When fashion is mentioned, the names that first come to mind are France, the United States and Italy. Spain is seldom on most people's list of fashion centers.
At the 3rd Fashion China held recently in Shanghai, Spanish fashions provided a few surprises with its trendy collection.
The Spanish textile industry is the fifth largest in the European Union. Even more important is its footwear industry, which captures a 6 per cent share of the global export market, third largest in the world.
Jota Mas Ge is one of the most distinguished of the Spanish fashion houses. Established in 1987, its designs contain simple, pure lines and the essential feminine touch that suggests sensuality and modernity.
The line offers young women comfortable, well-made and elegant apparel for reasonable prices.
In the latest collection for summer 2002, you can see extreme femininity and masculinity represented in the same collection, and it is full of contrasts, stripes and floral patterns that intensify this contrast.
Light and feminine fabrics such as satin crepe tulles and damasks combine with the fabrics found at work and in the masculine world - cottons, sail cloth, denim and poplin. Classical and natural colors combine with the most daring colors of summer.
Mascaro was founded in 1918 as a maker of ballet shoes. In the 1950s, the second generation of the company, led by Jaime Mascaro, converted the workshop into a factory for quality design footwear, kicking off a continuous expansion process which today is expressed by the company's internationalization. In its two lines, Jaime Mascaro and Ursula Mascaro, the company provides a wide range of shoes, garments and accessories.
Fuentecapala grew from a family business to an international line. The name Fuentecapala is taken from a Castilian land linked with the origins of the Vargas family. Fuentecapala was to specialize in a very specific range of business and outdoor wear for men.
In the collection for spring/summer 2002, formal garments, possibly reminiscent of London in the 1950s, are shown alongside the 'chic' contribution to the impeccably tailored suits and double-breasted, wide-lapelled jackets. The counterpoint can be found in the classic yachting blazer combined with lighter garments for enjoying an aperitif.
A discussion of Spanish fashion is not complete without a description of its leather goods. Alani Exotics began by working with ostrich leather, but now includes alligator, crocodile, python, lizard, iguana lizard and zebra in its line of products. It incorporates the latest finishes such as ostrich nubuck, hand painted python and alligator silk. The Sunflower Collection is a classic line of ostrich leather bags in bright buttercup yellow that remains as popular as ever.
In the spring/summer 2002 collection of Marga Mod, natural sheens and vibrant colours work in harmony, as if infused with the warm hues of sunsets. Coral, blue, brick red and yellow combine to lend a rustic look to versatile garments. The stylish, well-defined cut creates feminine, easy to wear lines. This collection is particularly striking for its youthfulness and vibrancy.
(Shanghai Star 09/06/2001)
