PEDRO DEL HIERRO
From Master To Brand
50 Years of Spanish Fashion
ROOM 1
Introduction
An Approach to the Master’s Career
Display case
Pedro del Hierro’s Universe
Section 1
The Last Master of Haute Couture 1974–1981
Section 2
From Atelier to Industry 1981–1990
Section 3
From Industry to Brand 1990–2003
ROOM 2
Introduction
An Approach to the Master’s Work
Quote
Music
Introduction
An Approach to the Master’s Career
Pedro del Hierro (Madrid, 1948–2015) was one of the most revered names in Spanish fashion. Raised in artistic surroundings, he found his own refuge and the best channel for his creativity in fashion design.
Del Hierro, the last couturier to be accepted to the Cámara de la Moda Española [Spanish Chamber of Fashion], embraced tradition while anticipating the future of this discipline with visionary clarity. His conviction that the marriage of creativity and industry was the only way forward set him apart from the beginning.
What made his career in the Spanish fashion world so unique was that pioneering vision of transcending the distinction between creator and brand. This belief became a certainty with the sale of his firm to the Cortefiel Group, now Tendam, one of the top corporations in the European fashion industry.
This exhibition celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of his firm’s opening, exploring how the legacy of Pedro del Hierro evolved from his early days in haute couture to the consolidation of his iconic brand.
Display case
Pedro del Hierro’s Universe
Pedro del Hierro’s first steps were guided by his father, Pedro Mozos, a professor of fine art. From boyhood Pedro dove into drawing, alternating academic exercises with costume sketches that foreshadowed his future in fashion design.
This showcase is a window onto the private creative world of Pedro del Hierro, recreating his desk with objects from his personal archive. The eyeglasses he used to see painstaking detail, the shears that sculpted fabrics, the magnifying glass that enlarged his artistic vision, the box where he kept his pencils, always ready to express new ideas, and a folder with the logo of his brand, symbolising his legacy.
This space is dedicated to revealing his less public facet, from his creative process to his sources of inspiration in art, entertainment, music or dance. It also shows some of his iconic designs and others that never saw the light, commissions for special clients and works of art that graced his home in the form of drawings, paintings and interior decoration.
All these pieces, which originally belonged to the personal archive of Pedro del Hierro (now owned by Diego Santos Vivero, his partner and collaborator), allow visitors to discover the essence and passion of a man who lived for beauty and creativity.
SECTION 1
The Last Master of Haute Couture
1974-1981
From the time of his debut in 1974, at age twenty-six, Pedro del Hierro had a distinctive style that combined the influence of his artistic heritage with an innovative vision of fashion. In 1976, he was admitted to the Cámara de la Moda Española alongside legendary high fashion couturiers like Pedro Rodríguez, Lino, Manuel Pertegaz and Elio Berhanyer, becoming the chamber’s youngest member.
The international haute couture system began to falter in the 1960s, although in Spain this happened slightly later, during Franco’s final years. As a reflection of society, fashion was affected by the many changes that took place in a decade when young people upset all existing structures. Yves Saint Laurent summed this up in what sounded like a revolutionary chant: Down with the Ritz! Long live the street!
As a contemporary of the generation of ‘68, Del Hierro embraced the new values of rebellion, politicisation and hedonism. His creations became more focused on individuality and prêt-à-porter fashion, synonymous with democratisation. He released limited editions of serial garments that were sold at American department stores and Spanish boutiques in order to reach a greater number of women, including those who were just entering the workplace. A clear response to the social and stylistic trends that the new era required.
SECTION 2
The Last Master of Haute Couture
1981-1990
Pedro del Hierro understood that, in order for the fashion mechanism to find success beyond the couture house, there had to be a fusion of creativity and industry.
In 1981, he dove headlong into prêt-à-porter by partnering with a major department store and became the first Spanish designer to have a corner in such an establishment, following the model introduced by Ralph Lauren at Bloomingdale’s. This strategic alliance expanded his reach within the Spanish market and validated his belief that prêt-à-porter was the future of fashion. That partnership lasted until the end of 1986.
Del Hierro, convinced of his vision, did not stop after that initial experience. He went into business with two Galician firms and, in 1988, two factories in eastern Spain. During the same period, he branched out into menswear, which was destined to be a cornerstone of the firm’s subsequent activity, and so consolidated his brand as synonymous with quality, innovation and accessibility. Within the same parameters, he launched a second prêt-à-porter line of streetwear called Hábito, well-made garments with quality finishes produced in large quantities and sold at boutiques.
SECTION 3
From Industry to Brand
1990-2003
Pedro del Hierro wanted his work to outlive him, which would require associating with a group that could carry his project into the future. In 1990, he signed a production and distribution contract with Cortefiel. This fruitful partnership culminated in the sale of his firm in 1999. The move reflected the tendency for couture houses and luxury conglomerates to collaborate, something common in the French fashion industry but highly unusual, even today, in Spain.
Around 1996, shoppers in Cortefiel establishments could find small areas carrying a select and limited array of Pedro del Hierro products. In 1999, the designer opened his first exclusive boutique in Madrid, which was soon followed by many others in Spain and abroad.
The spring/summer 2003 collection was the last one personally designed by Pedro del Hierro. He stayed on as the creative team’s consultant until 2009, when he retired completely due to health problems.
Just as he had dreamt, other young designers stepped in to preserve his legacy: talented people like Nacho Aguayo and Álex Miralles, the brand’s current creative directors.
Pedro del Hierro stands out in Spain as a unique example of what an alliance between design and industry can achieve.
Introduccion
An Approach to the Master’s Work
Pedro del Hierro’s work is characterised by his ability to combine the quality and creativity of haute couture with the practicality of prêt-à-porter. At fashion shows, his collections present a mixture of garments for everyday wear and more sophisticated pieces (the works for this exhibition were taken from the latter).
In the early years, he presented his collections in private shows, but in 1986 he began unveiling them at the newly established Madrid Fashion Week with the Creators’ Catwalk, later renamed Pasarela Cibeles. Del Hierro presented some of his first collections for men at Pasarela Gaudí, a Barcelona fashion show focused on menswear. During his partnership with the Cortefiel Group (now Tendam), his men’s and women’s collections were unveiled at Pasarela Cibeles.
Del Hierro masterfully combined sophistication and functionality, using materials of the finest quality and precision cuts. His visionary approach allowed him to anticipate trends and incorporate advanced textile technology, as evidenced by the evolution of his designs with the use of innovative materials, new technologies and modern tailoring methods.
Each piece attests to his talent for creating garments that strike a harmonious balance between tradition and modernity. His designs reflect his skilful use of colour and texture, handcrafted details and perfect finishes. The elegance of his creations speaks to his unshakeable commitment to quality and beauty.
In 2018, the Pedro del Hierro brand returned to Madrid’s Pasarela Cibeles with a fashion show at the Museo del Ferrocarril—the railway museum where the first Creators’ Catwalk was held—whose slogan paid tribute to its founder: Pedro is back. A few years earlier, in 2013, Carmen March signed on as the brand’s creative designer, presenting its collections at the New York Fashion Week. These two events proved that the master’s dreams of an enduring legacy and a global brand had finally come true.
Quote
Elegance is an attitude in life, something that shines brighter than everything else, an inner beauty.
To be elegant is to be pleasing wherever you are.
PEDRO DEL HIERRO
Music
This playlist shows the music that plays in the gallery. The selected tracks, which accompanied and inspired Pedro del Hierro as he worked, help visitors to immerse themselves in the designer’s creative atmosphere.
Samba de Verão, Caetano Veloso
La belle dame sans regrets, Sting
La vie en rose, Grace Jones
Hymne à l’amour, Edith Piaf
Carmen, WD 31, Act 1: Habanera. L’amour est un oiseau rebelle, George Bizet, Maria Callas,
Orchestre de l’Opéra national de Paris
Thanks for the Dance, Leonard Cohen
Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Bob Dylan