Carmen de la Puerta, the Andalusian behind Vogana, the guest dress brand that Queen Letizia has gone viral: "I reinvent many Lady Di patterns"

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Study Law, which has many opportunities," her mother was tired of recommending. But

became stubborn and in the end she got away with it. As much as she scared her parents, the girl knew that the only career she She wanted was the one that would allow her to earn a living in the world of

, one that was engraved in her DNA because she lived it from a very young age, in the multi-brand

that her mother, who insisted that she change

, had open to the public. public for

. There I spent my afternoons, learning while I did my homework what it is like to serve clients or sew a hem. "I was always surrounded by clothes, watching how a

, accompanying my mother to see samples... I never had a plan B, it was clear to me.

And it was the best

I ever made," she assures us.

It was not easy.

She trained in

and in

creative

, something that she is passionate about, and "after many turns" and working in different fashion brands, he decided to take the plunge.

"With great

, because undertaking is hard

", and risking all his

From him.

The beginnings were hard, "making yourself known is difficult", but

arrived to change everything.

She and

had already worn some of the

garments , Carmen de Puerta's firm, but the designer had to mark another day on her particular calendar: October

last year, when Doña Letizia presided over the parade. Hispanic Day soldier wearing one of her

, a design from the 2021 spring-summer collection that the monarch had long had in her dressing room.

A piece that went

and that marked a before and after for its creator, who was already one of those chosen by influencers, VIPs from

, the world of

and even

.

Among others,

, the designer

, the actress

,

the model

"In the end I have a stable company and my little hole in the world of fashion," Carmen explains modestly. .

But her gap is no longer small and today her brand, whose first capsule collection came to light in 2018, has become a benchmark in terms

for the best-dressed women.

Why did you choose Vogana as the name for your brand? I would love to tell you an incredible story, but there is not much behind it either.

I wanted to name it Jackal, which was the name of my mother's store and it's special to me, I went there every afternoon and that's what I've experienced, but it was already registered.

So I was looking for names that would remind me of fashion and one day, talking to a friend about how scared I was to undertake, because I was risking everything, he told me: "Carmen, with will and desire nothing can go wrong."

And from there, of will and desire, came the name: vo-gana.

It sounded fashionable to me and I saw it clearly.

'This is mine', I thought. Do you remember the first garment you designed that made you happy? Yes.

The first one that was really successful was the 'Vogana Jacket', a piece that I designed from my grandmother's blouse.

I was inspired by that pattern by changing something and what is today the iconic piece of the brand came out, the one for which we are most recognized. Your brand is also perfectly recognizable for its vintage cut and Andalusian style.

What is the secret to achieving an avant-garde garment based on these two concepts? It is true that I am passionate about the patterns of the 40s and 50s, the marked waists, the volumes on the shoulders, the midi lengths... And also the suit jacket, which began in the 1930s and settled in the decades that followed.

I modernize them with bright colors and my own prints that our team always designs.

The patterns are those, but in the end I show my leg... my roots are from Seville and I always try to give that cheerful touch, with volume.

I use polka dots and ruffles a lot. If you had to pick one,

What garment would you point out to define your brand? A firm is always recognized by a characteristic, and ours is in the 'Vogana Jacket'.

It is a jacket that appears in all our collections, we change something, a button, a lapel..., but it is always there, with the same pattern, because it defines us.

It is our essence. And what are the keys that you always keep in mind when designing? I try to make comfortable garments that can be used over and over again.

I have many pieces in my closet that belong to my grandmother and my mother, and I would love that the ones I make also pass from generation to generation.

Fashion is always cyclical, everything comes back, and my clothes are good, made in Spain, they last a lifetime and are functional.

It is a jacket that appears in all our collections, we change something, a button, a lapel..., but it is always there, with the same pattern, because it defines us.

It is our essence. And what are the keys that you always keep in mind when designing? I try to make comfortable garments that can be used over and over again.

I have many pieces in my closet that belong to my grandmother and my mother, and I would love that the ones I make also pass from generation to generation.

Fashion is always cyclical, everything comes back, and my clothes are good, made in Spain, they last a lifetime and are functional.

It is a jacket that appears in all our collections, we change something, a button, a lapel..., but it is always there, with the same pattern, because it defines us.

It is our essence. And what are the keys that you always keep in mind when designing? I try to make comfortable garments that can be used over and over again.

I have many pieces in my closet that belong to my grandmother and my mother, and I would love that the ones I make also pass from generation to generation.

Fashion is always cyclical, everything comes back, and my clothes are good, made in Spain, they last a lifetime and are functional.

And what are the keys that you always keep in mind when designing? I try to make comfortable garments that can be used over and over again.

I have many pieces in my closet that belong to my grandmother and my mother, and I would love that the ones I make also pass from generation to generation.

Fashion is always cyclical, everything comes back, and my clothes are good, made in Spain, they last a lifetime and are functional.

And what are the keys that you always keep in mind when designing? I try to make comfortable garments that can be used over and over again.

I have many pieces in my closet that belong to my grandmother and my mother, and I would love that the ones I make also pass from generation to generation.

Fashion is always cyclical, everything comes back, and my clothes are good, made in Spain, they last a lifetime and are functional.

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Behind the back of this 30-year-old Andalusian born in

who always speaks of her brand in the plural -not to forget her

, present throughout the interview- and who lives between

, where the company is based, and

, effort and a very marked

rhythm of life

.

"I spend the whole day in the office, morning and afternoon, designing, seeing suppliers, managing..., when you finish one collection you're already with the other... It's non-stop because I also travel a lot to Madrid, at least once a week, for events, presentations, private sales..."

When looking for inspiration, which women are your references? Many.

Currently Diane Kruger, an actress that I love and has an innate style.

I am also passionate about Teresa Helbig, although here we are talking more about admiration than inspiration, because my style has nothing to do with hers.

She is a crack and an indisputable benchmark in Spanish fashion.

And also the great designers: Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga, which is an inexhaustible source of inspiration, her shoulders, her blazers... I love it.

But one of my fashion icons is Lady Di, a woman who had a touch of cheesy but left endless looks for eternity.

There are many patterns of her that I have reinvented.

And who are the most stylish guests at the moment? I would tell you two.

I love how you saw Sassa de Osma.

And also Eugenia Silva, who is always impeccable.

Is making your garments completely in Spain a blessing or the opposite? Manufacturing in Spain is a point in favor, especially now that it is so difficult to do so, because workshops are lacking.

It implies more costs, but also quality and added value.

But it makes the product more expensive and generates a significant level of complication, because the seamstress trade has been totally lost.

Made in Spain has a constant struggle to find the balance between the best product and the best price. How has everything changed since Queen Letizia wore your dress on October 12? I would be lying if I didn't tell you it was a boom.

She had already dressed in my clothes on another occasion, and Princess Leonor too, but October 12 is something else.

It meant a lot.

She wore an old dress that she no longer had in her collection,

and that we are not going to do it again despite the fact that it has been in great demand.

That also means that our clothes, no matter how many years pass, are in style, no matter when you wear them.

I don't want to talk too much, because I like to be as discreet as possible.

But, regardless of the look the Queen wore, what I do want to highlight is how important institutional support is for a small brand.

That of Queen Letizia is fundamental.

And also that of the Goya actresses.

It is the best way to vindicate Spanish fashion. No one better than an expert to give us the clue about the guest dress that we should look for this season if we want to hit the nail on the head... It is a rather complicated question, because there are girls who look better with pants, others with a two-piece, with a dress...

To go well dressed you have to be comfortable and not feel disguised.

That you can move without paying attention to what you're wearing is the key to elegance. But there will be something in trend... This winter, purple, burgundy tones..., although we are seeing more and more fresh and powerful colors in this time of year.

As for patterns, layers, which are very popular, and everything that has them: dresses, blouses... overlappings are triumphant.

Fluorine and vibrant colors will arrive in spring.

If I opened your closet, what would I find? Super basic clothes, the ones I wear on a daily basis.

You would find a lot of turtleneck sweaters, pleated pants and quite a few Vogana blazers and jackets. What is the oldest item of clothing you keep in it? A black blouse from my grandmother with white polka dots, which I wear a lot.

She is very basic and very southern, and I am enormously fond of her, because she was always a reference for me.

For everything, not only when designing.

And do you also keep something from Zara? Yes, I can't resist the fashion giant either.

Although it is true that over the years I have learned to buy much less, but of better quality.

It was something my mother used to tell me when I was little and that she hated, but now it has become completely true.

I buy two sweaters, but cashmere;

and two jackets, but good.

Give us three keys to find a dress that suits us well. First, feel yourself.

The other two, being very comfortable and not wanting to attract too much attention.

I can't resist the fashion giant either.

Although it is true that over the years I have learned to buy much less, but of better quality.

It was something my mother used to tell me when I was little and that she hated, but now it has become completely true.

I buy two sweaters, but cashmere;

and two jackets, but good.

Give us three keys to find a dress that suits us well. First, feel yourself.

The other two, being very comfortable and not wanting to attract too much attention.

I can't resist the fashion giant either.

Although it is true that over the years I have learned to buy much less, but of better quality.

It was something my mother used to tell me when I was little and that she hated, but now it has become completely true.

I buy two sweaters, but cashmere;

and two jackets, but good.

Give us three keys to find a dress that suits us well. First, feel yourself.

The other two, being very comfortable and not wanting to attract too much attention.

Give us three keys to find a dress that suits us well. First, feel yourself.

The other two, being very comfortable and not wanting to attract too much attention.

Give us three keys to find a dress that suits us well. First, feel yourself.

The other two, being very comfortable and not wanting to attract too much attention.

In the era of

and social

, Carmen de la Puerta is about to open a

street

, next to Serrano, in the

A milestone, and a dream, in which she has been working for a long time.

"You don't know how

I am, I hope God helps me", she confesses to us sincerely.

But like in the beginning, when her mother urged her to study Law, her

and her

prevail over her.

"Although online sales are becoming more and more powerful and are almost eating up physics, there comes a time when you need a

point where you can meet and

physically with your client, so that they

and

the garments.

Especially when you have pieces made in

, sewn in a good workshop;

It's important to see it."

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