In the main hall of the Fundación Cajasol in Seville, Nicolás Montenegro finalized the details of his third fashion show, the first in his hometown, precisely on the day his eponymous firm turns two years old. “Walk as if you had won the Euromillions, fast and with joy”, the 35-year-old designer explains jovially to the models who are coming down the steps and will present, in a few hours, the latest and most striking designs of the firm.
It has been two years of unstoppable rise for Montenegro: his name has become internationally recognized, considered a valuable emerging talent in Spanish fashion, on the one hand for his irreverent idea of European luxury and on the other for his drive to preserve craftsmanship. of the country, give it value inside and outside Spain.
During this time, he has earned a place in the closets of influencers such as Marta Lozano and Teresa Andrés Gonzalvo, but also in that of actresses such as Cristina Castaño and Rossy de Palma, a close friend of the dressmaker from his years as a designer in the Milanese Dolce atelier.
All of them have accepted the designer's invitation, who this Tuesday starred in a daring and unconventional fashion show. The exclusive guests have been divided into twelve tables and the labyrinth that makes up their layout has served as a catwalk for the models, some of them camouflaged among the public waiting to go on stage.
Intermixed 70s and 2000s prints, tapestries turned into mini-dresses full of volume and matching boots in search of the monochrome look that so obsesses the red carpet this 2023. It is a Spanish Gucci with a costumbrist accent, a Dolce
At table number three, during the dinner after the show, Susi Rejano, designer and mother of Carla Hinojosa -sitting next to her- reflects on the importance of knowing how to dress as an intrinsic character of society. Dressed in one of the most spectacular pieces from the collection presented this Tuesday, a semi-transparent tunic full of black appliqués, the glamorous Catalan undoubtedly represents the Montenegro essence, the poise and glamor of the luxury client who upholds traditional dress codes but in turn is not afraid to play with fashion.
It is for this type of profile that Montenegro has designed in this collection sophisticated tube dresses that play with the silhouette with the black and white pairing, strapless pieces or tight lady dresses with large ties at the neck.
In this sense, in the new Montenegro party collection, on the occasion of the second anniversary of the firm, three elements are reviewed that, according to the same dressmaker, function as his hallmark: the halter neck, the aforementioned tapestries and the sheath dresses. Sophisticated but never vulgar, the looks devised by the creative Sevillian give off that desire to dress well again without neglecting the needs of today's women. A 360-degree line in which functionality prevails, which has become the new luxury of our times and an essential basic for the high-end buyer.
But if Montenegro has made something clear in this parade, it is its desire to give value to the made in Spain label. “With this event I want to vindicate Spanish fashion, break the mold and the idea that Seville is only ruffles, polka dots and flowers, because wonderful things are really done here that deserve to have projection”, he comments backstage while proudly looking at his designs.
Faithful to his roots and the industry of his native land, the designer only works with artisans from Seville, specifically from his town. Customary brocades merge in his designs with strong prints such as animal print and the most classic patterns are tinged with baroque forms. Montenegro is, after all, a breath of fresh air in the Spanish fashion industry and also a much-needed vindication of the 'made in Spain' stamp on the world scene.
