Backstage at the Madrid Fashion Week

It was a case of being in Madrid at the right moment. Thanks to a scholarship from the Spanish government development agency, Agencia Española Cooperación Internacional, I was in Madrid when the Fashion Week took place. I was warned that it would be difficult for me to get an invitation to the week-long fashion shows what with so many people who wanted to go. Luckily, I was able to get an international press accreditation. This year was rather controversial since the Spanish had to decide whether Madrid or Barcelona was going to be their fashion capital. Currently, there are two catwalks: One is called Pasarela Gaudi which takes place in Barcelona, the other is the Pasarela Cibeles in Madrid.

Yes, it was the fashion event of the year. Celebrities such as newscasters, actresses, politicians and their wives and even royalty attended the fashion shows. Seen during the week were Princess Elena, duchesses, the First Lady, controversial ex-wives of famous politicians, TV personalities, and Madrid’s alta sociedad. They caused quite a lot of media commotion. Upon their entrance, the TV crews zoomed in on them to get footages and interviews. In one fashion show, the First Lady was the cause of the 20-minute delay. The show simply could not start with all the media crowding the aisles of the catwalk. Meanwhile, the poor models could be seen waiting backstage.

There was strict security at this affair that was by invitation only – acquired if you were invited by the designer himself, if you were a sponsor, if you were a buyer, or a member of the press. There was a check point from the entrance to your seat. There was a section reserved for the press and another for invited guests.

And The Show Begins

Sitting at the side of the catwalk, I was very near the stage where the models entered and exited. From that vantage point, I could see how the designers fussed to make everything perfect – from the hairstyles to the accessories to the clothes of the models. There was someone from backstage who gave the models their cue. Meanwhile, the models were internalizing their roles as they waited for their turn.

Each fashion show was different – depending on the style and fashion concept of the designer. Some were routine – just the normal parade of clothes while others came up with more creative concepts. One of Spain´s most famous designers, Roberto Verino, had a Mongolian concept where all his clothes were inspired by the weather and the spirit of Mongolia. This show brought in models from around the world like Spanish supermodel Esther Cañadas and African models to add diversity. Moreover, effects such as artificial snow made it look like the models were part of a Mongolian tribe. Another dramatic show emulated the rituals of the Peruvian tribes where a dark damsel was carrying a basket full of flowers tied with a rope on her forehead with all the other models performing Peruvian rituals. The show by designer Por Fin was transformed into a dance production with modern jazz numbers where dancers encircled the models as they pranced on the catwalk. The funniest was Guillermo Torino’s show where all the models had paper masks to simulate animals. The models converted the catwalk into a playground where they skipped, smiled (for once) and danced. Light moments on the show included the entrance of two kids each carrying a basket. On reaching the end of the catwalk, they set free two doves.

After the show, the guests were escorted to a restricted area for cocktails. The party was full of media people trying to capture images, getting quotes from celebrities, designers and models. The walls were lined with the profiles of the models in some of the covers and fashion shoots they had done.

The leading fashion and society magazines had stands outside the venue. Each one had its own concept but most were giving away free back issues and soliciting subscriptions. There was a press room where all the international and local media can do their articles, scan photos and send them via e-mails through one of the computer terminals. The Press Room had big TV screens for monitoring the day-to-day events. In one part of the hall, there was a TV program setup to broadcast the fashion show and celebrity interviews live. It was quite exciting because one gets to see how a TV program is done behind the scenes.

The Models

Over 50 local and international models were chosen for the show. They caused quite a stir, with the photographers getting out of control, when they paraded transparent blouses. Which made some photographers wolf-whistle at the models and shout, "Guapa! Guapa!" And just when you thought models were perfect, you see supermodel Esther Cañadas slip. Some designers do make it very hard for their models to walk. The models had to balance themselves on stilettoes while wearing long gowns with long trains. They had to retain their cool and composure even with all the men staring at their bodies.

Backstage

The backstage was organized into different rooms  – each designer of the day was assigned a dressing room. In that room, the collection was arranged according to which one comes out first. There was a big makeup room where makeup artists, hairstylists and stylists work together on the models. Imagine the pressure they had in changing the look of the models from one fashion show to the next since all the designers had different demands. In the makeup room, there was a long table laden with healthy and unhealthy snacks for the models although I seldom saw the models eat. There was a one-hour dress rehearsal between the makeup sessions. Models had a lot of free time after their makeup sessions. They could be seen catching up on their reading if not being interviewed by the press. They also had time to go back to their hotel, which was nearby, to get some rest. Every night, there would be parties hosted by different designers, but surprisingly, not all the models go as they get very exhausted after a long day of walking the ramp. Some models fly the next day to the next round of fashion weeks in Milan and some to fashion shows in Paris.

It was a very exciting fashion week. Certainly, Spanish fashion is raging hot.