 Manuel Mota, creative director of Pronovias, met with Trendencias of Spain to talk about the 2012 collections. It is clear that he is passionate about what he does which comes through in the wonderful collection that he has created for the new season. With a great sense of humor, attentive and warm, Manuel Mota is without a doubt THE wedding designer in the spotlight. En Español Trendencias. It has been a few years since you starting creating the Manuel Mota label as well as the Pronovias label, which have revamped in a more fresh and trendy look. Have you always had creative freedom or where there certain conditions that had to be met? Manuel Mota. I began with Pronovias when I was still in fashion school and at the beginning I thought I was only going to be able to design some wedding gowns, but now, look at me! I can’t stop! T. Tell us about the process in designing a wedding gown. MM. I always begin with fabric. Each fabric has its own anatomy and behavior on a woman’s body. This is my starting point. The creation of a collection is a creative process with a practical goal: an aesthetically pleasing product. There are many variables that intervene in this process such as large doses of energy, consistency, endless hours and a lot of enthusiasm to find something new to create the perfect gown. T. When is the best time to sketch? Is there a time when you like to sit down to get ideas? MM. Anytime is a good time. I think is a matter of discipline, inspiration does not come by itself, you have to seek it out. I must confess that my mind works better at night. I like to work in the hours of dusk, when everything is shutting down. I think they are the best hours for creativity because there is hardly anything that distracts you. I definitively find nighttime to be more evocative and I can say that it has a magical feel to it. T. Where do you find your inspiration? MM. There are many elements that help. I am a fan of books, I treasure them. I love art books, photography, fashion, jewelry, etc. I constantly refer to them and I always find inspiration. I also like to visit antique shops and look for dresses from the 50s, 40s or early century and discover embellishments, embroideries that I can reproduce for the world today. Something that has caught my attention lately is the auction for the famous attire of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which suggests a look back and return to the 60s, to the most purest and simplest of design structures. T. Who are the designers that make the most impact on your designs? MM. For me, the most well rounded designer of all time is Cristobal Balenciaga. He was and he still is my greatest influence since I started my career in fashion. I must also admit that I have always admired the style and design of Valentino. We had the great honor of having his exclusive bridal line and working with him has been an amazing privilege. His gowns are about elegance, glamour and great quality in fabric. He is a great master in fashion, for me a big influence. T. In the past, you have stated that Bridal Fashion is the closest to Couture Fashion, why is that? MM. Because in the time we live in the only place where you can use high quality fabrics, make patterns and create something over a mannequin without worrying about costs, volume, etc. So where you can really experiment is only in bridal fashion. The ready-to-wear is far less enriching, that is why bridal fashion is the closest there is to high couture. T. What are your favorite fabrics? MM. Any fabric has its challenges. I like to begin a collection with fabrics, see its movement, how it adjusts to the body and the behavior it has with other fabrics. I study how it has been used and how I can use it differently with an element of surprise. This season we decided to use silk tulle, yards and yards of tulle to create volume and movement and at the same time it will look light, airy, transparent. We went back to the Josephine silhouette, better known as empire cut. We also looked at the silhouettes of the 50s but with a renewed vision. Another fabric that I like is lace. I like how you can almost draw the womanly silhouette, looking for new results and achieve movement. T. In the 2012 collections we have seen several styles with feathers. Why did you decide to use such a risky details? MM. I like the ‘element of surprise’, everything has its purpose. The art, ballet, Black Swan was our theme for the 2012 runway show. Everything started with the 2012 preview that we had in January, before the Black Swan movie premiere. The white goose feather (fine feather with great movement) has not been used prominently in bridal gowns, only occasionally in high-couture. I looked for it and we used it as embellishments in wonderful corsets, seeking and honoring craftsmanship of the past that validate the work in a bridal gown, making each dress unique and different. T. Of the entire collection, which design is your favorite? MM. Well, it is hard to pick, perhaps the design Kurkova wore to close the show. I had it in my mind and the embroidery was at the studio. I had clear in my mind that I wanted to close with an alternative look, very much with my signature. I also wanted to show her wonderful long legs, that is why we went with the nude look. It was crafted by hand on her body, like if it were a second skin. Despite the nerves and close deadline, we managed to create something wonderful. The studio worked all night and the magical anonymous hands at Pronovias made my vision come to life: Karolina closed the show with such energy that 1800 people gave her a standing ovation, unbelievable! T. What is the perfect complement for a bridal gown? MM. Personally, I think it is the veil. It has to be well chosen to marry the gown. This is the only occasion a girl can wear one. T. We have seen classic veil styles with blushers or the mantilla, which do you recommend? MM. It depends on the bride, the type of wedding and the gown. For me, either one is very important to complete the bridal look. T. How would you define the 2012 collection? MM. A collection of clean and delicate lines, inspired in haute couture silhouettes of the ‘50s, with soft embroideries and ultra feminine necklines made for the elegant bride who is restructuring the classic style. There are two key elements that are present that bring the collection together: tulle is the star material and feathers in all variations. T. What advice do you give to brides to look perfect on their wedding day? MM. A bride has to highlight her best attributes and enhance them. Many of them know where the strengths are, but for those who don’t, we help them find the best silhouette. We try different styles with the specific goal of making them feel themselves, which in turn will make them enjoy their day even more. T. What celebrity bride would you like to design for? MM. Any bride. Every bride is a challenge; I would say the biggest of challenges. They come to me to look beautiful, they want to look their best, make their dream come true and I, as a designer, am their supporter. Every bride is special to me; I want to offer her a great design that makes her feel happy and satisfied. So, there it is, from the creator himself. The only thing left to do is to book an appointment to find your gown!
|