Search:

The international success of this Barcelona-based Spanish fashion label has not ceased since it saw the light in 2007. Martin Lamothe has found its place among the exclusive group of Europe’s so-called intellectual, romantic and avant-garde fashion labels.

As a standard-bearer of unisex fashion, Elena Martin—alma mater, creative director and designer of Martin Lamothe—talks to us about the day-to-day life of an up-and-coming young designer.

How did Martin Lamothe come about?
I completed my fashion studies in London very young. I was 21 when I began working as an assistant to important designers such as Viviene Westwood and Alexander McQueen. When I came back to Spain in 2004, at just 25, I was offered a fantastic opportunity as design manager for Miró Jeans, one of the Antonio Miró divisions.
When you work for other people for a long time, you begin to feel the desire to do what you want to do, in the wayyou want to do it. Since living in London, I had always dreamed of setting up my own company, and it was there that I took my first steps, joining forces with various other designers and artistic directors. For me, London will always be the city where I came of age as regards the fashion world.
One day, almost without thinking about it, four seasons into my time at Miró Jeans, I began freelancing for a few different companies and, in 2007, Martin Lamothe was born.

What is Martin Lamothe?
We have matured a great deal with each collection, but I tend to describe us as a designer, avant-garde prêt à porterlabel via which we areincreasinglyseeking to position ourselves at the very top in the fashion world.

Martin Lamothe started out designing women’s fashion, but it has taken a detourwith a more unisex collection. Why?
We suddenly realised that men were buying large sizes of our garments in order to wear them themselves and we began to think about creating fashion thatanyone could wear. Our collections are now aimed at both men and women, but the men’s line is fully unisex and has outfits for women as well as for men.
This doesn’t mean that our clothes lose their formthough: my women’s suits, jackets, outer garments, trousers and shirts follow an essentially masculine line so that they will still work when we adapt them to men’s sizes.

We have read that you aim for a modern look without losing sight of tradition, how is that possible?
By using traditional techniques and taking advantage ofthe traditional labour force, trades and craftsmanship that are still very much alive in Spain, even if we might find it hard to believe. We then apply those techniques to brand new forms, concepts, materials and garments.
We even have a ‘Made to order’ line, in which we make garments to order.This is a very manual, laborious service, which is adapted to each customer.