Spain’s fashion heritage might be associated with the likes of Cristóbal Balenciaga and Enrique Loewe Roessberg, but those in the know will also recognise the name Jesús del Pozo. The Spanish couturier founded Delpozo in Madrid in 1974 and helped to shape the country’s fashion history.

After his death in 2011, the label was acquired by Spanish conglomerate Perfumes y Diseño. But after a few years the group decided to cease operations, turning Delpozo into a sleeping beauty brand.  

Joaquín Trías, a former economist and self-taught designer, came in last year as creative director with a plan to revive it. Applying the lessons he learned from running his own fashion label, he attracted new investors, adjusted the label’s pricing and began refining the Delpozo look – together with stylist Kate Young, Trías has toned down the embellishment and introduced a lightness and ease to the label’s collections. A chance encounter with actress Tilda Swinton resulted in the creation of Obertura, the brand’s debut film, set in a blossoming garden and starring Swinton in Delpozo’s sharp pant suits.  

Trías has also been adamant about centring the brand in its home city of Madrid. At a time when Spain is enjoying economic growth well above the eurozone average, he couldn’t have chosen a better time. Here, he tells Monocle about his ambitions to turn Delpozo into the country’s flagship luxury brand.

What challenges has Delpozo faced in the past? 
Delpozo always had this magical aura that everybody recognised. But the price point was wrong: the products were in a niche of a niche, with prices sometimes being even higher than those by the most established luxury brands. The designs also felt quite stiff, with too much volume and embellishment. They couldn’t be worn day-to-day, meaning it was impossible to create the right volumes to survive. I faced a lot of these challenges when I was running my own label and it taught me that the product comes before communications and glamour. 

Given these issues, how did you then convince investors to come on board?  
Here in Spain there’s a culture of investment in construction and tourism but not so much in luxury fashion. Trying to convince investors took two and a half years. It’s important to consider who you partner with: it’s not just about money but also about the sensibilities of your partners and whether they’ll let you develop your vision. Perfumes y Diseño still owns a minority stake and the perfume licence.  

Was rebuilding an atelier in Madrid and a network of artisans a big part of your process? 
Delpozo was always known for incredible craftsmanship; – everything was created to couture standards. I started approaching the artisans in Granada, in Toledo and in Galicia who used to work for the brand. It can sometimes be difficult to recover those teams but when they heard that Delpozo was back, everybody was so excited.

When the team was back in place, how did you go about redesigning the collections?  
Delpozo can be identified by two clear characteristics: beauty and colour. There’s so much room for creativity within that. We’re not [limited by] a specific silhouette, a specific volume, or concept; it’s just about impact. We have an opportunity to change evening dressing. I’m obsessed with designing separates; I love seeing women like Tilda [Swinton] wearing a jacket and trousers at galas where everyone else is wearing big gowns. 

Does the brand’s Spanish heritage play a role in the new strategy?
It’s something that we’re really focusing on as a team. We want to make Madrid our territory, we want to own the city and export it to the world, [particularly now] that everybody is talking about our city and it has become so much more international. We’re always trying to introduce a certain Spanish flair to both our product and our imagery. There’s this concept I love in Madrid and Barcelona about “the extraordinary everyday”. Spanish women really love fashion but there’s always an element of reality and practicality in the way they get dressed. It’s never too dressy or too dramatic, yet they always look pristine. That’s the Delpozo woman.