My mother and father with my nephew Isi
My sister Tina and her husband
(9 of us lived in the flat)My sister Gely, Celines, my mother,Isidro and Lolo my brother
Calle Ibiza 1970-72
My eldest sister was a professional dressmaker and designer. In Madrid she found a job as a dressmaker and became very successful. I was working in the boutique at the hotel and my friend Celines in a dress shop. We decided to joint forces with my sister as we were dressmakers too, and open a workshop in our luxurious flat.
We built up a very good clientele in Madrid serving the wives of important politicians, doctors and professionals. The location of our residence was an excellent opportunity for business as our clients mostly lived in the area. We developed and earned our living by working hard and long hours. Dressmaking is a very stressful and demanding job. The clients are fussy and make life very hard with trivialities. Most of these women were rich and had nothing else to do but show-off their latest model and lacked sensibility. They also came from a Fascist regime that taught them to impose authority and demand above the odds. Even the least beautiful client had very high expectation from a lapel, a "V" shape cut, a shoulder pad or the line of the trousers that had to fall from the waist to perfection.While all these demands were made on us, fashion was devising a huge surprise.
The "Pret a Porter" phenomenon arrived in earnest. The choice was spectacular, the possibilities unlimited and the freedom to see oneself in a different light was immediately at hand.
Our clientele started to decline and I could see that very soon there would not be enough work to keep us all in employment. My sister had a husband and a son and needed to stay more than me.
I decided to write to London and go back to the country that had treated me so well.
I received two working permits from my old employer at the hospital and on 16th June 1972 Celines and I took the train back to London.
My sister remained in the flat and continued for a while with reduced dressmaking business, before she rented rooms to make ends meet. My mother and father bought a flat in Colmenar Viejo, 30 kilometers away from Madrid and settled over there with my brother. My sister Tina got married and left for New York with her husband.
My eldest sister was a professional dressmaker and designer. In Madrid she found a job as a dressmaker and became very successful. I was working in the boutique at the hotel and my friend Celines in a dress shop. We decided to joint forces with my sister as we were dressmakers too, and open a workshop in our luxurious flat.
We built up a very good clientele in Madrid serving the wives of important politicians, doctors and professionals. The location of our residence was an excellent opportunity for business as our clients mostly lived in the area. We developed and earned our living by working hard and long hours. Dressmaking is a very stressful and demanding job. The clients are fussy and make life very hard with trivialities. Most of these women were rich and had nothing else to do but show-off their latest model and lacked sensibility. They also came from a Fascist regime that taught them to impose authority and demand above the odds. Even the least beautiful client had very high expectation from a lapel, a "V" shape cut, a shoulder pad or the line of the trousers that had to fall from the waist to perfection.While all these demands were made on us, fashion was devising a huge surprise.
The "Pret a Porter" phenomenon arrived in earnest. The choice was spectacular, the possibilities unlimited and the freedom to see oneself in a different light was immediately at hand.
Our clientele started to decline and I could see that very soon there would not be enough work to keep us all in employment. My sister had a husband and a son and needed to stay more than me.
I decided to write to London and go back to the country that had treated me so well.
I received two working permits from my old employer at the hospital and on 16th June 1972 Celines and I took the train back to London.
My sister remained in the flat and continued for a while with reduced dressmaking business, before she rented rooms to make ends meet. My mother and father bought a flat in Colmenar Viejo, 30 kilometers away from Madrid and settled over there with my brother. My sister Tina got married and left for New York with her husband.
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