Agatha Ruiz de la Prada takes Colombo by storm

By Cheranka Mendis

When Spain’s number one fashion designer came to Sri Lanka to showcase her collection on the Colombo Fashion Week (CFW) ramp, she delivered more than what the audience expected.

From the brightest colours, hearts and the cutest possible improvised stilettos Sri Lanka has seen, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada set the benchmark high for the rest of the designers.

Recognised world over as one of Europe’s top designers, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada has come a long way from where she started at just 20. Getting ready to celebrate 30 years since she launched her very first collection in Madrid, Agatha has maintained her style of design for 30 years and is more than just a fashion designer.

Joining Daily FT for a chat just after CFW, Agatha was all excited – both about her 30 years in the industry and her new partnership with Sri Lanka’s very own Arugam-Bay: a brand that has hit great heights within a short time.

“When I came for CFW in 2010 I loved what I saw and I was determined to forge a partnership with a Sri Lankan company. I am happy that one year later, my dream is coming true,” Agatha asserted.

“When I was invited last year I was very impressed by the country and its talents. I saw how beautiful the resorts, hotels and even shops were. Certain shops here are better than what is in Europe. I had an interesting time as a tourist.”

Agatha’s constant dream is how to connect with the people, she said. “I always think about how I can connect with the people, how I can link myself with these people. And the best way to do it is when people wear my creations, isn’t it?” she questions.

The flip flops that she designed for Arugam-Bay are going to be a hit, she says, with a little luck coming her way. “These flip flops won’t last for fifteen minutes on the stands in Spain,” she says pointing at a few. On the partnership itself, she said that choosing Arugam-Bay was lucky as the company has good commercial instinct. “With the right price and the distribution, this would be a super hit.”

Flip flops are part of Sri Lanka, she said, and if there is anything next, it would have to be sari, she added with a laugh.

This tie-up merely marks the beginning of strengthening ties between the two countries. Her son, now 23, is in India and with that, this part of the world will definitely be on her map for the next few years, she said.

Attributing her designs which reflect love, humour and optimism which she achieves through her extraordinary use of colours and shapes to her artistic family, Agatha revealed that the secret behind her bright colours is her birth year.

“I was born in the ’60s; it was a happy period. The hippy movement happened then. Peace, love, the Beatles, pop culture were all part of the period so was the beginning of jeans. This is what I draw inspiration from. I love my job. I have one of the most wonderful jobs in Spain.”

Her inspiration however is contemporary art. “I love contemporary art. Before becoming a designer I wanted to be an artist. And that is I believe the reason behind the very graphic designs.” Her style of vibrancy is something she has been consistently following since 1981.

Her father was an architect, one of the best in his time and an art collector. This too impressed her enough to draw examples from the line, form and subtlety of her father’s creation to her designs. If she was to follow his footsteps, she would be the ninth generation of architects her family has produced.

Her consumer range differs from clothing to commercial and even vehicles. Among the many collaborations she has worked under are the beloved cartoon character ‘Snoopy,’ Disney, Lacoste, Nestle, Audi, Bratz, Tío Pepe (famous Spanish winemaker) and even Moulinex. Some companies have maintained the links for as much as 25 years. Some of her favourite designs have been for Absolut Vodka and Swatch.  “I am one-of-a-kind designer in the world,” she adds.

Agatha, who showcased eight different models in her very first show, now has some 20 collections on ramp every year. Up to now her portfolio of fashion show participation comes to 200 or more.

“I love fashion. I love coming up with new collections. But most of all I love shoes,” she said when we commended her on her fantastically unique line up of stilettos and wedges featured at CFW.

“I always look at a woman and look at her shoes to see what she is like. More than in Sri Lanka, European women are very conscious of the shoes, so I love designing them.” After all, Spain and Italy are famous producers of good shoes.

On CFW, she said she was “very impressed by the quality” of the show. “They are doing very clever things and their focus on promoting ethical practices is commendable. Ethical fashion is a big thing in Asia and around the world and Sri Lanka’s contribution towards it is immense.”

A fan of Pakistani designer Bibi Russell, Agatha exclaims that at CFW “everyone is family.”

Pic by Dinuka Liyanawatte

Spain’s No. 1 launches flip flops in Sri Lanka

Spain’s number one designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, in a move that will go down Sri Lanka’s fashion history, tied up with one of Sri Lanka’s most popular brands of the recent years, Arugam-Bay, to launch a special line of flip flops for the local market.

Her collection will be launched within a few weeks time, President of Colombo Fashion Week Ajay Vir Singh told Daily FT. “There are some minor details that needs to be looked at before the launch. However, the flip flops will hit the stores very soon,” he said.

The collection will see Agatha’s trademark designs of smileys and hearts and will come in vibrant colours, another signature mark of her designs as well as for Arugam-Bay.