Flora Villarreal y su contribución a la moda española.pdf

7/25/2019 Flora Villarreal y su contribucin a la moda espaola.pdf

1/26

To Carmen Alejandra

ABSTRACT: Mara Flora Villarreal Medinaworked as seamstress and designer formore than fifty years, becoming one of themost prestigious names of the Spanish

fashion world of her time. Her cus-tomers included famous aristocrats as wellas international actresses. However, anddue to the closing of the business after herretirement, her once famous clothes havebeen sadly forgotten. This essay offers abrief review of her life and work, and re-claims for her a place among prominentcontemporary figures such as PedroRodrguez or Balenciaga, while showing

some of Floras designs from the Costu-me Museum collections.

KEYWORDS: Flora Villarreal, biogra-phy, career path, Spanish fashion in-dustry, collections at the CostumeMuseum.

The seamstress and fashion designerMara Flora Villarreal Medina was bornon 24 November 1894, in Miranda de

Ebro, Burgos2, and died in Madrid on 11November 1977.

Flora was a discreet woman who de-voted more than fifty years of her life tomaking Haute Couture for an important,elite and loyal clientele. A contemporaryof Cristbal Balenciaga and PedroRodrguez, unlike the great Spanishcouturiers she not only took her ideasfrom French fashion but also made her

own models. Her prices were as high asand in some cases even higher thanthose of the great masters and her

VILLARREAL trademark won her de-served fame. Her company, however,disappeared after she retired from theprofession.

This disappearance may explain whyher name has been all but forgotten.

The large encyclopaedias devote littlemore than a few lines to her3 andto date no in-depth study of her life andwork has been undertaken.

Beginnings

Flora was born in Miranda de Ebro, herfather having been stationed there by

RENFE, the Spanish national railwaycompany. Her mothers maiden namehad been Madina, although, due to a fam-ily agreement, she took that of Medina,the customary form of the surname inthe Vitoria area.

From a very early age Flora madeclothes for her dolls, often taking apartan item of clothing a shirt for example to create another completely differentone. In the same way, she made gar-

ments first for her siblings and later forlocal ladies. Flora loved sewing andsaved up to buy thread. She deliveredher orders to her first customers person-ally and would go on foot.

As a result, soon after her fourteenthbirthday in 1908, her parents decided totake her to Vitoria to learn dressmakingunder Rosario Landa, a famous seam-stress of the time. So began Floras train-

ing period. She lived with Rosario, shar-ing a room with Rosarios sister Laura.After school, the two girls who were

58

Concha Herranz

Curator of the Museo del Traje. CIPE

[email protected]

Irene Seco

Curator of the Museo del Traje. CIPE

Doctor of Archaeology

[email protected]

1 We would like to thank all those we consulted

for their help in rescuing the name of Flora

Villarreal from oblivion. The cooperation of her

family, above all her children (Ana Mara and

Alfonso Cotelo Villarreal husband of Mara

Jess Vila Busquets, also one of our sources)

and her granddaughters (Ana Maras

daughters, Ana Mara, Mara Jos and Mara

Isabel) proved particularly invaluable. Further

information was obtained with the help of

Pilar Amillo, a former employee of Floras,who worked with her from 1961 to 1964.

Nor should we forget other valuable

information provided by our donors.

2 We were able to consult her daughter Ana

Mara Cotelo Villarreals personal files and

examine her passport.

3 An entry in the Enciclopedia General Ilustrada

del pas Vasco(Illustrated General

Encyclopaedia of the Basque Country), SanSebastin, Auamendi, 2001, V. LII, p. 286,

reads, VILLARREAL MADINA, Flora:

Renowned Vitoria couturier, b. 24-11-1893,

settled in Madrid in 1918. For more than

five decades she was one of Spains most

prominent fashion creators, and achieved

international fame. With exquisite taste,

especially in evening and tailored attire, she

was together with Balenciaga the couturier

most sought after by Spanish high society and

reigned supreme when the latter transferred to

Flora Villarrealand her contribution

to Spanish fashion1


2/26

A Carmen Alejandra

RESUMEN: Mara Flora Villarreal Medina,costurera y diseadora durante ms de cin-cuenta aos, fue uno de los nombres msprestigiosos de la moda espaola de su

tiempo, y su clientela incluy desde co-nocidsimas aristcratas hasta actrices in-ternacionales. Al desaparecer su empresatras su retirada de la profesin, su traba-jo ha estado sumido en el olvido. Este ar-tculo intenta ofrecer un breve panoramade su vida y su obra y reivindicar el pues-to de Flora Villarreal entre las grandes fi-guras de su poca, como Pedro Rodrguezo Balenciaga, as como dar a conocer las

prendas de Flora conservadas en las co-lecciones del Museo del Traje. CIPE.

PALABRAS CLAVE: Flora Villarreal, biogra-fa, trayectoria profesional, moda espao-la, colecciones del Museo del Traje.

Mara Flora Villarreal Medina, costurera ytambin diseadora de moda, naci el 24de noviembre de 1894 en Miranda deEbro, Burgos2, y falleci en Madrid el da

11 de noviembre de 1977.Fue una mujer discreta, que durante

ms de cincuenta aos se dedic a la con-feccin de vestidos de Alta Costura,manteniendo una importante clientela, eli-tista y fiel. Contempornea de CristbalBalenciaga y Pedro Rodrguez, a diferen-cia de los grandes modistos espaoles, rea-lizaba tanto moda francesa como mode-los de creacin propia. Sus precios

llegaron a ser tan altos como los de losgrandes maestros o ms, y su firma, regis-trada con la etiqueta VILLARREAL, tuvo

merecida fama. Sin embargo, la empresadesapareci tras su retirada de la profesin.

Tal vez esa desaparicin explique elolvido en el que su figura ha estado su-mida desde entonces; las grandes enci-clopedias apenas le dedican unas l-

neas3

, y no se ha llevado a cabo hasta lafecha ningn estudio profundo sobre suvida y su obra.

59

Flora Villarrealy su contribucin

a la moda espaola1

Concha Herranz

Conservadora del Museo

del Traje. CIPE

[email protected]

Irene Seco

Conservadora del Museo

del Traje. CIPE

Doctora en Arqueologa

[email protected]

1 Queremos agradecer a todos los informantes

la ayuda prestada para rescatar del olvido a Flora

Villarreal. Hemos contado con la colaboracin

inestimable de su familia, en concreto de sus

hijos (Ana Mara y Alfonso Cotelo Villarreal

ste casado con Mara Jess Vila Busquets,

tambin informante) y sus nietas (Ana Mara,Mara Jos y Mara Isabel, hijas de Ana Mara).

Desde otra perspectiva, se han ampliado los

datos con la ayuda de Pilar Amillo, una de las

empleadas de Flora, que trabaj con ella desde

1961 a 1964. No hay que olvidar tampoco

la valiosa informacin vertida por nuestras

donantes.

2 Hemos accedido al archivo personal de su

hija Ana Mara Cotelo Villarreal y consultadosu pasaporte.

3 En la Enciclopedia General Ilustrada del pas

Vasco, San Sebastin: Auamendi, 2001, V. LII,

p. 286, puede leerse: VILLARREAL MADINA,

Flora: Clebre modista vitoriana n. el 24-11-

1893 e instalada en Madrid en 1918. Fue una

de las ms destacadas creadoras de moda,

incluso de renombre internacional, durante

ms de cinco dcadas. Dotada de un gusto

exquisito, en especial para trajes de fantasa

y de fiesta como de sastrera, fue, junto con

Figura 1. Retrato de Flora Villarreal a loscincuenta y dos aos. Fotografa: Amer,28 de febrero de 1946. Imagen cortesade Mara Jess Vila Busquets.Figure 1. Portrait of Flora Villarreal atthe age of fifty-two. Photograph: Amer,28 February 1946. Courtesy of Mara

Jess Vila Busquets.


3/26

of an age and became fast friends

would take their chairs and sit down tosew with Rosario4.

Arrival in Madrid

In 1918, when Flora was 24, she movedto Madrid to set up her own business inan apartment in Calle Villalar, whichdoubled as her residence. On 2 August

of the following year, she marriedAdolfo Cotelo Garay from Vitoria. Theceremony took place at St JosephsChurch in Calle de Alcal, Madrid.Adolfo worked for the AragoneseEnergy and Industries Company but,given the success of Floras workshop,he later joined her to head the adminis-trative department. They were to havefive children Alberto, Ana Mara,Adolfo and the twins, Jos Ignacio and

Javier (figure 3).Shortly after this, in 1923, she trans-

ferred her workshop-residence to num-ber 6 Monte Esquinza, on the corner ofAlcal Galiano. She took the wholeof the first floor and had separate en-trances to the living area and the work-shop. The workshop consisted of threesalons with fitting rooms overlookingCalle Monte Esquinza. It was here

where she gave birth to her twoyoungest children, the twins Javier andJos Ignacio, in 1932, and where she re-

mained until the outbreak of the

Spanish Civil War.In those days, Flora had yet to

achieve the fame that would come inlater days. In this respect, one of oursources Pilar Amillo, a former employ-ee of hers told us a story Flora herselfhad once told her. It seems that one daya neighbour living in the same buildingasked Flora to make her a blouse. Floramade it and delivered it, charging her

customer three pesetas

5

. However, intime she began to acquire regularclients, some sent to her from Vitoria byRosario. Many remained with her whenshe moved to the new workshop onPaseo de la Castellana.

The workshopon Paseo de la Castellana

After the Civil War, Flora entered hermature period. It was then when sheseparated the workshop from her resi-dence and opened workshops and sa-lons at number 9 Avenida del Ge-neralsimo in a building belonging tothe Duke of Arin near the PresidentialOffices. The workshop occupied thewhole of the first floor.

She was to work there until she re-

tired in 1968. She lived at number 23Calle Fernando el Santo until 1963,when, at the age of 69, she moved to

60

Paris. She had a workshop at number 9 Paseo

de la Castellana in the Spanish capital. In

recognition of her professional activities she

was awarded the Spanish Medal for

Meritorious Labour. D. Madrid 11-11, 1977.

There is also a brief reference to Flora Villarrealin the book by Aline Griffith, Countess of

Romanones, La espa vesta de rojo(translation

by Esteban Riambau of the original The Spy

Wore Red), 3rd ed., Barcelona, Ediciones B,

p. 238, 1988). Finally, as regards written

references, Flora Villarreal is mentioned in

the guide: Gua del Museo del Traje, Ministerio

de Cultura, Madrid, 2005, p. 99. and the

Gua a la Exposicin Permanente(p. 33).4 The two families became very close and

often went on holiday together.

5 To give idea of the price, according to the

Barcelona rates for the wholesale of dresses,

shirts and ties approved in an agreement

signed on 4 April 1934, during the first two

years of employment an assistant at a shirt

makers or dressmakers earned 20 pesetas a

week. Generally speaking, in comparison with

todays minimum wage, the price of the blouse

would have been about 22 euros.

Figura 2. Flora con veintisiete aos junto asu maestra Rosario Landa en la playa de

San Sebastin, el 28 de agosto de 1921. Enel centro, Flora; a la derecha su marido y

detrs Rosario, con su marido, su hija y su

hermana. Imagen cortesade la familia Villarreal.

Figure 2. Flora aged twenty-seven with herteacher, Rosario Landa, on the beach at

San Sebastin, 28 August 1921. Flora is inthe middle, with her husband to the rightand Rosario with her husband, daughter

and sister behind. Courtesyof the Villarreal family.


4/26

Los inicios

Flora naci en Miranda de Ebro debidoa que su padre, empleado de RENFE, fuedestinado por la empresa a esta pobla-cin. Su apellido materno era Madina,aunque, debido a un acuerdo tomadopor la familia, fue sustituido por Medina,

la versin del apellido habitual en lazona vitoriana.

Desde muy temprana edad cosa parasus muecos; y coga cualquier prendapor ejemplo una camisa y la desarma-ba para crear otra bien distinta. As fuecomo realiz algunas prendas para ves-tir a sus hermanos, y despus para algu-na seora. A Flora le entusiasmaba lacostura, ahorraba para comprar los hi-

los e iba a entregar sus primeros encar-gos andando.sta fue la razn por la que en 1908

sus padres decidieron llevarla a Vitoria,recin cumplidos los 14 aos, a apren-der costura en el taller de RosarioLanda, afamada modista del momento.Flora comenz all su periodo de forma-cin. Vivi en casa de Rosario y compar-ti habitacin con la hermana de sta,Laura. Ambas nias, de la misma edady muy amigas, cogan sus sillitas a la sa-lida del colegio y se iban a coser juntascon Rosario4.

La llegada a Madrid

Cuando Flora cumpli 24 aos, se trasla-d a Madrid para montar su propio taller,en un piso de la calle Villalar, que a la vezera su vivienda. Al ao siguiente, el 2 deagosto de 1919, se cas con un vitoriano,Adolfo Cotelo Garay. La ceremonia se ce-

lebr en la iglesia de San Jos, en la ma-drilea calle de Alcal. l trabajaba enEnerga e Industrias Aragonesas, aunqueen seguida, y dado el xito del taller, seincorporara al negocio de Flora parallevar la administracin. Tuvieron cincohijos, Alberto, Ana Mara, Adolfo, JosIgnacio y Javier, stos ltimos mellizos (fi-gura 3).

Poco despus, en 1923, traslad su

casa-taller a Monte Esquinza, 6, chafln aAlcal Galiano. Flora ocupaba toda la pri-mera planta y tena accesos independien-tes para la vivienda y el taller. Los talle-res constaban de tres salones y probadoresy daban a la calle Monte Esquinza. En estelugar permaneci hasta el inicio de laGuerra Civil, y en esta casa naceran en1932 sus dos ltimos hijos, los mellizosJavier y Jos Ignacio.

Por aquellos tiempos, Flora no haba al-canzado an la consideracin de la queluego gozara. Valga como ejemplo laancdota que refiri una vez a una de

61

Balenciaga, la modista ms cotizada por la

alta sociedad espaola, reinando en solitario

cuando ste se estableci en Pars. Su taller

se hallaba en el Paseo de la Castellana, 9 de

la capital espaola. En reconocimiento a su

profesionalidad le fue concedida la Medalla

al Mrito en el trabajo. en Madrid el 11 del

11 de 1977. Igualmente contamos con una

sucinta referencia escrita a Flora Villarreal en el

libro de Aline Griffith, Condesa de Romanones,

titulado La espa vesta de rojo(texto traducido

por Esteban Riambau del original The spy wore

red, 3 ed., Barcelona: Ediciones B, 1988,

p. 238). Por ltimo en lo que a referencias

escritas se refiere, se menciona a Flora

Villarreal en la gua: Gua del Museo del Traje,

Ministerio de Cultura, Madrid (p. 99) y en

la Gua a la Exposicin Permanente(p. 33).4 Las familias trabaron gran amistad, y pasaban

las vacaciones juntas.

Figura 3. Flora en 1933 posando juntoa sus hijos gemelos cuando tenan unao. Javier est a la izquierda, sentado,mientras Jos Ignacio gatea a la derecha.Fotografa: Kaulak.Figure 3. Flora in 1933 with her one-year-old twin sons. Javier is seated on the left,while Jos Ignacio crawls on the right.Photograph: Kaulak.


5/26

number 52 Nez de Balboa, where sheresided until her death. According toher daughter Ana Mara, the Nez deBalboa building was built by Florasson-in-law, the architect Victor LpezMorales.

The section of the avenue whereFlora set up her workshop was original-ly part of the Avenida de la Castellanabut after the Civil War it was renamedAvenida del Generalsimo. It was not

until 1949 that it recovered its originalname of Paseo de la Castellana, al-though the street numbers were not af-fected. The streets history is reflected initems connected with Flora. On thecardboard box containing a weddingdress (subsequently donated to theMuseum) made in Floras workshop in1947 for the Duchess of Alba, the adhe-sive label (figure 5) reads, Flora Villa-

rreal / Av. del Generalsimo 9 / Madrid.However, her business card (figure 6),obviously dating post-1949, reads, Flora

Villarreal / Costurera / Castellana 9 /Madrid.6

We can get an idea of what FlorasCastellana workshop looked like thanksto photographs in our possession.

Although there are only eight, they con-tain views of parts of the salons, show-ing their spaciousness, furniture anddecor. They were taken by the photog-rapher Amer on the occasion of thewedding of Floras daughter, Ana MaraCotelo Villarreal, on 27 June 1944, withthe bride posing in a fabulous lace dressfeaturing a shirtwaist with a squareneckline, a full skirt and a short train.Also striking is the very original shortveil (figure 7).

Fortunately, in addition to the ratherscarce graphic material available, wehave the testimony of members ofFloras family and Pilar Amillo, her for-mer employee mentioned above.

According to Pilar, the Villarrealpremises had two huge salons and werelit by two bay and several normal win-dows, all overlooking the street. The

floor was of polished wood. One of thesalons had a fireplace, a large grey sofa,a number of chairs and armchairs, and alarge mirror. In the other salon therewere folding screens and it was herewhere the collections were shown.Three models worked for Flora full-time, one being Conchita, who was half-German, tall and blonde. Pilar also re-members girls named Berta, Encarnita

and Lolita, who was a brunette andworked for Flora for some time. Thecollections were shown over two- orthree-day periods twice a year. Themodel always carried the garments cor-responding number.

In the Castellana building there wasalso an office in another room overlook-ing the street. Here Floras husband,Adolfo Cotelo, worked with his assistantEnrique. At the end of a long corridor

were the fitting rooms and the modelsroom, where the collections were kept.

There was also an ironing room con-taining sewing machines and an enor-mous plate covered with coal irons andthe odd electric iron. Finally, there werethree workshops Fantasa(Fantasy), Sastre (Tailor) andBoutique each fully equipped for cut-ting, fitting, etc. Every client had her

own tailors dummy with adjustors forchest, hips and shoulders, etc. All fit-tings were done with Flora present7 at

62

6 It is interesting that Flora calls herself a

costurera (seamstress/couturier) on her

business card. She may well have chosen

this way of describing her profession to draw

closer to the term alta costura(Haute Couture)

and away from that of dressmaking.

Figura 4. Flora con cuarenta aos en la habitacin de sus hijos en la calle Monte Esquinza,ojeando revistas, entre ellas el Vogueca. 1934.

Figure 4. Flora at age forty in her childrens room at Calle Monte Esquinza, leafing throughmagazines, among them Vogue. C. 1934.


6/26

nuestras informantes, su empleada PilarAmillo. Un da, una vecina del inmuebleen el que viva Flora le pidi que le hi-ciera una blusa. Flora se la confecciony se la entreg. Cobr por ella la canti-

dad de tres pesetas5. Sin embargo, con eltiempo, comenz a hacerse una cliente-la fiel, parte de ella enviada desde Vitoriapor su maestra, que luego la seguira alnuevo taller de Castellana.

El taller del Paseo

de la Castellana

Tras la Guerra, Flora inicia su periodo demadurez; es entonces cuando independi-za el taller de la vivienda y abre sus ta-lleres y salones en la Avenida delGeneralsimo, 9, en la casa del Duque deArin. El taller ocupaba toda la primeraplanta del edificio, sito junto a laPresidencia de Gobierno.

Aqu trabajara hasta 1968, fecha en laque se retir. Su vivienda estaba por en-tonces localizada en la calle Fernando el

Santo, 23, hasta que en 1963 se traslada-ra a Nez de Balboa 52, direccin don-de residi desde que cumpli 69 aos has-ta el final de sus das. Este ltimo edificio,segn nos cuenta su hija Ana Mara, fueconstruido por el yerno de Flora, el arqui-tecto Vctor Lpez Morales.

El tramo de la Avenida donde Flora ins-tal su taller fue denominado inicialmen-te Avenida de la Castellana, pero pas a lla-

marse, tras la Guerra Civil, Avenida delGeneralsimo. No ser hasta 1949 cuandorecupere su antiguo nombre de Paseo de

la Castellana, conservando la numeracin.La historia de la calle queda reflejada enlas piezas relacionadas con Flora. En el em-balaje de cartn en el que Flora entreg eltraje de novia a la Duquesa de Alba, rea-

lizado en su taller en 1947, y que conser-va el Museo como donacin, la etiquetaadhesiva (figura 5) indica: Flora Villarreal/ Av. del Generalsimo, 9 / Madrid. Sin em-bargo, en la tarjeta profesional (figura 6),que obviamente es posterior a 1949, pue-de leerse: Flora Villarreal / Costurera /Castellana, 9 / Madrid6.

Podemos hacernos una idea visual decmo era el taller de Flora en la Castellanagracias a los documentos fotogrficos queconservamos. Se trata solamente de ochofotografas, en las que se aprecia de for-ma parcial el espacio de los salones, sugran amplitud, el mobiliario y la decora-cin. Fueron realizadas por el fotgrafoAmer con ocasin de la boda de AnaMara Cotelo Villarreal, hija de Flora, acon-tecida el 27 de junio de 1944. En ellas, lanovia posa vestida con un extraordinariovestido camisero de encaje, con escote

cuadrado, con falda de vuelo y leve cola.Llama la atencin adems el original velocorto (figura 7).

Afortunadamente, adems de con el es-caso material grfico, contamos tambincon los datos orales facilitados por la fa-milia y por Pilar Amillo, empleada deFlora a la que ya se hizo referencia an-teriormente.

Segn nos cuenta Pilar, la casa Villarreal

contaba con dos enormes salones exterio-res, iluminados por dos miradores y va-rias ventanas. El suelo era de tarima de

63

5 Para dar una idea del precio, segn las Bases

de Trabajo de Confecciones, Camisera

y Corbatera al por mayor de Barcelona,

aprobadas por acuerdo de 4 de abril de 1934,

un auxiliar de taller de confeccionesy camisera cobraba durante los dos

primeros aos 20 pesetas a la semana.

Grosso modo, y haciendo una equivalencia

con el salario mnimo interprofesional actual,

la blusa vendra a valer hoy unos 22 euros.

6 Resulta interesante que en la tarjeta profesional

Flora se presente como costurera, vocablo que

selecciona para definir su trabajo posiblemente

por estar ms prximo a la acepcin de Alta

Costura y ms distante del concepto

de modista.

Figura 5. Etiqueta adhesiva original dela caja del traje de novia de la Duquesade Alba. MT097248.Figure 5. Original adhesive label on the boxof the Duchess of Albas wedding dress.MT097248.

Figura 6. Tarjeta de empresa deFlora Villarreal posterior al ao 1949.Cortesa de la familia Villarreal.Figure 6. Floras post-1949 businesscard. Courtesy of the Villarreal family.

Figura 7. Ana Mara Cotelo Villarreal el dade su boda (27 de junio de 1944), posandoen los salones de la casa de costuraVillarreal con el vestido confeccionado porsu madre. Fotografa: Amer, 30 de junio de1944.Figure 7. Ana Mara Cotelo Villarreal on herwedding day (27 June 1944), posing in theVillarreal couture house salons in the dressmade by her mother. Photograph: Amer,30 June 1944.


7/26

the workshop, never at the home of theclient, who would be given an appoint-ment. A fitting lasted around forty-fiveminutes, with the client standing thewhole time. The details of each andevery dress were recorded exhaustivelywith references to the model, the mate-rials used, the number of hours taken tomake it and the person who had madethe piece. Flora even had an album ofbrides in which she placed photo-graphs sent to her by clients. Once

completed, the dresses were folded intissue paper, placed in wooden or card-board boxes, and delivered to the clientby the deliveryman, whose name wasFrancisco.

There were two managers in eachworkshop. In the Sastre workshop,where womens suits and coats weremade, were two tailor brothers8. In theFantasaworkshop, where evening and

cocktail party wear were made, wereAscencin and Matilde, while in theBoutiqueworkshop, where shirts, skirts

and other garments were made, wereIsabel and two fully-qualified assistants,Carmen Velasco and Luisita.

In addition to the workshops there wasa storage or goods area, managed in the

1960s by two ladies called Angelita andTeresa who were responsible for materi-als rolls of cloth, thread, buttons and oth-er items. It acted as a shop within theworkshop and was fully stocked, al-though all orders had to be justified andsigned for. It was here where finished gar-ments ready for delivery were also packedon a large table. Some of the materialswere bought from abroad, mainly fromParis, where cloths from Abrahams and

bridal headdresses, for example, as wellas the precious stones essential for the em-broidered9 party dresses so in fashion atthe time were purchased.

Pilar Amillo was often required totravel to Paris to bring back materials.The things I bought were very difficultto get through customs, she recalls. Iused to do everything, travel on myown in the train... I just couldnt wait to

get across the border.Floras purchases in France were not

limited to materials; she also bought de-signs, i.e. patterns and fabric samples andabove all authorisation to make the gar-ments. In order to be able to purchase thethings which were the cornerstone of herbusiness, Flora had buyers tickets(cartes dacheteur), which were issued bythe Chambre Syndicale de la CoutureParisienne (Paris Trade Union ofCouture).10 We have examined one ofthese documents (figure 8) number2274, 12 August 1949 which was a passto the 1949 autumn-winter collectionshow. The ticket contains the registeredname of the firm represented (FloraVillarreal), the nature of the bearers ac-tivity (modista or designer) and the ad-dress (Paseo de la Castellana, 9). It alsobears Floras signature and photograph.11

The ticket is particularly interestingbecause offers us a glimpse of the 1949fashion world, both in France andSpain. As can be seen from the clausesit lists, France, the cradle of fashion, reg-ulated and controlled its creationsthrough the Chambre Syndicale de laCouture Parisienne.12 On the otherhand, it also reveals how fashion wasdistributed and its commercial network

developed. Thus, Flora Villarreal boughtdesigns from the master couturiers inParis, subsequently made them at her

64

7 At the workshop, she did not do any cutting

or fitting personally, although she was always

present during the steps prior to the actual

making of a dress. She organised and

supervised every stage in the process.

8 Pilar recalls only one tailor and one

seamstress named Felisa in this workshop.

9 The House of Villarreal did not embroider

the clothes they made.10 Flora Villarreals trips to Paris were essential

to her work, at least from 1949 on, and

continued to be so in the early 1960s, when

Pilar Amillo started working for her. It was

in Paris at the presentation of the spring-summer

collections in February 1961 where Pilar met

Flora Villarreal. Pilar was living in Paris at the

time, writing fashion articles for the magazine

Actualidad Espaola, which took her to shows

of the major Haute Couture collections on press

days. Flora, on the other hand, would attend the

day after, on trade day. They coincided at one

event and were introduced by a relative of

Floras. Flora immediately offered Pilar a job

in Madrid and Pilar agreed to move to Spain.

11 The photograph is the same as that taken by

Amer two years earlier, on 28 February 1946.

12

It reads, Acceptance of this ticket implies aformal commitment on the part of the bearer

and the house which he/she represents:

1. Never to buy in any form whatsoever (fabrics,

patterns, sketches, etc.) in order to counterfeit the

models of the Couture-Creation Houses of France.

2. Never to resell these models or reproduce

them anywhere in any form (fabrics, patterns,

sketches, etc.) either directly or indirectly,

within French territory.

3. Never to rent purchased models to any

person, never to employ the services of any

person who rents models professionally, and

never to resell models purchased in the form

of sketches or patterns.

Should the bearer of this ticket or the house

which he/she represents fail to comply with

any of the commitments outlined in the

paragraphs above, he/she agrees that this

ticket shall be withdrawn from him/her

and that he/she shall return it.

Figura 8. Tarjeta de compras parisina deFlora Villarreal. La fotografa es la realizada

por Amer el 28 de febrero de 1946.Figure 8. Flora Villarreals Paris buyers

ticket. The photograph was taken byAmer on 28 February 1946.


8/26

madera. Uno de los salones estaba equi-pado con chimenea, un tresillo de colorgris, sillas, butacas, y un espejo grande;en el otro haba biombos. Era aqu don-de se pasaban las colecciones. Flora te-

na tres maniques fijas. Conchita era ru-bia y alta, alemana por parte de padre ode madre. Nuestra informante recuerdatambin a Lolita, que estuvo algn tiem-po en la casa y era morena, a Berta y aEncarnita. Las colecciones se pasaban dosveces al ao, durante dos o tres das; lasmaniques siempre llevaban el correspon-diente nmero del modelo.

Haba tambin en Castellana 9 un des-pacho para la administracin, ubicado en

otra de las habitaciones exteriores, en elque trabajaba Adolfo Cotelo, marido deFlora, ayudado por Enrique. Tras un largopasillo, al fondo, estaban los probadoresy el cuarto de modelos, donde se guarda-ban los trajes de las colecciones.

Haba adems un cuarto de plancha,ocupado por una inmensa placa llena deplanchas de carbn y alguna elctrica,adems de las mquinas de coser. Por

ltimo, haba tres talleres Fantasa,Sastre y Boutique, dotados los tres conequipos completos para corte, pruebas,etc. Cada clienta tena su propio mani-qu a medida, con los correctores apro-piados de pecho, cadera, hombros,etc. Todas las pruebas se hacan en eltaller; nunca se iba a casa de las clien-tas, sino que stas iban a los salones deFlora previa cita, y estando ella presen-te7. La prueba duraba unos tres cuartosde hora, permaneciendo siempre de pie.Cada traje se documentaba exhaustiva-mente; se referenciaba el modelo, losmateriales, las horas empleadas, y la per-sona que lo haba hecho. Flora tena in-cluso un lbum de novias, donde incor-poraba las fotografas que le mandabanlas clientas. Cuando los trajes estabanterminados se entregaban en cajas demadera o de cartn protegidos por pa-

pel de seda. El repartidor se llamabaFrancisco.

En cada taller haba dos responsables.En el Taller de Sastre, donde se confec-cionaban trajes sastre y abrigos, trabaja-ban dos hermanos sastres8. En el Taller deFantasa, destinado a la confeccin de ves-tidos de fiesta y cctel, estaban Ascensiny Matilde. En el Taller de Boutique, don-de se confeccionaban camisas, faldas, y

otras prendas, trabajaban Isabel, CarmenVelasco y Luisita, estas dos ltimas oficia-las jefes de mesa.

Adems de los talleres propiamente di-chos, exista un almacn, o zona de g-neros, controlado en los aos 60 por lasseoras Angelita y Teresa, responsablesdel material: telas en rollos, hilos, boto-

nes y otros elementos. El almacn funcio-naba como una tienda interior; all habade todo, pero lo que se peda haba quejustificarlo y firmarlo. Tambin all se em-balaban para su posterior entrega los tra-jes ya confeccionados, utilizando para ellouna gran mesa. Algunos de los materia-les se compraban en el extranjero, prin-cipalmente en Pars. All se adquiran, porejemplo, los tejidos de la casa Abrahamy algn tocado para las novias, adems de

la pedrera, elemento fundamental de losvestidos de fiesta bordados9, tan de modaen esos aos.

Pilar Amillo fue muchas veces la encar-gada de viajar a Pars y traer de vuelta losmateriales. Las compras eran muy difci-les de pasar por la aduana, recuerda; lohaca yo, y viajaba sola en tren soa-ba con cruzar la frontera.

Pero Flora no slo compraba materia-

les en Francia sino tambin modelos; esdecir, patrones y muestras de tejido y, so-bre todo, el derecho de confeccionar losvestidos. Para poder efectuar estas adqui-siciones, que constituan la piedra angu-lar de su negocio, Flora contaba con car-ns de comprador (carte dacheteur),emitidos por la Cmara Sindical deCostura de Pars10. Hemos tenido accesoa uno de estos documentos (figura 8), quelleva fecha de 12 de agosto de 1949, y daacceso al pase de la coleccin otoo in-vierno de 1949, nmero 2274. En el car-n consta la razn social de la firma re-presentada, Flora Villarreal, y lanaturaleza de la actividad, modista;tambin la direccin, en Paseo de laCastellana, 9. El documento muestra ade-ms la firma autgrafa de Flora y tambinsu fotografa11.

El inters del carn radica en que nos

sumerge en la realidad en la que se mue-ve la moda, tanto francesa como espao-la, en este ao de 1949. Por un lado,Francia, cuna de la moda, regula y con-trola sus creaciones a travs de la CmaraSindical de la Costura Parisiense, tal ycomo evidencia el clausulado12. Y, por otraparte, muestra cmo se difunde la moday cmo se desarrolla su entramado comer-cial. As, Flora Villarreal adquiere en

Pars los modelos diseados por losgrandes modistos, los realiza posterior-mente en sus talleres y los ofrece a sus

65

7 En el taller, Flora no cortaba ni probaba en

persona, aunque s estaba presente en los pasos

previos a la confeccin de un vestido; organizaba

y controlaba todo el trabajo.

8 Pilar recuerda en este taller solamente a un

sastre y a una costurera, de nombre Felisa.

9 Los bordados no se hacan en la casa Villarreal.

10 Estos viajes de Flora Villarreal a Pars fueron

claves centrales de su trabajo al menos desde el

ao 1949, y seguan sindolo a principios de los

aos 60, cuando Pilar Amillo trabaj en la casa.

Fue precisamente en Pars donde Pilar conoci

a Flora Villarreal, en febrero de 1961, en la

presentacin de las colecciones de la moda

primavera - verano. Pilar entonces viva en Pars,

y estaba realizando crnicas de moda para la

revista Actualidad Espaola, por lo que asista

a los pases de las grandes colecciones de Alta

Costura el da dedicado a la prensa. Flora en

cambio, asista al da siguiente a los pases

dedicados a profesionales. Se encontraron

y fueron presentadas a travs de un familiar

de Flora. All, en ese momento, Flora ofreci

a Pilar trabajo en Madrid. Ella accedi

y se traslad a vivir a Espaa.

11 La fotografa es la misma que le haba hecho

Amer dos aos antes, concretamente el 28

de febrero de 1946.

12 El texto recoge lo siguiente: La aceptacin de

la presente carta implica, para su titular y para lacasa que representa, el compromiso formal de:

1. Nunca comprar bajo ninguna forma que sea

(tejidos, patrones, croquis, etc), para falsificar

los modelos de las Casas de Costura-Creacin

de Francia.

2. Nunca revender estos modelos o su

reproduccin en ningn punto del territorio

francs bajo la forma que sea (tejidos, patrones,

croquis, etc) directamente o indirectamente.

3. Nunca alquilar los modelos comprados

a nadie, nunca recurrir a los servicios

de las personas que alquilan modelos

profesionalmente, y nunca revender estos

modelos comprados bajo forma de croquis

o patrones.

En el caso de que el titular de la carta, o la Casa

que representa, faltara a cualquiera de estos

compromisos suscritos en los prrafos

precedentes, aceptarn que les sea retirada la

presente carta y se comprometen a restituirla.


9/26

workshops and then offered them toher clients. In this respect, it is obviousthat one of the secrets of her successwas that she marketed perfectly made

French fashions in her Madrid salons.Although Floras prices were high, theywere low in comparison with Frenchprices, as overheads were lower due toSpanish wage levels.

In the course of their history, FloraVillarreals workshops employed a largenumber of people. In the family archiveswe were able to see a very interestinggroup photograph dated around 1965with Flora, her husband and many of her

employees at the Biarritz restaurant inMadrid. The family were able to identi-fy several of the people in it, includingthe clerk, the tailors and some workshopmanagers. Unfortunately we are notable to reproduce it here. Floras childrenAna Mara and Jos Ignacio told us itwas fif ty years of intensive activity andthere were over a hundred staff mem-bers. Likewise, Pilar told us that by the

early 60s one hundred people wereworking at the Villarreal workshop.None of Floras children followed in theirmothers footsteps; only her grand-daughter Ana Mara was seen occasion-ally in the workshop. Her daughter-in-law, Mara Jess Vila Busquets,sometimes helped out when English was

needed by interpreting during conversa-tions with American clients.

The staff situation at the companywas stable; few employees left, as work-

ing for Flora was a matter of prestige.Furthermore, she was a woman ofdeep-rooted habits (she would say therosary every day at twelve oclock in thethree workshops) and was fiercely pro-tective by nature. Members of the fami-ly told us that she never left the girls ontheir own and when they were verybusy she called home to order food in.Ana Mara stressed, As my mother pro-tected and pampered all the shop floor

workers, the vast majority stayed on foryears. The workshop was famousfor having all its employment papers inorder and the company enjoyed a greatdeal of prestige. People were proud tobe on staff there.

The day-to-day work

Flora Villarreals capacity for work waslegendary. All those who knew her saythat she worked all day long and wasalways on the job. Her daughter re-calls that when she was a girl, My fa-ther was reading the ABC newspaperand saw a photograph of a painting of adressmaker asleep over a sewing ma-chine and he immediately associated itwith his wife at work every day. It madehim very keen to buy the painting.

In the early years, Flora made lingerieand received a large number of orders fortrousseaus, but she was forced to discon-tinue this line because the demand forgowns was even greater. As Pilar said,She couldnt cope with so much. Herewe should bear in mind that from the late-40s to the late-60s, rigid, complex femaleetiquette demanded wardrobes with awide variety of outfits and accessories for

every hour of the day. As a result, Florareceived a large number of orders and somade a wide assortment of party dress-es for debutante balls and Sevilles AprilFair. She also made dresses for cocktailparties and formal attire for brides and ma-trons of honour, as well as tailored suits(many Chanel-style), coats and somemore casual wear.

By way of example, Flora made the

gown worn by Mauricia Llad yFernndez Urrutia at her debutante ball.Mauricia told us, She made the dress

66

Figura 9. Ana Mara Cotelo Villarreal,embarazada de su hija Isabel, posa junto a

su to paterno llevando un abrigo de sumadre complementado con un tocado de

velillo en color claro. Fotografa:Prez y Villar, 1950.

Figure 9. Ana Mara Cotelo Villarreal,pregnant with her daughter Isabel, with

her paternal uncle. She is wearing a coat

made by her mother and a light-colouredhat and embroidered veil. Photograph:Prez y Villar, 1950.


10/26

clientas. En este sentido, queda patentecmo una de las razones del xito de estetaller es que comercializa en Madrid, ensus salones, la moda francesa, magistral-mente confeccionada. Aunque los precios

de Flora eran elevados, resultaban bara-tos en comparacin con los franceses, de-bido al recorte en los gastos que suponanlos sueldos ms bajos que se pagaban enEspaa.

Los talleres de Flora Villarreal dieronempleo a gran nmero de personas a lolargo de su historia. En el archivo fami-liar hemos podido ver una muy interesan-te fotografa de grupo en la que se re-nen Flora, su marido y un gran nmero

de empleados en el restaurante Biarritz deMadrid. Est fechada en el ao 1965 apro-ximadamente, y la familia ha podido iden-tificar a algunas personas, como el admi-nistrativo, los sastres, y algunas jefas detaller. Sentimos no poder publicarla. Sushijos Ana Mara y Jos Ignacio nos refie-ren que fueron cincuenta aos de inten-sa actividad, llegando a tener contratadosen la empresa ms de cien empleados.

Del mismo modo nos dice Pilar que, aprincipios de los aos 60, Villarreal con-taba con cien personas en el taller.Ninguno de los hijos de Flora continu lavocacin de su madre y slo su nieta AnaMara estuvo en el taller en alguna ocasin;su nuera Mara Jess Vila Busquets la ayu-d en alguna ocasin en lo referente alidioma ingls, participando en las conver-saciones con sus clientas americanas.

El personal de su empresa era estable,haba poca movilidad, y el hecho detrabajar para Flora daba mucha catego-ra. Ella era adems una mujer de cos-tumbres arraigadas (todos los das a lasdoce se rezaba el rosario en los tres ta-lleres) y con un fuerte espritu protector;la familia nos cuenta que nunca dejaba alas chicas solas, y que en das de muchotrabajo llamaba a casa para que les traje-ran la comida. Ana Mara subraya: mi

madre protega y mimaba a todos susoperarios, de tal manera que la gran ma-yora estuvieron contratados muchosaos. El taller tena fama de tener todoslos papeles de contratacin en regla, y laempresa gozaba de mucho prestigio. Eraun orgullo formar parte del personal.

El trabajo cotidiano

La capacidad de trabajo de Flora Villarrealera legendaria. Los que la conocieron

coinciden en afirmar que trabajaba todoel da, y que siempre estaba al pie del ca-n. Su hija recuerda que siendo ellania mi padre leyendo el ABC, vio fo-tografiado un cuadro que representaba

a una modista dormida sobre la mqui-na de coser, e inmediatamente estable-ci un paralelo con la imagen diaria desu mujer, lo que provoc en l un grandeseo por adquirirlo.

En los primeros aos, Flora realiz len-cera, y recibi una importante cantidadde encargos de ajuares de novia, perotuvo que abandonar esa lnea porque lademanda de trajes era an mayor, y, enpalabras de Pilar, no poda con tanto.

Recordemos que desde finales de los aos40 y hasta finalizar la dcada de 1960 largida y compleja etiqueta femenina exi-ga un ropero con gran variedad de tra-jes y complementos adecuados paracada hora del da. Como consecuencia,Flora contaba con gran nmero de encar-gos, y realizaba muchos y muy variadostrajes de fiesta, que a menudo le encar-gaban para puestas de largo, o con mo-

tivo de la Feria de Sevilla. Cosa tambinvestidos de cctel y de ceremonia, comolos de novia o de madrina, adems de tra-jes sastre, muchos de tipo Chanel, abri-gos y ropa ms informal.

Flora cosi, por ejemplo, el traje parala puesta de largo de Da. Mauricia Llady Fernndez Urrutia. En palabras de la in-teresada: en su taller me hice el traje demi puesta de largo. Era un taller famosoporque Flora compraba modelos enPars, que luego confeccionaba maravillo-samente. S que visti mucho a GraceKelly; yo la he visto all en algunas oca-siones. Flora tena los mismos precios queBalenciaga, pero los trajes de noche y decctel de Flora resultaban ms glamouro-sos. En cambio Balenciaga realizaba fan-tsticos abrigos y sastres.

Respecto a los trajes de novia, sabemosque realiz el de su hija Ana Mara y el

de su nuera Paloma Oate Gil, casada consu hijo, el abogado Adolfo Cotelo Villa-rreal. La propia Paloma nos comenta queconservan el vestido como un tesoro13.Tambin sabemos que dise el traje denovia de Mara Jess Vila Busquets, casa-da con Jos Ignacio Cotelo Villarreal14 (fi-gura 10).

Adems de los vestidos confeccionadospara los eventos nupciales de la familia,

Flora dise, por supuesto muchos ms,entre los que, adems del famossimo dela Duquesa de Alba, se encuentran por

67

13

La ceremonia se celebr en Madrid, el da16 de noviembre de 1960 en la iglesia de San

Fermn de los Navarros. La madrina fue Flora

Villarreal de Cotelo y el padrino, Virgilio Oate

Snchez, padre de la novia. Despus de la

boda se sirvi un cctel en el Hotel Ritz.

Este mismo traje lo visti el da de su boda,

27 aos despus, su hija Paloma Cotelo

Oate, el 12 de octubre de 1987, en Madrid.

La boda se celebr en la misma iglesia, y sesirvi luego un cctel en el Club de Tiro de

Pichn de Somontes. Este interesante dato

nos sita ante un traje atemporal, que se

mantiene actual a pesar del paso de los aos.

Tiene escote alto de barco, cuerpo ajustado y

manga larga. La contrayente llevaba adems

un velo de tul con tocado de florecillas

y un collar de una vuelta de perlas.

14 La boda se celebr el da 1 de junio de 1962 en

la iglesia de San Bernat del Montseny, Barcelona,

y actu como madrina la madre del novio, Flora

Villarreal, y como padrino, el padre de la novia.

Se nos ha facilitado la nota de prensa, publicada

por el Diario de Barcelona el mircoles, 23

de noviembre de 1960 (pgina 7, Notas de

sociedad: Boda distinguida en Madrid). La

nota recoge el nombre de los testigos de ambos

contrayentes por separado. Existe adems otra

nota de prensa sin identificar, en la que aparece

fotografiado el vestido.


11/26

for my debutante ball. The workshopwas famous because Flora bought herdesigns in Paris and then made themmarvellously. I know she made a lot ofclothes for Grace Kelly; I saw her there

a few times. Floras prices were thesame as Balenciagas but her eveninggowns and cocktail dresses were moreglamorous. On the other hand, Ba-lenciaga made fantastic coats and tai-lored suits.

As for wedding dresses, we knowthat Flora made the dresses for the wed-dings of her daughter Ana Maras andher daughter-in-law Paloma Oate Gil,who married Floras son, the lawyer

Adolfo Cotelo Villarreal. Paloma told us,We guard that dress like a treasure.13

We also know that she designed thewedding dress for Mara Jess VilaBusquets, who married Jos IgnacioCotelo Villarreal14 (figure 10).

Besides the dresses she designed forher own familys weddings, Flora ofcourse designed many more, includinga very famous one for the Duchess of

Alba. She also designed dresses for theDuke of Albas sister, Lady Sol; MiguelPrimo de Riveras bride Mara Oriol;Pilar Sstago, daughter of the Marquisand Marchioness of Sstago and a closefriend of Fabiola of Belgium; and IsabelGmez Acebo, daughter of Deleitosa,the sister of Princess Pilars husband. Weshould also mention the wedding dress-es she made (now lost) for SonsolesMartn and Mara Teresa Spnola deBarreiros. Mara Teresa told us, Mywedding dress is a Christian Dior de-sign. Flora Villarreal was wonderful withher clients; she was a great professionaland had exquisite taste. Wed go toFloras to buy marvellous copies ofFrench models. She sold models mainlyby Dior but by other French couturierstoo. Shed buy the patterns and makethem perfectly. Shed also take her in-

spiration from French fashion and adaptthe designs for her own models. In hertime, Flora was comparable to theMolinero sisters in Madrid and whatthey did with Valentinos designs.

Over time Flora also crafted a varietyof accessories. In this respect we mightmention the neckerchief worn by herdaughter Ana Mara15 on 7 December2007, for the opening of theMujeres en

blanco (Women in White) exhibition.It was among those her mother sold atthe boutique. All her accessories bore

the VILLARREAL label and were mar-keted together with other accessorieslike headpieces and necklaces.

Flora combined her day-to-day workat the workshops on the Paseo de la

Castellana with the visits to Paris wehave mentioned above. In the early1960s, she would make two trips a yearto see the spring-summer and autumn-winter collections, accompanied by herpurchaser, Lola, and Pilar Amillo, wholooked after financial matters and actedas Floras public relations assistant asshe spoke French and English, both es-sential for the everyday running of thecompany.

During those years, Flora would stayat the Htel Londres Boulevard Saint-Honor16 and Pilar continued to stay atthe students residence hall, as she had inher previous job in the city. The threewomen would attend trade shows,where Flora would choose and buy thetwo models to which the entrance ticketentitled her.17 Each model she boughtcame with a document with samples list-

ing all the pieces and materials neededto make it; this enabled Flora to makefaithful copies of the model18 and presentthem in her collections in Madrid. We al-ways went, Pilar told us, to the Dior,Balmain, Lanvin, Castillo, Givenchy, NinaRicci and Chanel showings, but never toBalenciagas, as Flora never wishedto copy him. On the other hand, shewould make courtesy calls at the Houseof Balenciaga after the presentations ofhis collections19 to congratulate him andI would go along with her.

At the Castellana workshop, Florasewed for the crme-de-la-crme ofhigh society of the time. The days of thethree-peseta blouse20 were by now farbehind; Flora now had her own chauf-feur to drive her from her Nez deBalboa home to the Castellana work-shop and back every day.

According to members of her family,Floras many clients included membersof the aristocracy, some of whom wehave already mentioned in relation to herwedding dresses. Others included theMarchioness of Casarriera; the daughterof Castroviejo, the famous ophthalmolo-gist; the Countess of Motrico; the Urquijowomen; Sandra Torlonia; the Countess ofSueca; the Duchess of Santoa; the

Marchionesses of Romanones, of Cam-poo, of Floridablanca and of Medinaceli;and of course the Duchess of Alba, who

68

13The ceremony was held in Madrid on 16

November 1960, at the church of San Fermn

de los Navarros. The matron of honour was

Flora Villarreal de Cotelo and the bride was

given away by her father, Virgilio Oate

Snchez. The wedding was followed by a

reception at the Hotel Ritz. The same dress

was worn on 12 October 1987, 27 years later,

by Palomas daughter Paloma Cotelo Oate on

her wedding day in Madrid. The marriage took

place in the same church and was followed

by a reception at the Somontes Clay Pigeon

Shooting Club. This interesting piece of

information conjures up a timeless wedding

dress always in fashion despite the passing

years. It has a high scoop neck, close-fitting

bodice and long sleeves. The bride also wore

a tulle veil, a headdress with small flowers

and a single-strand pearl necklace.

14The wedding took place on 1 June 1962, at the

church of San Bernat del Montseny, Barcelona.

The brides mother, Flora Villarreal, was matron of

honour and the bride was given away by her father.

We have a copy of the press release, printed by theDiario de Barcelonaon Wednesday, 23 November

1960, (page 7, Notas de sociedad: Boda distinguida

en Madrid Society Column: Marriage of

Distinction in Madrid). The column lists the names

of the brides and grooms witnesses separately.

Theres another unidentified press release with

a photograph of the wedding dress.

15 She confessed it is the only one she still has.

16

At 13 Rue de Saint-Roch, corner of 300 Saint-Honor Boulevard. The hotel is still there.

17 Pilar recalls that one year the entrance ticket

for the Chanel show cost no less than 25,000

pesetas. Regarding this amount, see note 20.

18 Paradoxical as it may seem for a professional of

Floras standing, Pilar Amillo told us that when

she met her, Flora did not wish to create.

19 According to Floras daughter Ana Mara, Flora

and Balenciaga were of an age and had been

born near each other. She was a friend of

Balenciagas. Hed wanted her to go with him

and advised her to make more public

appearances if she wanted more fame and

recognition. But she limited contact to the

occasional lunch. Some summers she went to

his home in Igueldo; theyd drive her there and

the car would wait outside for half an hour.

20 In 1961, a wedding dress made by Flora cost

25,000 pesetas. That year, the basic annual salary

of a university professor was 38,320 pesetas.


12/26

ejemplo el de Da. Sol, hermana delDuque de Alba, el de Mara Oriol, casa-da con Miguel Primo de Rivera, y tambinel de Pilar Sstago, hija de los Marquesesde Sstago, ntima amiga de Fabiola de

Blgica. Otro de sus trajes de novia lo co-si para Isabel Gmez Acebo, hija deDeleitosa, hermana del marido de laInfanta Pilar. Cabe mencionar tambin elvestido de novia que hizo para SonsolesMartn, hoy perdido, o el de Da. MaraTeresa Spnola de Barreiros, quien rela-ta: mi traje de novia es un diseo deChristian Dior. Flora Villarreal era mara-villosa en su trato, una gran profesionaly muy exquisita. bamos a Flora para ad-

quirir estupendas copias de modelosfranceses. Ella venda modelos de Diorfundamentalmente, y tambin de otrosmodistos franceses; compraba los patro-nes y los realizaba perfectamente.Tambin, inspirndose en las lneas de lamoda francesa, y adaptndola, creaba suspropios modelos. En su poca, Flora eracomo han sido durante aos Las Molineroen Madrid para los diseos de Valentino.

Con el tiempo Flora lleg a realizartambin variados complementos. A esterespecto cabe mencionar el pauelo decuello que su hija Ana Mara llevabapuesto15 el 7 de diciembre de 2007, dade la inauguracin de la exposicinMujeres de blanco. Se trataba de uno delos pauelos que venda su madre en laboutique; estas piezas llevaban impresala marca VILLARREAL, y se comercia-lizaban junto con otros complementos,como tocados y collares.

Flora compaginaba el trabajo diarioen los talleres del Paseo de la Castellanacon las estancias en Pars, a las que yase hizo referencia ms arriba. A princi-pios de los aos 60, Flora viajaba a Parsdos veces al ao, para la presentacinde las colecciones de primavera-veranoy otoo-invierno. Iban tres personas: lapropia Flora, Lola, la encargada de las

compras, y Pilar Amillo, de los aspectoseconmicos, que haca las veces deayudante y relaciones pblicas, ya quehablaba francs e ingls, idiomas ambosmuy necesarios para el da a da de laempresa.

En esos aos, Flora se alojaba en el ho-tel Londres del Boulevard Saint-Honor16,y Pilar se segua hospedando en una re-sidencia de estudiantes, tal y como ve-

na haciendo en su anterior trabajo en laciudad. Las tres mujeres asistan a los pa-ses dirigidos a profesionales, en los

69

Figura 10. La nuera de Flora posa el dade su boda con su esposo Jos IgnacioCotelo Villarreal. A ambos lados de loscontrayentes, las sobrinas del novio, AnaMara y Mara Jos Lpez Cotelo. Las dosllevan vestidos confeccionados por suabuela Flora. Fotografa: Vda. de M.Villaplana, 1 de junio de 1962.Figure 10. Floras daughter-in-law with herhusband, Jos Ignacio Cotelo Villarreal, ontheir wedding day. On either side of thecouple, the grooms nieces, Ana Mara andMara Jos Lpez Cotelo, both wearingdresses made by their grandmother Flora.Photograph: Widow of M. Villaplana,1 June 1962.

15 Nos confes que es el nico que conserva.

16 En el nmero 13 de la calle Saint-Roch,

esquina 300 con la calle Saint-Honor;

el hotel sigue existiendo en la actualidad.


13/26

visited Floras workshop with her fatheron more than one occasion. Some of herclients, like the Duchess of FernnNez, ordered their entire wardrobes atthe House of Villarreal.

Flora also dressed Fabiola of Bel-gium, who lived on the corner of Fer-nando el Santo and Zurbano, very closeto the workshop. It seems that Fabiolaconsidered having her wedding dressmade at Villarreals but finally ordered itfrom Balenciaga. However, Flora didmake the wedding dresses for Fabiolassister, the Duchess of Sstago, and hersister-in-law.

Other clients who passed through

Floras workshop were General Francoswife, as well as a number of foreign per-sonalities21 including Soraya, FarahDiba, Ava Gardner and Grace Kelly. AsPilar Amillo told us, The Americanladies were very demanding. One ofthem was a Miss Baker, who lived inSan Francisco and whose husbandowned a chain of banks. I personallydelivered several dresses to her at the

Ritz Hotel in Paris. Pilar also recalls amemorable party at which GinaLollobrigida and Elizabeth Taylor turnedup in the same ensemble by Flora. Itwas a gradated peach organza dresswith overlapping layers, a bodice em-broidered with precious stones, a skirtbelow the knee, and a matching jacketwith small lapels.

Floras relationship with some of herclients developed into friendship. Thiswas the case of the Count of Motrico,the Spanish ambassador in Paris, forwhose wife she made several dresses.The Count gave Flora an engraving byBruno de Villarreal, a relation of hers.Furthermore, Floras clients trusted herabsolutely. For example, when she wasin residence in London, the Marchionessof Santa Cruz used to tell her, Send mewhatever you like, I have such-and-such

an engagement. Floras intense person-ality combined with her artistic tempera-ment, honesty, warmth and perfection-ism led her clients to trust her soimplicitly that they simply put them-selves in her hands.

Personal life

Flora always managed to balance moth-erhood with her professional life, to thepoint that her children and years later

some of her grandchildren would goto the workshop to do their homeworkafter school. She paid attention to everydetail: their health, their studies, etc.,and insisted that they learn foreign lan-

guages.

22

Ana Mara describes her mother asan active woman with a strong charac-ter, very creative, good at drawing andwith extraordinary good taste. She hadan excellent memory for faces and anexceptional memory in general, to thepoint of remembering every dress shehad ever made, who she had made itfor, and even for what occasion theclient had ordered it.23 My mother de-

manded perfection, she told us. Sheexamined every dress thoroughly beforeit was delivered.

Pilar Amillo also admired Flora, andremembers her as very good, very hon-est, very clever and very artistic. Alsovery modest, very simple, affable, and aperfectionist in her work. She was nev-er showy or a fame-seeker.

Flora was rather short and, according

to Pilar Amillo, bowlegged, perhaps be-cause of all the time she spent on herfeet during her very long workingdays.24 According to members of herfamily, her manicurist went to her homeand Floras hands were always wellcared for but natural. On her left handshe used to wear a very simple whitegold ring with a solitaire diamond thesize of a fingernail. She wore her hairswept back, almost in a bun; her daugh-ter told us that her stylist was aFrenchman called Edouard whose salonwas on the Gran Va near Callao (there isnow a perfume shop with the samename at number 58 Gran Va) (figure 11).

Despite the success of her clothingdesigns,25 Flora always remained de-tached from the social life connectedwith her work. For example, she nevermet her clients for tea and declined all

invitations. Miss Flora, for that was howwe addressed her, said Pilar, was alady of routine. She would get up veryearly and go to mass at the Church ofChrist of Ayala at 8.30 every day. Shedressed simply and usually wore a greyskirt with a blouse. She also used towear pink or light-blue knitted twinsets a jacket and jumper. She had a minkcoat but the fur was on the inside, so itappeared to be made of normal cloth.In family photographs it can indeed beseen that Flora Villarreal took great care

70

21 Many American women went first to see

the Paris collections and then bought at the

House of Villarreal, as the clothes were

well made and the prices lower.

22 She sent her children to bilingual schools and

they spent periods abroad, which was unusual

for that time.

23 Even at the end of her life, when she suffered

from glaucoma, Flora recognised her clients

and remembered their garments in detail.

24 According to Pilar, the times of the year

when they worked the longest hours were

at Christmas and on Maundy Thursday.

25 Her daughter Ana Mara told us, There were

a lot of photographs of her dresses although

the captions dont say so in Luna y Sol,

a kind of Hello! magazine of the time.


14/26

que Flora elega y compraba los dos mo-delos a los que daba derecho el pago dela entrada17. Cada modelo adquirido ibaacompaado por una referencia en laque se listaba y adjuntaba un ejemplo detodos los elementos y materiales nece-sarios para su confeccin. De este modo,Flora poda copiar fielmente el modelo18

a fin de presentarlo en su coleccin deMadrid. Estbamos siempre, nos dicePilar, en los pases de Dior, Balmain,Lanvin, Castillo, Givenchy, Nina Ricci yChanel. Pero nunca en los desfiles deBalenciaga, pues jams quiso copiarle; sinembargo, s la acompa a la CasaBalenciaga en sus visitas de cortesa, a

fin de felicitarle despus de sus pases decoleccin19.

En los talleres de La Castellana, Floracosi para lo ms encumbrado de la so-ciedad de su poca. Atrs quedaban lostiempos de las blusas de tres pesetas20;ahora Flora dispona de chfer, y ste lallevaba diariamente del taller de Cas-tellana a su casa de Nez de Balboa, yviceversa.

Segn relata su familia, entre las nume-rosas personas que formaban parte de laclientela de Flora se encontraban relevan-tes personalidades de la aristocracia, algu-nas de las cuales ya hemos mencionado apropsito de los trajes de novia. Entre lasclientas de la casa se encontraba laMarquesa de Casarriera, la hija del famo-so oftalmlogo Castroviejo, la Condesa deMotrico, las Urquijo, Sandra Torlonia, laCondesa de Sueca, la Duquesa de Santoa,

la Marquesa de Romanones, la de Campoo,la de Floridablanca o la de Medinaceli, sinolvidar, por supuesto, a la Duquesa deAlba, que en ms de una ocasin fue al ta-ller acompaada de su padre. Algunas deestas clientas, como la Duquesa de FernnNez, se hacan en Villarreal todo el ves-tuario.

Flora visti tambin a Fabiola deBlgica, que viva muy cerca del taller, en

la calle Fernando el Santo esquina aZurbano. Parece que Fabiola consider in-cluso hacerse el traje de novia enVillarreal, aunque despus se lo encarga-ra a Balenciaga. Flora realiz sin embar-go los trajes para la boda de su hermana,la Duquesa de Sstago, y de su cuada.

Por su taller pas adems la esposa deFranco, sin olvidar a personalidades ex-tranjeras21 como Soraya, Farah Diba, AvaGardner o Grace Kelly. En palabras dePilar Amillo, las norteamericanas eranmuy exigentes. Entre ellas estaba Miss

Baker que viva en San Francisco, y cuyomarido tena una cadena de bancos; a ellale entregu personalmente varios trajes enel Hotel Ritz de Pars. Entre los recuer-dos de Pilar figura tambin una fiesta an-tolgica, a la que Gina Lollobrigida yElisabeth Taylor acudieron vestidas con elmismo traje de Flora. Era un vestido deorganza de color melocotn degradado,con capas sobrepuestas, cuerpo bordadode pedrera, falda de capa por debajo dela rodilla y chaquetita de pequea sola-pa a juego.

Con algunos de sus clientes Flora lle-g a trabar una verdadera amistad. Es elcaso del Conde de Motrico, embajador en

Pars, para cuya esposa realiz varios tra-jes. El Conde regal a Flora un grabadode Bruno de Villarreal, pariente de la mo-dista. Las clientas de Flora, adems,confiaban plenamente en ella. LaMarquesa de Santa Cruz, por ejemplo, so-la decirle cuando resida en Londres:mndeme lo que quiera, que tengo talo cul acto. La fuerte personalidad deFlora, unida a su temperamento artstico,

su rectitud y cordialidad, adems de suespritu perfeccionista, hacan posible quegozara de esta confianza por parte de susclientas, de tal forma que stas se ponanen sus manos.

La vida personal

Flora supo en todo momento compagi-nar su funcin de madre con su trabajo,

de tal forma que sus hijos, a la salida delcolegio, iban al taller, y all hacan losdeberes, de la misma manera que aosms tarde haran algunos de sus nietos.Estaba pendiente de todo: mdicos, es-tudios e insista especialmente en elaprendizaje de idiomas22.

Ana Mara define a su madre comomujer enrgica y con carcter fuerte,gran creadora, con facilidad para el di-

bujo, y con un gusto extraordinario. Eratambin gran fisonomista, y mujer deexcepcional memoria, de tal forma querecordaba cada traje que haba hecho,para quin lo hizo e, incluso, para quacto lo visti su clienta23. La exigenciade mi madre era la perfeccin nosdice; ella revisaba minuciosamentecada traje antes de entregarlo.

Tambin Pilar Amillo admiraba a Flora,a la que recuerda como una mujer muybuena, muy recta, muy lista y muy artis-ta; tambin muy modesta, muy sencilla,

71

17 Pilar recuerda que, uno de esos aos, el

precio de la entrada para el pase de Chanel

fue nada menos que de 25.000 pesetas. Apropsito de esta cantidad, vase la nota 20.

18 Aunque resulte paradjico para una

profesional de su talla, segn refiere Pilar

Amillo, cuando ella la conoci, Flora no

quera crear.

19 Segn nos relata su hija Ana Mara, Flora

y Balenciaga tenan la misma edad, y haban

nacido muy cerca. Ella fue amiga de

Balenciaga; l quiso que se fuese con l, y la

anim a dejarse ver algo ms para conseguir

mayor reconocimiento y fama. Pero ella se

limit a comer con l en alguna ocasin.

Algunos veranos fue a su casa de Igueldo; la

llevaban en el coche y la esperaban durante

una media hora.

20 En 1961 se pagaban por un traje de novia de

Flora 25.000 pesetas. El sueldo base anual

de un catedrtico de Universidad estaba fijado

para ese mismo ao en 38.320 pesetas.

21 Muchas estadounidenses iban primero a ver

las colecciones a Pars, y luego compraban en

Villarreal, porque confeccionaba bien y ofreca

precios ms bajos.

22 Sus hijos asistieron a colegios bilinges

y pasaron temporadas en el extranjero,

cosa inusual para la poca.

23 Incluso al final de sus das, afectada

por un glaucoma, Flora reconoca a sus

clientas y recordaba sus trajes al detalle.


15/26

over the clothes she chose for herwardrobe. She always wore the rightcombinations and dressed fashionably.She was interested in line, structure andfabric. Some of the fabric designs shewore were truly unique, particularly inthe clothes she wore in the 20s. For ex-ample, in the photograph of her withher husband in figure 12, she is wearinga dark blouse with a V-neck and short,wide sleeves and a pencil skirt of an

original fabric woven with raised geo-

metric patterns.In other family photos Flora is seen intypical 20s style a long barrel-shapeddress with a low waist, revealing thelower part of the leg. In others, she isseen in a pleated skirt with a blouse orjacket and plain or printed flower- orgeometric-patterned fabrics almost cer-tainly chosen to her taste. Unfortunatelywe cannot make out the colours, al-though garments of this kind were usu-

ally of light, contrasting tones. Theworld of accessories is also depicted; theimages feature the bell-shaped forms ofthe cloche hat and shoes with an anklestrap and heels; there are also almost flatshoes with laces and two-tone footwear.Also seen is jewellery, particularly withpearls, in the form of earrings and dou-ble- and triple-stand necklaces verymuch in the Chanel style, a classic en-

semble to which Flora would remaintrue her entire life (figure 13).

Undoubtedly, no graphic documenttells us more about Flora Villarreals per-sonality than the portrait of her paintedby the Galician artist Luis MosqueraGmez26, who in 1963 immortalised herat the age of 69.27 The painting belongsto a private collector, which is why weregrettably cannot reproduce it here. Itfeatures Flora seated in a dark suit anddraped with a large sepia fringed man-tn or shawl. As personal adornment

72

26 La Corua 1899-Madrid 1987, a member

of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes

de San Fernando(Royal Academy of Fine

Arts of San Fernando).

27 Caruncho, Luis Mara: Luis Mosquera: 1899-

1987, La Corua, Fundacin Pedro Barri de la

Maza, 1992, pp. 49, 196, 412. Oil on canvas,

116 x 89 cm.

Figura 11. Flora Villarreal a los cincuenta ycuatro aos con sus hijos Javier y Jos

Ignacio a los diecisis. Fotografa:Gyenes, 1948.

Figure 11. Flora Villarreal at age fifty-fourwith her sons Javier and Jos Ignacio atage sixteen. Photograph: Gyenes, 1948.

Figura 12. Flora con su marido AdolfoCotelo el 18 de noviembre de 1920. La

fotografa est dedicada y firmada: Anuestros queridos padres, / Adolfo /

M Flora.Figure 12. Flora with her husband Adolfo

Cotelo, 18 November 1920. Thephotograph is dedicated and signed, Toour dear parents, / Adolfo / Mara Flora.


16/26

cordial en el trato, y perfeccionista en sutrabajo, que no le gustaba aparecer, nibuscaba la fama.

La costurera era ms bien baja de es-tatura, y, segn Pilar Amillo, tena laspiernas arqueadas, quizs por la grancantidad de horas que permaneca depie, a consecuencia de su largusimas jor-nadas de trabajo24. Las manos las lleva-ba arregladas pero naturales, y, como nosdice la familia, la manicura vena acasa. Luca en la mano izquierda un so-litario de oro blanco con un diamante deltamao de una ua, embutido, de aspec-to muy sencillo. Se peinaba con un re-cogido, casi un moo; nos cuenta su hija

que su peluquero fue Edouard, un fran-cs que estaba en la Gran Va, en un pisocerca de Callao (en la actualidad existeuna perfumera con el mismo nombre enGran Va, 58) (figura 11).

A pesar del xito de su ropa25, Flora semantuvo al margen de la vida social de-rivada de su actividad; jams hizo tertu-lia con sus clientas no iba a tomar el ty se disculpaba ante cualquier invitacin.

Doa Flora, que as la llambamos, noscuenta Pilar, era muy rutinaria; se levan-taba muy temprano e iba diariamente alas 8.30 horas a misa al Cristo de Ayala.Vesta con sencillez, con faldas de colorgris, generalmente combinadas con blu-sas; llevaba tambin conjuntos de punto,de chaqueta y jersey, en color rosa o ce-leste. Como abrigo utilizaba uno de visn,pero que exteriormente era de pao. Enlas fotografas familiares de Flora Villarreal

se aprecia que, efectivamente, cuidaba yseleccionaba las prendas de su vestuario.Aparece siempre conjuntada y a la moda.Le interesaban las lneas, la estructura ytambin los tejidos; algunos de los dise-os textiles que porta son realmente sin-gulares, sobre todo en las prendas que vis-te en los aos 20. Valga como ejemplo lafotografa que reproducimos en la figura12, y que muestra a Flora Villarreal con

su marido. Lleva blusa de color oscuro,con escote en pico y manga cada y cor-ta, y una falda recta de original tejido conmotivos geomtricos en relieve.

En otras fotografas de familia se iden-tifica la silueta caracterstica del decenio,de lnea tonel, con corte a la cadera ylargo que muestra la parte inferior de lapierna. Tambin est reflejado el uso dela falda tableada con blusa o chaqueta yla presencia de tejidos tanto monocromoscomo estampados con motivos florales ogeomtricos, que con toda seguridad

fueron elegidos segn su gusto. Por des-gracia no tenemos constancia del color,aunque en general las prendas de este tipo

son de tonos claros y contrastados.El mundo de los complementos est igual-mente representado; las imgenesnos muestran las formas campaniformesdel sombrero clochey los zapatos de pul-sera con tacn; hay tambin zapatos casiplanos con cordn, y calzado bicolor. Estpresente adems la joyera, sobre todo abase de perlas, tanto en pendientescomo en collares de dos o tres vueltas,

muy en la lnea del modelo de Chanel,conjunto clsico al que Flora ser fiel du-rante toda su vida (figura 13).

Pero seguramente no hay otro docu-mento grfico que muestre de manera mscompleta la personalidad de FloraVillarreal que el retrato del pintor galle-go Luis Mosquera Gmez26, quien, en1963, la inmortaliz a la edad de 69 aos27.El leo es propiedad de un coleccionis-ta particular, por lo que sentimos no po-der reproducirlo. En l, Flora posa senta-da y vestida con traje de chaqueta oscuro

73

24 Las fechas en las que haba que quedarse

trabajando ms horas, segn cuenta Pilar,

eran las Navidades y el Jueves Santo.

25 Como comenta su hija Ana Mara, hay

muchas fotografas de sus trajes aunque no

lo diga el pie de foto en la revista de la poca

Luna y Sol, especie de Holade entonces.

26 La Corua 1899-Madrid 1987, miembro

de la Real Academia de Bellas Artes de

San Fernando.

27 Caruncho, Luis Mara: Luis Mosquera: 1899-

1987, La Corua, Fundacin Pedro Barri

de la Maza, 1992, pp. 49,196, 412. Se trata

de un leo sobre lienzo y mide 116 x 89 cm.

Figura 13. Flora y suesposo con sus doshijos mayores, Alberto

y Ana Mara, el 24 denoviembre de 1927.Figure 13. Flora and herhusband with their twooldest children, Albertoand Ana Mara, 24thNovember, 1927.


17/26

she wears a large ring on the ring fingerof her left hand, earrings and a single-thread pearl necklace. Her image isbursting with energy and strength, andshe gazes directly at the spectator as ifshe does not mind being looked at.

The photographs in the family archivenot only show us what Flora Villarreal

looked like and the kind of clothes shewore; they also portray other people likerelatives and friends, most of whom wepresume wore clothes designed or madeby her (she made many for her grand-children). Many of the photographswere taken at the studios of the most im-portant Madrid photographers of the 20slike Kaulak, Amer and Gyenes, and theimages are of high quality and quite

beautiful.Examples of the mens fashion of thetime can be seen in her husbandswardrobe, childrens fashion in that ofher sons and daughter, and, moreover,in that of other figures, both men andwomen, in the photographs. In this re-spect a fine example is a picture ofFloras daughter Ana Mara in an em-broidered linen outfit on her nineteenthbirthday. Another very interesting exam-ple, reproduced in figure 14, is AnaMaras 1946 party dress. It is full-length

with flower posy patterns, a squareneck, a close-fitting bodice and loosesleeves.

Professional recognition

Flora Villarreal was always an extraordi-narily discreet woman who shunned thelimelight. Because of this she did not ap-pear at many events connected withfashion28 and played no part, for example,in the founding of the Cooperativa de la

Alta Costura Espaola (Spanish HauteCouture Cooperative)29. However, oneevent she was not able to elude was a trib-

ute arranged for her in 1955 to celebrateher fiftieth anniversary in the fashion pro-fession. Organized by the Sindicato

Provincial Textil (Provincial TextileUnion), the event took place on 13December 1955, coinciding with theFeast of St. Lucy, patron saint of the tai-loring guilds (figure 15).

The Villarreal family archive containssix documents connected with the event

which help give us an idea of Spainssocial reality in those years and reveal abit more of Flora Villarreals personality.

First of all, we must mention the cir-cular sent by theDelegacin Provincialde Sindicatos(Provincial Unions Office)signed by Rafael Muoz Poncela, headof the union, and bearing the unionheadquarters stamp. The document isnot dated only the date of the event ismentioned and its contents30 list the

names of the organisers and participantsfrom both the church and the union.Also mentioned are the popular journal-ist ngel de Echenique and, in connec-tion with the entertainment, various tra-ditional student music groups. Thecircular also describes the events to takeplace in detail. It was in fact a joint trib-ute as it was also held in honour ofMiguel Vera Luque of the tailors guild.

The family archive has also preservedthe card describing the light meal servedafter the tribute. It took place at the restau-rant El Bosque in Madrid at 12.30 p.m.,the time being a good indicator of the so-cial customs of the time, as the meal be-gan half an hour later than specified in thecircular. It consisted of hors doeuvres fol-lowed by cake and fruit. The dishes servedwere imperial salad, boiled ham, curedham, roulade, Vich sausage, Castilianveal, Cantimpalo chorizo, tarta Mercedesand fruit salad.

74

28 Unlike other couturiers, such as Asuncin

Bastida, Pertegaz, the Dique Flotante group,

Santa Eulalia or Pedro Rodrguez, who became

president of the Cmara de la Alta Costura

Espaolain 1940.

29 Madame Rosina, Lino and Natalio Benabu,

among others, also preferred to maintain

a lower profile.

30 As a feature of interest, we reproduce the

following extract from the circular: At 12 am

a lunch will be given with warmth and affection

at the restaurant El Bosque in honour of two

people whose long careers have made them

deserving of the recognition of all those in their

profession: Flora Villarreal, the brilliant Spanish

fashion creator, and Miguel Vera Luque,

the exemplary member of the tailors guild.

Figura 14. Ana Mara Cotelo Villarreal y sumarido, el arquitecto Vctor Lpez Morales.

Ella viste un traje de fiesta largo realizadopor su madre. Fotografa:

Prez y Villar, 1946.Figure 14. Ana Mara Cotelo Villarreal and

her husband, the architect Vctor LpezMorales. Ana Mara is wearing a long party

dress made by her mother. Photograph:Prez y Villar, 1946.


18/26

y cubierta por un gran mantn flecado detono sepia; se adorna con un importan-te anillo en el dedo anular de la mano iz-quierda, pendientes y collar de perlas deuna vuelta. Su imagen rebosa fuerza yenerga, mira al espectador y no le impor-ta ser observada.

Las series de fotografas que componenel archivo familiar, adems de transmitir-nos la imagen fsica, el aspecto y el ves-tuario de Flora Villarreal, retratan tambina otros personajes, familiares y amigos,muchos de los cuales presuponemosque vestiran trajes diseados o confeccio-nados por ella misma (consta que reali-z muchos para sus nietos). Se trata enmuchos casos de fotos de gran calidad y

belleza, que fueron realizadas en los es-tudios de los ms destacados fotgrafosmadrileos de los aos 20, como Kaulak,Amer o Gyenes.

La moda masculina de cada momentoqueda patente en el vestuario de su mari-do; la infantil, en el de sus hijos; y de for-ma extensiva, en el resto de los persona-jes fotografiados, tanto femeninos comomasculinos. Destaca en este sentido la fo-tografa que muestra a su hija Ana Maracuando cumpli 19 aos, vestida de linocon aplicaciones bordadas. Otro ejemplo

muy interesante, y que reproducimos en la(figura 14), es el traje de fiesta de Ana Maradel ao 1946. Es un traje de fiesta largo rea-lizado en tejido con motivos de ramos flo-rales, escote cuadrado, cuerpo ajustado ymanga cada.

El reconocimiento profesional

Flora Villarreal fue siempre una mujerextraordinariamente discreta, que pro-curaba alejarse de los focos. De estemodo, se mantuvo al margen de muchosacontecimientos relacionados con lamoda28y no particip, por ejemplo, enla fundacin de la Cooperativa de Alta

Costura espaola29

. No pudo evitar, sinembargo, el homenaje que le tributaronen el ao 1955 con motivo de sus cin-cuenta aos en la profesin. Organizadopor el Sindicato Provincial Textil, se ce-lebr el da 13 de diciembre de 1955, conmotivo de la festividad de Santa Luca,patrona de los gremios de la confeccin(figura 15).

El archivo familiar de los Villarreal con-serva seis documentos relativos al aconte-cimiento. Su lectura nos ayuda a entenderla realidad social de la Espaa de aque-

75

28 Al contrario que otros modistos como

Asuncin Bastida, Pertegaz, el grupo Dique

Flotante, la casa Santa Eulalia, o Pedro

Rodrguez, que lleg a ser presidente de la

Cmara de la Alta Costura Espaola en 1940.

29 Otros creadores que tambin se mantuvieron

en segundo plano fueron Madame Rosina,

Lino o Natalio Bernabu, entre otros.

Figura 15. Ana Mara Cotelo Villarrealrecoge en representacin de su madreel diploma del homenaje del SindicatoProvincial Textil. Viste un traje realizado porella. A la izquierda, sentado y aplaudiendo,Don Miguel Vera Luque, tambinhomenajeado ese da. Foto: Mamegam,13 de diciembre de 1955.

Figure 15. Ana Mara Cotelo Villarrealaccepts the diploma on her mothersbehalf at the tribute given by the SindicatoProvincial Textil. She is wearing a dressmade by Flora. Seated on the left clappingis Miguel Vera Luque, for whom the tributewas also arranged. Photo: Mamegam,13 December 1955.


19/26

There is also a press release coveringthe event which was published the fol-lowing day, Wednesday, 14 December1955, on page 51 of the ABC dailynewspaper with the headline, ThePatron Saint of the Tailoring Guilds31.After reporting the events connectedwith the celebration, the newspapercomments on the large number of peo-ple present who were connected with

the fashion world, from prt-a-porter toHaute Couture. It also states that, Thediploma presented to Mrs. Villarreal,who was suffering from ill health, wasaccepted by one of her daughters. Weknow that this was Ana Mara, as themoment was captured in photographs,one of which we have chosen for repro-duction here.

The family has also kept two stamped

letters of congratulations sent to Floraby companies connected with her pro-fession, a milliner and a textile retailer.The letter from the HermgenesGalindo ladies millinery32 is dated 13December 1955. For reasons of health,its members apologise for not beingable to attend what they regard as anextremely appropriate tribute, givenFloras many years of constant work,her great professional integrity and herzest for work, art, good taste and conge-niality. The letter from Blanch of

Barcelona drapers shop33 is dated thefollowing day. The drapers congratulateFlora and refer to her as the grand mis-tress of the guild and the doyenne ofthe industry.34

The tribute was also recorded in aninterview with Flora by Camarero forthePueblo daily newspaper. It appearedin the Special Information, Reports andArticles section under the heading,Today, the Feast of St Lucy... Over halfa century dressing celebrities... And in-terviews irritate Mrs. Flora Villarreal.35This last statement is very revealing ofFloras personality and gives a clear idea

of her strong character, firm convictionsand dislike of being the centre of atten-tion. It is clear from the title of the arti-cle that she did not like interviews; fur-thermore, some of her answers are curtand at times she does not even reply tothe question.

Five years later, in May 1960, the sec-ond great event acknowledging FloraVillarreals career took place. That year,

with Fermn Sanz-Orrio y Sanz acting asminister of the sector, the couturier wasawarded the prestigious Medalla alMrito en el Trabajo36 (Medal forMeritorious Labour, (figure 16).

The medal is oval-shaped and made ofsilver. It is framed by a garland of oakleaves and a blue enamel orle. The ob-verse bears the inscription FOR MERI-TORIOUS LABOUR. The composition iscentred on the Spanish coat of arms,

which displays the emblems of industryand manual labour the wheel and thehammer in red, black and white enam-el. Under the shield are the words SO-CIAL JUSTICE. On the reverse is the in-scription DECREE OF 14 MARCH 1942.In the centre of the field, against a back-ground of smoking chimneys are thesymbols of intellectual labour, trade andagriculture the book, the staff and the

wheatear. A blue silk moir ribbon with afastener passes through a ring at the top.The family has also kept the rosette

a lapel badge with references to themedal for wearing at unofficial acts. It isoval in shape and measures approxi-mately one centimetre in diameter. Thedesign consists of an outer ring of oakbranches surrounding an inner one ofdiamonds; once again the Spanish coatof arms is at the centre.

Both medal and rosette are still intheir original box. This bears a plaque

76

31 Various events were held yesterday in honour

of the patron saint, beginning at 10.30 am with

a mass sung at St Marks Church, which was

filled to capacity by the faithful [...] The event

ended with a lunch, followed by a dance [...]

In spite of the rain, boisterous groups of

seamstresses could be seen in the streets

of Madrid gaily fting their patron saint.

32 Hermgenes Galindo, Ladies Hats Novelties,

number 6 Plaza de Santa Cruz. The logotype

consists of the interlacing initials HG inside

a circle.

33 Blanch and Company, Drapers and Liners,

numbers 8 and 10 Rambla de San Jos,

Barcelona. The logotype consists of the letters B

and C on top of an undulating remnant of cloth

with Est. 1891 below.

34 From Luis de Armins daily Madrid Column in

todays Diario de Barcelonanewspaper we have

learned of the good news of the tribute which

she so well deserved [...] due to the merits of

her incessant work over fifty years and to the

fact that she is the grand mistress of the guild.

35 Diario Pueblo, Year XVI, No. 5063, Madrid,

Tuesday, 13 December 1955.

36 The family still have the medal and have

provided us with photographs. The decision

to award it to Flora is recorded in the Boletn

Oficial del Estado(Official State Bulletin) of 22

April 1960, on page 5276, further to an order of

1 April 1960, by virtue of which the silver Medal

for Meritorious Labour, second class, was to be

awarded to Mrs. Flora Villarreal Medina.

Figura 16. Medalla al Mrito en el Trabajoconcedida a Flora Villarreal. Imagen

cortesa de la familia Villarreal.Figure 16. Meritorious Labour medal

awarded to Flora Villarreal. Picturecourtesy of the Villarreal family.


20/26

llos aos, y tambin a desvelar la perso-nalidad de Flora Villarreal.

En primer lugar, hay que mencionar lacircular enviada por la DelegacinProvincial

Flora Villarreal y su contribución a la moda española.pdf

Documents

Transcript of Flora Villarreal y su contribución a la moda española.pdf