Lisbon inspires Spanish fashion designer Ion Fiz

David Bowie’s best-selling record until the day he died was launched 35 years ago today. The move to sing for the many not the few did help his career but would cost him his hardcore fan base who would return to him only on occasion after that when the launched three of his more obscure masterpieces like “Outside”, “Heathen” and the haunting “Blackstar”.

By the time you read this it will be already April 14 in Australia, the continent he took to in order to film the video clip for the song “Let’s Dance”. It was 1983 and there were more folk dancing to David Bowie than ever before. “Let’s Dance” was the main single from the eponymous album and suddenly a considerable part of the world discovered the icon gone global after fourteen albums where he appealed mostly to a crowd that felt motivated to live up to their different music tastes, clothing, sexuality and whatever Bowie stood and stands for ever since he appeared with his new approach to music and fashion. Assisted by funkmaster Nile Rogers, better known as founding member of Chic and producer of major hits from bands like Sister Sledge the record made its way to dance floors. But despite the clear funk influence Bowie did not give up his rock influences having invited Steve Ray Vaughan to add his guitar riffs thereby launching an album with the right funky feel that suited the early 80’s but with a pint of rock here and there. The image, another distinguishing feature of David Bowie seemed to follow the popular spirit of the new Bowie. Wearing immaculate suites in pastel colours and his hair dyed blond Bowie looked rather like an northern-European holidaymaker than the alien he had impersonated in some records.

35 years after being released “Let’s Dance” is still a difficult album to digest for the hardcore Bowie fan and marked a period of some creative decline in the man’s career. The Bowie for the many not the few was not the Bowie the few waited for and he would regain his particular fanbase only after “Outside” which followed the popular “Tonight” and the not so popular “Never let me down” and “Black Tie White Noise”. After that he failed again when trying to have a go with drum’n and bass with “Earthling”, when he launched “Hours” a mild album and “Relity” equally mild, the album that preced “Heathen”, the record that hinted somehow to the path he would follow when he launched “The Next Day” and his final epos “Blackstar”, the record that proved that despite some failed attempts he was still the man he stands for for many – avant-garde, unpredictable and master of reinvention.

Carlos Tomé Sousa

The geometric elements in the cobblestone designs, the romantic feel of narrow streets sided by house with balconies and flowers, the romantic decadence of the city’s palaces and private houses and gardens and the glazed tile motives were just some of the elements that have sparked Spanish fashion designer Ion Fiz’s imagination whose collection “Lisboa” is now available worldwide.

The feel you get when visiting Lisbon is that of a romantic city. Ion Fiz wisely used flower patterns to convey that feel in elegant dresses and accessories. The selection of colours, in white and ochre tones is an important element in this collection, matching the theme and concept of “Lisboa”.

“The reason for this collection was a trip I did to Lisbon, a city I just love”, says Juanjo Fiz, the man behind one of the most interesting designer brands in Spain, the man who smartly combined the right patterns, colours and materials to create a collection inspired in the capital of Portugal. This collection can be seen as a true homage to the city, to its contemporary and romantic nature and to that certain element of decadence that attracts so many foreigners to this city, all perfectly summoned in the garments and accessories created for this Spring/Summer. Ion Fiz, whose main reference in national and international fashion is Cristobal Balenciaga, worked “in collaboration with the prestigious fabric makers “Gastón y Daniela” with whom I have created silk, linen and cotton fabrics for this collection”, he said.

The contemporary designs of the cobblestone streets of Lisbon and in the glazed tiles adorning the walls of iconic contemporary buildings were smartly used in men and women trousers, bags, ties and espadrilles.

The “Lisboa” collection is currently available in shops worldwide and pretty soon at the designers own online store to be launched this month. “We will launch the online store at www.ionfiz.com offering menswear, womenswear and accessories, along with catwalk collections and special Fiz re-editions”. The online store is just another step in the career of this talented and highly productive fashion designer, who studied in Bilbao, worked at the famous fashion house Pertegaz and who has recently opened his atelier un Madrid. The Spanish capital, where he we saw the collection Lisboa for the first time in September, was also the stage for his AW fashion show. Last February he surprised the audience once again at the Mercedes-Benz Madrid Fashion Week with his AW collection “Sui Generis” featuring structured and vertical lines in silk, wool and lurex materials. As for the colours the garments in off-white beige and sand tones did catch our eye, particularly the use of stripe and fishbone patterns elements in jackets, dresses and blouses.