Ground floor, men's fashion

Perhaps what has caused the greatest stir in local fashion news this last month was the announcement by Antonio Banderas that, not satisfied with his venture into the world of cologne, he is now heading into fashion. We may wish him well but it is perhaps apt to remind him that a mere name may make headlines but perhaps not carve out a niche in the industry. At the same time that he was launching his project (May 25, London, before opening in Malaga) we heard news that Victoria Beckham was having a rough time and needed a substantial bail out from David.

Banderas may have better luck as, according to him, he has studied his new trade in the amazingly creative St. Martin's design centre in London, renowned for turning architects into potters, engineers into post-card makers, and so on, i.e.... creating real creators, a mecca for designers.

It raises a question though. Is there space, a place to be made or gained in this dog-eat-everything world of fashion? In the world of men's fashion, perhaps. That is where Banderas will start, although he claims he may move over to the other side at a later moment.

So, what is it with men? The answer is simple; money. Men are spending money, and huge amounts of it, on their personal appearance. So much so in fact, that in Spain men's fashion now accounts for 40% of the industry. And it would seem to be far from a passing fad. If it were, it would seem an awful waste of time, money and effort for the country's largest department store to open an exclusively men's fashion centre in Madrid... all seven floors of it.

Men's fashion has an advantage in that it is easier to collectivise. Collectivisation is the step that followed on from the New Look, which incorporated Prêt-à-porter. As we mentioned in our February issue, men are more comfortable in groups where identity is regimented and which, from a design point of view, makes them more predictable and easier to cater for, by adapting design to a number of variations on a theme. Whatever the reason, the impact has been phenomenal.

Miguel Pons began his working life as a window dresser at the age of 13 in Reus. Three years later his family emigrated to Mexico and Miguel ended up in New York, window dressing in a large department store, eventually moving into floor design, more or less deciding where things go. This was in the 60s. He saw the change evolve. “When I started in the store it was so big and there were male clients of course, but not many people knew where the men's shoe department was. Of course, it was downstairs, at the back of something or other.” He also remembers dressing a window display with an entirely men's selection and a crowd gathering outside to watch such an unusual sight taking place.

Pons eventually left and formed his own consultancy in retail design, advising shops on how to present their goods to prospective clients, something relatively new at that time. What he told fashion stores was that he had seen a change in habits over the years and it was important. Women were no longer dragging their husbands and boyfriends through stores to choose for them; the men were going it alone. Miguel's advice? “Ground floor, right inside the doors. And men deserve the biggest window displays possible.” He had been giving that advice long before he retired, 15 years ago.