Friday 3 December 2010

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.