Fashion is an art that should be taken seriously

My name is Antonio Martin; I am Creative Director and Designer in MARTIN WASCHBÄR. In 2009, I founded this brand with the purpose of contributing to fashion with a new style and a new aesthetic, in order to express my commitment with beauty.

Martin Waschbär is fashion, dance, music... how would you define it?

We are not able to distinguish between music, dance and fashion because they all are different ways to achieve beauty. We use our essence to transform a melody into a garment and to make this garment a unique piece which lives on the street with a distinctive attitude. We try to remind people that fashion is an art that should be taken seriously, and not just something superfluous…

Why did you choose a German name for a Spanish brand?

We are citizens of a global world and we recognize that frontiers between countries are just lines drawn by men on maps. We work for people; therefore we chose the words that best represent the meaning and significance of what we do, regardless of whether they were of one language or another.

You career started as an engineer: how did you get to the fashion industry?

Actually I grew up surrounded by creativity and textiles, but that was not what a boy like me was supposed to do in his life...

After my studies in engineering, my return to the fashion industry actually was a return to my childhood. However, thanks to my scientific and technical training, now I have the ability to develop concepts that merge aesthetic and technical knowledge.

What does fashion mean to you?

This is a tough question! (Laughter) Fashion is something that most people repeat in a given time.

I try to participate in generating trends by offering people new concepts and ideas that I find attractive. The aim is to enrich people who embrace these trends and want to be part of them.

Martin Waschbär gives the option to customize their clothes. Do you think that leaving the control in customers’ hands can add value to a brand?

Of course! Freedom is a fundamental value to us, and we respect and defend it. So we made ​​the effort to make this option available, so customers always take home a unique piece and enjoy a more satisfying shopping experience.

Last November you made a collection of jackets for hockerty, "Feeling Good". What inspired you?

Our aim was to express different emotions through the garments themselves. The idea came from hockerty essence: the comfort you feel when you wear a tailored garment.

We selected a number of winter fabrics with unique textures: velvet for the evenings, corduroy for everyday life or tweed for a casual look to wear at the office.

It is a collection of harmonies and contrasts...

Indeed. The simplicity of its patterns matches with the fabrics texture and with the nuances of colors we chose for these blazers: greens and browns meet pure white or solid black. The energy of dark tones flows through vivid green or yellow wires to convey strength and vitality.

We designed garments rich in sensations and nuances which make people who dress, touch or observe them feel good.