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Adrover And How - fashion designer Miguel Adrovor - Interview
Interview, April, 2000 by Joanna Jacovini
Up-and-coming designer Miguel Adrovor wants his clothes to say something. At the fall fashion shows in New York, everyone was listening
JOANNA JACOVINI: Your fall collection dazzled the fashion establishment. What was the concept behind it?
MIGUEL ADROVER: The show was called "Midtown." I was trying to show how uptown and downtown ladies meet on the streets of New York, because at the end of the day, that's the only place high and low society mix. I wanted to show the individuality of people on the street, so everyone looked different from everyone else.
JJ: As opposed to the standard hair and makeup on the runway.
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MA: I tried to show reality, not fantasy. I am a little tired of this fantasy fashion: making the woman look like a little candy. I don't think a woman walking around like a candy is a strong woman.
JJ: Has all the press attention changed your life?
MA: I think maybe it changed my life and their lives, too. I don't think they are doing me a favor, and I'm not doing a favor for them. It's mutual.
JJ: You're from Spain, right?
MA: Yes, the island of Majorca.
JJ: Sounds beautiful.
MA: Beautiful and quiet. Too quiet, maybe.
JJ: Not like New York.
MA: No. New York is an island, too, but there's a big difference. I lived in the countryside. I finished school when I was twelve, then worked with my family on the farm. I used to paint; I was like an underground artist in my village of 200 people.
JJ: When did you start making clothes?
MA: When I moved to New York nine years ago. I fell into clothing accidentally. I met this guy, Douglas Hops, and we started making T-shirts. After that, I opened a store, Horn. It turned out to be a platform for young designers from New York and London who didn't have a place to show. Last September, I presented my first show under my label. I started to see that maybe I could put my own vision, what I have to say about society, in a show.
JJ: What inspires your clothes?
MA: I get inspired by things that are mostly not in fashion, like political meetings. I'm inspired by my friends, my family, my environment, taking the subway, just walking the streets.
JJ: If you could dress any woman in the world, who would it be?
MA: I don't think I would force anyone to dress in anything! I like Charlotte Rampling. I would love for her to wear my clothes, but that depends on her.
JJ: How would you describe yourself?
MA: I would say that I am a freak perfectionist. When I do something, I want it to come out perfect; I don't want money to stop my creativity. Maybe people think I'm very rich after they see the show because everything was so well done, but it's not like that. I just like to do things right. I'm trying to be honest with all the press, because I think fashion is not just about attitude. It should be a pleasure. After all, it's just clothes.
JJ: You used Yankees emblems on your clothes. Are you a fan of baseball?
MA: Oh, not really. I tried to represent New York, because all these people based in Europe are supposed to be the cool and creative ones, but I think New York has a lot to give.
JJ: What Is one thing you could not live without?
MA: Friends. And air. And laughing. If I cannot have fun doing my job, I would prefer not to do it.
JJ: What is the thing you are most proud of having done?
MA: I dragged all these people to do this with me without getting paid, and at the end of the day, we all were happy.
JJ: And your next goal?
MA: Keep doing what I like and get more money. I would feel more comfortable when my people get paid, because they deserve it. My goal is not to be in Hollywood, I'll say that. I don't have these kinds of dreams in my head. My dreams are for me and my friends to be happy.
JJ: What is something that is great about fashion today, and what is something that is terrible?
MA: The good thing is that people have different points of view. There is this market for everyone. The terrible thing is people losing personality and being pretentious just because of the clothes they wear.
JJ: At your show for fall, you made a coat out of mattress ticking owned by the late writer Quentin Crisp. What inspired that?
MA: He was my neighbor, about four doors down from me. I used to see him all the time. I was trying to show the downtown he represented. At the same time, I was trying to show how hard it can be for people who are sleeping in the street. I tried to make a nice, tailored suit with Quentin's mattress, as if somebody slept in it all his life. It was meant as an honor. There was nothing macabre about it. Quentin was elegant and chic.
JJ: What is the most beautiful thing you can think of, at this moment?
MA: A beautiful thing would be to get some money in my bank account! For three days, I've had five dollars. I've been doing interviews for all the magazines in the world and TV and everything, yet I have five dollars. I don't think I can go on struggling with my friends for the next collection. I told my friends and staff that after the show, we'll have a holiday. It's been ten days and we are even more broke than before! But things take a little time. I got some offers, but I want to go really carefully, because I think what we are doing is really personal. I don't want the money to mess it up.
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