Madrid versus London Xmas Decorations

Ribbons of lights in Chueca Madrid

Below Green cone tree in London's kings road 

Suspended light design over head in Plaza Mayor Madrid 

Green Tree next to the Saatchi gallery in the Kings Road London - very effective.

Suspended lights that looked like jelly fish over a Plaza Mayor market square in Central Madrid

Xmas Market net of light on Calle La Cruz - Central Madrid

Madrid Xmas swirls - very effectiven on Calle Arenal shopping street

Sloane Square lights outside Peter Jones

Madrid tree of light in Puerta del Sol central Madrid

Lavish chandeliers in Salamanca on Calle Serrano

Pinterest - a useful source of photo inspiration for Art Directors

http://pinterest.com/shilo/short-bangs-forever/

An interesting alternative to the photo library - here you will find lots of great images privately collated. I am not going to  join as I can see how time consuming it must be - however there are some wonderful collections to view - take a look, better than Polyvore...... 

Madrid Eco design innovation and style in Chueca

ECOMANIA a pioneering shop in the Chueca / Salamanca borders

Flamenco/fan earrings made from coffee machine foil lids, 

more innovation - base of a cocoa cola bottle made into flowers 

Base of a cocoa cola plastic bottle moulded into flowers for earrings, broaches or even buttons

Computer drive clocks 

broach corsage made from felt and  coffee maker foil lids, saw floral corsages worn on winter coats and in hair in Madrid

a recycled coffee pot made into a stylish lamp

cute purses made of old can pulls, 

Inner tyre brand and price, note the belt above

never tyre of style with this shoulder bag - a great statement to make -

Bags made from the inner tube of car tyres - 

stylish bags created from threading fizzy drinks can pulls - clever

Where there is wealth and time to have a conscience and choice there will be designer eco shops like this one. Which is entirely laudable. There is something very cool about having the courage and style to wear something that has been redesigned out of trash. This shop reminded me of Colin and Olivia Firths shop in Chiswick.

Cheuca is a bohemian arty zone similar to Notting Hill in Madrid with lots of independent retailers selling fashion and lifestyle goods and Salamanca is the equivalent of Knightsbridge or Chelsea where you will find all the high end brands such as Prada, Mui Mui, Loewe, Gucci and Chanel for example. 

Madrid Winter Street Fashion

This girl looked great, her bag is Ben Sherman with Union Jack! fluted black wool coat with belt over jeans with checked gloves, note the patent heeled shoes worn with skinny jeans, very chic!

Madrid camel coats worn with trousers, a great sense of style

Same women from the back ....

Dam! I missed getting a frontal shot of these two, but the back is just as interesting, the quilted coat was a key Madrid Winter coat look, for sale in most Spanish shops without exception. The ankle mid calf or high boots a staple in Winter weather worn with skinny jeans or thick tights as we see here.

I like her irreverent layering and the cosy scarf and hat 

Animal print ( esp Leopard) was in almost every shop I went into,  a key look for winter, worn with style here ...

The duvet coat, worn with skinny leather trousers ! to be found in low mid and high price Spanish shops...

The black Duvet coat was popular and warm, a Zara staple seller  I imagine.......!

A great look, skinny leggings with cosy boots and a black felt hat - all the right proportions and combinations - looks effortlessly chic, I like the big black bag too

This photo explains why so many of my shots are from behind - mother is not happy but daughter is wearing a key Spanish footwear trend, Hunters boots or copies were worn often, and were represented in the shoe shops , some Wellies even having wedge heels... - great for walking the dog in a city too as they can be washed down so easily, didn't notice many poop scoops!  

This is how to wear a short coat - see right, note comfortable shoes , taken on a day when the weather had gone below freezing!

Classic boots, like the colour contrast and shape of big bag - a key Winter look 

Real fur was worn everywhere by a certain age group - the young tended to wear fake, I saw some beautiful fur coats.

I liked this bohemian cape, a cool look and probably her own design, 'make your own' is clearly a Madrid pass time as the fabric shops looked very prosperous and busy, with a fantastic selection of fabrics to choose from...

A typical Madrid Winter look, jeans worn with boots being the most popular.

Madrid Style - Agatha Ruiz de la Prada -

The entrance to the shop on Calle Serrano Madrid with her signature hearts as Xmas decor

bright colours, bold bright patterns, check out the brand bag designs 

variety of patterns - look in detail at the camouflage created entirely of hearts

toiletries on shelf - Agatha Ruiz lifestyle

reference to Beatle's Yellow Submarine, heart detail on accessories and all surface pattern designs...

see the bed linen hearts galore....

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada herself

Branding on sew in label

box design for linen section of shop

swing ticket detail 

children's section, animal print with signature heart

sequined xmas decorations

bag and swing ticket, prices were not over the top....

love the tree and xmas packaging paper designs.....click to enlarge

great umbrella design

multitude of accessories in whimsical patterns

An inspirational retail concept.

The Spanish have a unique retail design eye. Zara has lead the way in using technology to maximise sales and replenish stock using shop floor on the spot information direct to the ware house and supply chain. The methods have been mimicked by other high street players all over the world. We know Zara over here, so I focused on other Spain exclusive brands and retailers and will continue to feed back what I discovered - watch this space.
Agatha has accessory products in WH Smiths and John Lewis sells her children's shoes I discovered. She is a native of Madrid and lives there with her husband and children and also has her main design office there. As her long name might indicate Agatha is from a Spanish aristocratic family. She made her name in 1980 and at the age of 20 started her successful career in lifestyle / fashion branding.
She has outlets in Paris, Milan and New York, not London as yet. She like Paul Smith is a bit of a celebrity in her home country and is one of her country's best-known personalities in the clothing industry. There is an e shop attached to her main web site - 
I would have liked to see more branding photography on her website and in her shop. The clothes presented as they are on the eshop are difficult to imagine on the body. To me some styles are sack like and not very flattering, a good art director/fashion stylist and photographer working with the clothes may well have been able to convince me otherwise!
The eshop though a great web design has neglected using photography to sell the clothes as well as it could in my opinion, however her accessories speak for themselves and are more appealing. 

Madrid - Agatha Ruiz de la Prada

Agatha Ruiz De La Prada


My trip to Madrid on the train hotel from Paris was great fun. The city is brimming with  independent fashion shops as well as well known brands such as Zara. I have come back to London feeling very inspired and am missing the Tapas, Riocha and helpful, friendly Spanish people.
Feast your eyes on this brilliant Spanish designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada by clicking on the above link. I love her use of pattern and colour, with Mary Quant flowers and Beatlesque 60's patterns clearly her inspiration her style is unique and has a real feel good factor! more photos of her store to follow........