The heels of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Madrid took the stage at Spain‘s most important fashion show from February 18 to 23, 2016. Here are my favorites shoes and accessories from the Fall-Winter 2016-17 collections.
ANDRÉS SARDÁ
The Barcelona-based Andrés Sardá presented a show that seems to have come straight from the movie sets of Great Gatsby and The Grand Budapest Hotel. The black lace and fine tulle ensembles were complemented by shiny lace-up stiletto heels. Together they deliver a powerful vision of decadent splendour and thinly veiled sexual aggression.
DEVOTA & LOMBA
Devota & Lomba‘s largely black and white collection is titled “Tangram“. (Tangram is a Chinese puzzle consisting of a square cut into seven pieces, which can be arranged to make various other shapes).
The Devota & Lomba designers are known for their architectural approach to fashion. They love translating the abstract visual language of the classical world through the skillful use of modern materials. The cold lustre of the low-heeled black patent leather ankle boots underscores the austere geometry of the collection.
DUYOS
Juan Duyos has made a spectacular career in the Spanish fashion industry. Over the years he proved himself as a steady leader capable of wearing many hats without losing sight of his own creative vision. He loves free-flowing shimmering fabrics that allow for a great range of movement. He casts real dancers in many of his fashion shows (see a post here).
Shoes and accessories don’t seem to play a prominent role in the designer’s collections, but the blood red nappa leather gloves with wide bell-shaped tops were too beautiful and seductive to pass over.
ESTHER NORIEGA/PACO HERRERO
Esther Noriega and the Spanish women shoe brand Paco Herrero continue their fruitful collaboration (see a post on a previous collaboration here). Esther Noriega‘s Fall-Winter 2016-17 line-up celebrates a modern warrior-style femininity with wasp-thin waists and strong shimmering colors. The black reptile-print stiletto pumps by Paco Herrero give a brilliant finish to the collection.
JESÚS LORENZO/JUST-ENE
Jesus Lorenzo FW16-17 collection was created for the Pamplona-based “Groenlandia” ecologically-friendly fur atelier. The designer’s self-proclaimed goal is to change the image of fur by making fur fashion younger and more democratic. His ready-to-wear pieces are classy and versatile. The Fall-Winter 2016-17 collection was created in collaboration with the Spanish custom-made luxury shoe maker Just-Ene.
Just-Ene pumps stand out because of their aesthetically pleasing, foot-friendly shape. Their shimmering surfaces and fur pom-pom details add a playful touch to Jesus Lorenzo’s vibrant pieces.
ULISES MÉRIDA
The most striking collection to catch my eye was that of Ulises Mérida.
Ulises Mérida‘s pieces are somber and dashing all at once. They seem to have originated in a creative universe dominated by El Greco. It is predominantly through color that El Greco‘s paintings capture the essence of the Spanish psyche.
In Ulises Mérida‘s FW16-17 collection the elements are also pulled together by the stark color palette of reds, blacks, and purples. The dramatic impact of the draping outer pieces is softened by the use of see-through fabrics, lacy tights, and tactile horse-hair texture of the shoes. A real tour-de-force!
On the whole I have to say that Fall-Winter 2016-17 collections give off a strong and slightly ominous vibe. Voluminous materials, intense colors and dense textures seem to signal that difficult times are ahead. Like all true artists, fashion designers possess a certain foresight. We can consider ourselves forewarned.
All images courtesy of Vogue Spain.
