hard to place with a time stamp. Were they just now or 20 years ago? That’s rough but true. At the same time this opens new possibilities for new locations and Madrid is poised to step in. Hailing itself as a platform for Spanish fashion and a gateway to South America and the Middle East, the shows stretched over five days overlapping with New York’s end and London’s beginning. A rather confident flex in a busy season. It underlined that Madrid has been benefiting from a new creative energy coming from independent magazines like Fucking Young!, Dust and Odda and of course the 180th anniversary of Loewe, the serious fashion brand from the Spanish capital which shows in Paris. And there is talent. 

Alejandro Gómez Palomo is a well-known fixture on the international fashion circuit with early shows in Paris which put him on the map as a provocateur followed by New York where he made his brand more internationally known. The organizers of the week around creative director Valentina Suárez-Zuloaga cleverly invited him to celebrate the tenth anniversary of his label, and he delivered a powerful statement for Spanish fashion by holding his show in a beautiful rose garden at sunset which served as the perfect backdrop to highlight Palomo’s romantic DNA. The fact that Pedro Almodóvar comes to his shows doesn’t hurt either. The show was creative directed by the team around Hercules Books, another bright spot on the independent publishing circuit from Spain and in a way testament to the fact that the best creative forces in the Spanish capital stick together. 

From Palomo to Velázquez

The genes for single-mindedness and provocation seem to be deeply ingrained in the Spanish identity as we were reminded by a Velázquez painting in the Prado museum where the god of war, Mars, was depicted in undies on an unmade bed. Far from a god in shining armor. In the same vein, Palomo has been using women’s fabrics for his collections pretty much from the get-go and his feather-embroidered jeans and jackets, or better everything all made by hand in his native South are proof that he has not changed gears.

What have ten years done to Palomo?

The designer has recently moved to Madrid and he has matured tremendously. He is fully aware that he needs to sell and have commercial pieces so the backbone here were four pocket shirt jackets for a stark uniform esthetic. Of course, always balanced with romantic gestures as florals. He reworked his logo which simply reads Palomo Spain now and has developed a short P monogram which he cleverly embroidered on his pieces. There was a pair of multi pleats at the side of the waist jeans which were proof of his adventurous pattern making, but simply looked great and will do well. The pair of designer jeans you want to have. There was always a whiff of sewing sessions at the kitchen table in the past which have now made way for well produced and refined pieces. Made in Spain.

Impressions from Mercedes Benz fashion week Madrid

What has helped?

Palomo has been a steady collaborator of Puma, which has allowed him to have a steady source of income in a tough market for independent designers.

Plus, other designer highlights from the short time we attended?

Acromatyx’ ode to body hugging white tailoring added a fresh contrast to a show in the blazing evening sun. This felt genuinely cool and was followed by a young designer from Andalusia called Calafat, who is carving out a signature with 3D-printed torsos with artisan embroideries and a Spanish hip hop live performance vibe. The only problem here, as often with local fashion weeks, the influence of bigger brands from Paris (i.e. Balenciaga and Saint Laurent) was sometimes too prominent.