The Seville Fair 2015 - Behind the scenes

No, don't mention ruffles to a lady from Seville, because she will immediately know you're from out-of-town.  In fact, try not to mention the idea of dressing-up like a flamenco dancer or a gypsy.  Try to not measure the hours and the effort invested in following the styles of each new season, seeking out the ultimate design, or hunting down dozens of stores in search of the perfect accessories.  And most of all, do not ever question the need to buy a new dress each year.  You cannot possibly understand the importance of flamenco fashion in the capital of Andalusia without delving into its culture.

Anyone strolling through the city has no choice but to see the colorful backstage workings that make the fair what it is.  The shops decorate their windows for the occasion, and sell fair materials and accessories almost exclusively: dry cleaners handle costumes from previous years, dress-makers are abuzz with finishing touches, their stores are full of last-minute shoppers...even the small bazaars have an extra supply of hair-pins the ladies use to fasten their hair, and bandaids to avoid the blisters that inevitably form after hours of dancing sevillanas.  It all came together at traditional shows such as We Love Flamenco, el Salón Internacional de la Moda Flamenca SIMOF o laPasarela Flamenca de Jerez .

In this sense, one thing is clear: in 2015 the feria dress designs allow for nearly everything, just as long as it's original without losing elegance.  Patterns are the order of the day: floral designs large and small that can be combined with polkadots or solid colors offering a vintage look that recalls images from old postcards.

As far as colors, although classic combinations remain, such as black and white, red and beige, in actual fact, the star of the season is yellow, defying the belief that it brings bad luck, and featured in flattering dresses for both day and night.

And there are designs for every sort of taste.  Two-piece outfits with gored skirts, and blouses with upscale fabrics (lace, tulle, transparencies...) that highlight femininity. Low waistlines and voluminous ruffles, reminiscent of the nineteen-seventies and even nineties, and a focus on the neckline, both front and back, baroque torsos with gold trim, and elaborate Hungarian sleeves play with asymmetry.

As we've been seeing in recent years, accessories are becoming more and more popular, and it's all up to each lady.  Flowers are the order of the day in varied bouquets and small wreaths, not necessarily matching the color of the dress.

All in all, once again the options are endless and adapt to every type of woman, but always with the goal of making each one feel unique.  It's not about putting on a dress and that's that, but of feeling special and being able to communicate as much with enthusiasm and attitude.