If you didn't know that there's a car museum in Malaga - the Museo Autovilistico (and not that many people do, it only opened a year ago) - then you'll be even more surprised to hear that it also has a fashion section - an extensive collection of vintage designer hats, which were so essential for ladies in the earliest open-top cars, to avoid getting messy hair, and a chilly noddle.
Now, fast-forwarding to the 21st century, the museum is putting on a show of "eco fashion" - also referred to as "Alta Costura Sostenible" (Sustainable Haute Couture) on 24 November. I was intrigued when I read about this, as clothes and the environment are two issues very close to my heart, so when they're combined, it's a no-brainer. "But how can cars and sustainability can go hand in hand?", you may be wondering, as did I. Until then I read on (see below).
The designers involved are seven Malagueños and one Portuguese. Their names are Montesco, Miguel Ángel Ruiz, Rafael Urquízar, Ángel Palazuelos, Javier Alcántara, Francisco Valencia, Gemma Melé and Pedro Reis. But the Spanish designer whom you will have heard of - or, if not, whose products you will certainly recognise - who is acting as madrina (godmother) of the event, is Agatha Ruiz de la Prada.
 |
Her bold colours transform everything from stationery and interiors to clothing, in signature pink, turquoise, yellow and orange, adorned with simple designs of hearts and flowers. She is well known for her concern for the environment, having learned from her father about the importance of saving energy at home, and has been quoted as saying "Me gustaria ser Ministra del Medio Ambiente" (I'd like to be the Minister of the Environment).
 |
This show is being sponsored by, among others, textile company Inmatex, which has provided all the organic fabrics for the clothes. As well as being environmentally kosher, the fabric is fair-trade approved - made with respect for the workers' rights.
Even the cosmetics are eco-friendly: Aveda, whose products are plant-derived and organic, and Une Beauty by Bourjois, made from all-natural ingredients.
The event will be the perfect occasion to reveal the prototype of a new car which runs on revolutionary technology, using compressed air. The only one of its kind in the world, the car is being designed in Germany especially for the museum.
Due to limited space, the event is by invitation only from the organisers. Those wishing to attend as press should send an email to comunicació[email protected] stating their details: name, DNI, and medium of communication.