Wednesday, November 4, 2009





Take a look, this is probably the the best designer you don't know. If you've heard of him, good. If not then heres a brief history: Spainish born, Miguel Adrover moved to New York in 1991. Four years later with Native American tailor, Douglas Hobbs he lanuched his first clothing line, Dungg and later their own East Village store called Horn.

His first solo womens wear collection was in 1999 and his second collection a year later brought the attention of the fashion elite like Ana Wintor, editor of Vogue magazine. This was his breakthrough collection and his first introduction to the fashion high world. His reconstruction of a Burberry coat was a testament to his ingenuity and creativity and the strength of the collection would eventually propel him win the CDFA award for best new designer of the year. From this point he was on the radar of every fashion journalist labeled as fashions next big thing.






















By chance, the time period Adrover rose to fame were the years I first discovered High Fashion. His shows were some of the first fashion shows I had seen on TV. To be completely honest, no other designer has inspired me more to design clothing. You ever see a product that made you think to yourself, "that looks like something I would make" ? Well it was a collection by him that made me realize my own ideas were even feasible and good ones at that. I understood where he was coming from and what he was trying to do. I dont remember the actual season or year but I do recall what was so special about it. It was his mixture of different ideas, cultures and sub cultures was something I had not seen done before with such style and class. The collection also had and underlying meaning or message behind it. This is one thing I thought fashion often lacked, substance.

Fashion for the most part is mainly entertainment, most shows are exactly what the name implies by definition: a show to entertain and often nothing more. I've been to alot of fashion shows and many are just a big party where "cool" people come to socialize and network. The show is just what brings them all together in one room. Adrovers fashion shows made me think. Yea the clothing looked stylish, and was well tailored but it also had substance. I could tell there was more behind the collection than meets the eye. They each had an important theme relative to the times or the designer.


















For example, his September 2003 collection "the Surreal World" was dedicated to the unbalance of NY social classes. I remember specifically him using Black and Latino models or often regular people in the show. This was unique in fashion shows. He challenged the format in a sense. Last post I talked about fighting traditions and boundaries, well Adrover challenged the role of a fashion show or the use of clothing. He often used it to spread culture or get out a message.










This is where I can relate to Adrover most; is his vision and philosophy. I dont think he cared about what people want to wear, or what was in style, rather he stuck to his vision. Perhaps this is why he released a collection middleast inspired collection entitled "Meeteast" in February 2001 which eventually lost him his financial backing with the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11.

Since then Adrover went on to design several more collections under his name. His follow up collection was probably his biggest and best. I actually had the luck to be in the row (I was a volunteer for Fashion Week that year) next to rapper Q-Tip from the Tribe Called Quest. There was a buzz about him and many celebs came out. His next 2 collections also received critical acclaim but as a struggling Artist without proper funding for his work they would be his last for the Miguel Adrover line. Eventually, he ran out of steam and eventually moved out NYC to Majorca begin restructuring his studio 2004.

In 2008 Adrover made his return to design with a partnership with German organic textile company Hess-natur. The new collection was not a run way show but more of an art installation entitled "Hidden in Nature". You can find more about this project as well as videos and photos of his previous collections at his official website

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