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Ever since it coined its legendary slogan “wrinkles are beautiful”, Adolfo Domínguez has proved unstoppable. We speak with the designer and his daughter Tiziana – heiress to the Galician company – about the brand’s past, present and future.

You studied art and film in Paris. Tell us about your entry into the design world?
It was really what I had wanted from the start and I wanted to earn my own place in Paris, but there were so many people I couldn’t face it. Life takes you in different directions, and I soon realised I had been born amid needles and thread and that cameras and spotlights were not for me.
My parents had a family tailor’s which became Adolfo Domínguez in 1973. That was where we laid the foundations for what our company would become: its designs and its distribution network.

What is left of that family company in Adolfo Domínguez today?
The excitement and ambition remains the same. Now my daughters Tiziana and Adriana have joined us, which really makes it even more of a family firm, if you like.

Do you see yourself as a couturier or a designer?
I prefer the word couturier. I’ve always liked working with my hands and that is an essential part of couture.

We’ve read that your grandmother played a very important role in your career. Did she influence your designs or was it your use of linen?
My grandmother looked after me and my brothers and sisters while my mother was out at work. Her arms, her hearth and the smell of baked apples are unforgettable to me and she is a part of every aspect of my life.
She would plant, harvest, spin and weave linen on her looms. Hence the importance the fabric has always had for me in my work.

You’ve been known to say you want your clothes to be like a second skin. Is that still a philosophy you follow when you design?
They really are a second skin. Clothes say a lot about us, they are the first impression, the first thing you see about other people and that’s why important to have that attitude.

You also coined one of Spanish fashion’s most famous phrases: “wrinkles are beautiful” and introduced the marketing concept into fashion. How has the sector changed since then?
As I see it, some people just sell clothes. But I always say I am selling emotion: I try to tell a story in every design.

As a person, you are said to be serene, natural and discreet. Is that also a good description of your clothes?
Discreet, yes, undoubtedly; and perhaps natural too. I’m not so sure about serene because I experience inner torments. But it is true that a mixture of stretching and deep breathing (yoga), as well as studying (other people call it meditation) and living in a natural environment help you to put those torments into perspective.

Where do you find inspiration?
The synapses, the connections between the neurons; that’s inspiration.

As a company, Adolfo Domínguez designs, manufactures and sells. Why the full scope?
I think it’s important to market your own designs, and also necessary. It’s true that it’s the difficult option, but there is a lot at stake.

You also supervise every one of your creations and catwalk shows. Adolfo Domínguez is said to symbolise affordable luxury. What’s your view?
That was my objective right from the start.