Early in the day the marching band tuned up near the African Market, inflatable castles were pumped into life and free parking ensured that all roads led to the capital city. Of the 120 shops joining in, 64 took the chance to invade the streets and expand onto makeshift stalls, 15 artists took pitches around Teatro Guimera, and 32 restaurants drew up special offer menus for the day. Last year 70,000 people flocked to the event and the Sociedad Desarrollo (development society) were taking no chances this year installing temporary toilets around the main venues. Police and Unipol officers kept a high visibility but I even saw some of them smiling and laughing.

Plaza del Principe was the magnet for toddlers, they had more bouncy castles than you could shake a stick at (not a sharp one of course) and even a live puppet show. There has to be music in all things in Tenerife and they did us proud with 14 groups gracing the large stage in Plaza del Candelaria just up from the port. The quirky Tizas En Las Botas went down well, Amatista with their very young and very good singers wowed the parents, Ledesma hit the rap target but Beat Tripper stole the show with their Beatles tribute. Not only were they visually and vocally like the originals, their costume quick change took the band through three stages of the Fab Four’s career. Most of all they were great fun and got the crowd rolling back the years, a passing local drunk dancer was just rolling, and during the encores two of the band ventured out among the shoppers to get them dancing.

The marching band had a tiring day patrolling the edges of the shopping areas hammering out a rhythm to drive shoppers from one section of stalls to another but it worked and even those in the smaller back streets heard their rusty tills ping into action. Cafes and bars were heaving, well it’s thirsty and hungry work shopping. The stretch by Plaza del Principe was the most densely packed with stalls and at times it was almost like a Carnaval afternoon with so many people flowing slowly. There are already plans to do similar events in some of the outskirts of Santa Cruz to give them a well needed pick up. These are testing times for the retail trade but at least it’s forcing the business community to come up with some new ideas.

Going for an Italian after work took on a new meaning for the diners of La Noria as the refined Santa Cruz quarter welcomed a stylish parade of male and female models for the 2012 Peroni calendar shoot. Heads turned and dinner partners could be forgiven for their distraction as the red carpet sizzled. It’s a good job the cold bottles of Peroni were on hand to cool down the admiring locals.

The scene was perfectly set, from the classic Vespa scooters at the top end of La Noria to the orchestra of mixed mandolins and timples in the shadow of the tower of the Iglesia de la Concepción. As the flashing cameras weren’t visible to the audience, the mainly older crowd were a little bemused to hear a continuous rendition of O Sole Mio, the stage being next door to the JC Murphy pub probably didn’t help the cultural confusion.

I was lucky enough to get an inside view of Peroni’s first photographic venture onto Tenerife soil for the 2011 calendar. That was closed to the public so I wondered how the bustling setting of La Noria would affect the artistic muse of the models and returning photographer Alfonso Bravo. The audience eating outside the bars were already onside after being made an offer they couldn’t refuse, a tasty aperitif and a bottle of Peroni for just 3 euros. The Italian beer’s promotion girls and the paparazzi (above) made a big impact too and allowed a little privacy for the first shoot in the unlikely setting of a dark alley.

Nestor Guijarro and Sonia Hernandez made a striking couple, with hands clasped and attentive glances they were the essence of an evening that neither wanted to end. Pull back a few paces and the bright spotlights and perfection-seeking crew make those relaxed poses all the more impressive. With the shots in the bag the party returned to the red carpet and strode with the other models up to the bridge for the next take. As the night wore on many of the late night crowd swept down the stone stairs from the main street above and found themselves greeted by a well heeled group of friends emerging from the archway sharing a few bottles of their favourite beer.

Of the main cast Nestor is from Gran Canaria and Sonia, Sarah Ainhoa, and Adriana Reveron are from Tenerife. Adriana, a former Miss Tenerife, is from Los Cristianos so I felt a little local pride but they were all impressive. Peroni bottles were welcome props in most of the photo poses and around the tables they were going down as fast as the Italian economy. It was time now for some more relaxed and impromptu poses, the Vespa’s and a neat little Fiat added a nice classic edge to compliment the elegant beauty of the models. La Noria was relaxed and vibrant and set to continue well into the early hours as always but for Alfonso Bravo there would be a lot more fine tuning before the photos were ready to take their place in the 500 limited editions of the 2012 calendar.

According to the Canary Islands Weddings and Events Business Sector Association and the Federation of Independent Consumers, it’s good news, bad news for the Canary Islands wedding industry. On the one hand, couples in the Canaries are spending on average 8,000 euros less on their weddings than they did six years ago, on the other hand it costs considerably less to get married in the Canaries than it does elsewhere in Spain, making the islands attractive for those planning to get hitched. A couple getting married in the Canaries can expect to shell out between 10,000 and 25,000 euros – an average of 16,000 euros. In Valencia and Cataluña tying the knot will set you back an average of 16,000 euros and in Madrid married life begins with a whopping great bill of an average 19,200 euros.

None of which will matter a jot to the couples planning their spring wedding who were amongst the visitors arriving in their droves at the Feboda Wedding Fair which was held in Santa Cruz’ Recinto Ferial over the weekend of 26th and 27th March and which attracted more than 8000 visitors – a 69% increase on last year’s numbers passing through the doors of the wedding and beauty spectacular.

Those attending were rewarded with 36 shows involving 15,000 people and showcasing some of Tenerife’s hottest young designers and fashion houses under the Tenerife Moda collective.

Bringing highlights to the event this year was the participation of London hair stylist Patrick Cameron who specialises in modelling long hair. With his usual flair for flamboyance on the runway, Patrick and the team from Asociación Provincial de Peluqerías de Tenerife (ASPELZA) created fantastical styles inspired by history from prehistoric furs that Rachel Welch would have been proud to strut around Teide National Park in, and the sort of style that Marie Antoinette lost her head over, to fluffy fifties pin up girls. Adding considerably more to the models’ height, there was enough big hair on show to make Ab Fab‘s Patsy weep.

The weekend event saw the very latest designs from Tenerife couturiers, beginning with children’s fashion including the latest collections from Oh Soleil! Bibabu and Pi, 3, 14. Moving onto women’s fashion, there were shows from Morena Mía, Lasanfi, By Lu and Lucía de Su. Saturday afternoon saw sports and leisure wear taking to the runway with shows from Vi and Pi, 3, 14.

When it came time to ask the bridal wear to grace the catwalk, it was Juan Carlos Armas who opened the proceedings, followed by M&M and amidst the diaphanous gauze and silk, Tenerife designers once again wowed audiences.

Brides may well be spending less on their wedding couture, but they’re not letting standards of design drop – not on Tenerife.

At the beginning of last year a dress caught my eye in a shop window in Puerto de la Cruz, a window I had passed a dozen times a week but which was usually so uninspired as to be invisible to me.
There was no mistaking it – the style, the cut, the colours – it was the designer label I had seen in Santa Cruz all those years ago. I looked at the label and committed it to memory.
It said Desigual.

Be yourself
Innovation, creativity and daring are the cornerstones of Desigual’s design philosophy.

They challenge the world of anonymity and homogeneity, creating clothes that project an image of self confidence and optimism for people who aren’t afraid to stand out from the crowd.
What’s equally important for me is that their clothes, although predominantly directed towards a younger market, are stylish and individual without being ‘out there’ which means they’re accessible to all ages and sizes.
Beautiful tailoring ensures a flattering look in dresses, skirts and jackets which is another big plus point in my book. You don’t have to be a Kate Moss to wear them, although I’m pretty sure Kate would look sensational in them.

Originally known for its patchwork designs, Desigual collections include softer and more sophisticated uses of colour in sensual, easy to wear fabrics of silk, organza, cotton and linen. Everything is finished with hand stitching, highlights and beading and Desigual’s signature graffiti.

High profile
Founded in Barcelona in 1985 by Swiss business man Thomas Meyer, the company has seen phenomenal growth through the last decade and their stores are now a recognised worldwide brand.
In August last year Desigual hit the retail fashion headlines when they fought off rivals O2 and Mango to secure the former Disney store on London’s Oxford Street for a staggering £710 per sq ft, creating a new record for Zone A rents on the street and sending shock waves through existing tenants who feared commensurate hikes in their rent.

At their latest New York store opening they took a non-descript building in Herald Square, downtown Manhattan and commissioned Colossal Media to create a vibrant, colourful canvas on the building’s façade. The block is now a Manhattan landmark and loudly proclaims the optimism that the company promotes.

Dream opportunity – nightmare scenario
I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s ever had that nightmare where you’re standing at the bus stop wearing just a vest which is too short to cover your bare essentials.

Well last summer in Barcelona, San Sebastian, Marbella, Madrid and New York that nightmare turned into reality for anyone brave enough to rise to the Desigual challenge of “come in your underwear and leave in Desigual”.
The company invited customers at their stores to arrive in just their underwear and the first 100 would be clothed for free in whatever garments they chose. Everyone else in line in just their underwear got a 50% discount.
I’m guessing the phrase “would you like that wrapped” wasn’t much in evidence that day.

Adding a little je ne sais Lecroix
With the unveiling of the new Autumn-Winter 2011-2012 Dream collection, Desigual has taken a bold new step and is teaming up with Christian Lacroix to design 30 garments.

Monsieur Lacroix said about Desigual: “I was awestruck by the first girl dressed by desigual that I saw in Paris. As I watched her, I could recognise in her a member of my own tribe. It was an explosion of colors and patchwork under the elegant, discreet and always monotonous French sky. It was fantastic, truly love at first sight, a breath of fresh air, all multicoloured, scorching, revitalizing, radiating Mediterranean colours and flavours and creeping into this global and colourless magma inhabited by zombies and clones.”

Whilst I suspect I may well fall into the category of “zombie and clone” in Monsieur Lacroix’s rather excited description, redemption is on the horizon. On a short trip to Santa Cruz de La Palma last week I bought a Desigual dress.
This is haute couture at prices even a writer can aspire to, but I got my dress half price in the sale. There’s still a hint of a grin on my lips even as I type.

Stores
There are 235 Desigual outlets across the UK – check their website to find your nearest.
On Tenerife there are outlets in La Camella, Chio, Icod de Los Vinos, La Laguna, La Orotava, Los Cristianos, Puerto de la Cruz and Santa Cruz. Addresses and locations are shown on the website.

Online
Desigual have now launched their online store so you’ve no excuse for not grabbing a bit of this positive outlook without leaving the comfort of your keyboard and what’s more, there are sales on at the moment.

A biochemist by day and an international fashion designer by night, as the premise for a Hollywood movie it sounds a bit far fetched but for Margot Ines Ferreira Rosales (above with model) it’s a way of life. The 34 year old Uruguayan beat 156 rivals from 17 countries to become Young International Designer of Atlantic Fashion at the Magma Arts and Congress Centre in Tenerife last night.
The bright and beautiful people of film and fashion were drawn like moths to a radiant flame to see the final 11 designers battle it out on the catwalk in Costa Adeje. It was red carpet stuff as Spanish movie star Rossy de Palma and Malaga design guru David Delfin mingled with other top movers and shakers from the clothes industry. I had a wash for the occasion and even squeezed into some proper trousers but those with natural style and confidence were able to carry off anything. David Delfin looked like he had just come off the football terrace and even Adeje mayor Fraga pitched up in jeans.

The finer points of fashion may be lost on me but the leggy hostess girls, poured into tight black numbers, certainly caught my eye. After plenty of posing and air kissing we filed into the main hall which was split with seating on either side of a fluorescent white catwalk. The lights dimmed and the throbbing music kicked in as multi coloured spotlights picked out the models’ entrance between two large video screens. The presentation was excellent, no compere analysing and interrupting the flow, just 4 models for each designer strutting their stuff after the basic details of the designers were flashed on the big screens.

The costumes ranged from the bright vibrant yellows and blues of the opening PHI collection from Lanzarote’s Zuka Farias Gola to the wilder barrier breaking Mexican style explosions of Karla Gabriela Guevera Ponce. The child like joy of pony tails, ribbons and bows from Argentina’s Cintia Vanesa Sosa and Maria Fernanda Arnaldi was a favourite of mine, helped by the skipping enthusiasm of the models. Serge Bakalyna of Russia made quite an impact too with his Breath Taker collection. The female models had a brief rest as Andre Brasil Paiva presented his The Other Side with serious broody men in bold cut away suits.

There could be only one winner and Margot got the nod with her Los Velos de la  Memoria (Veils of the Memory) , featuring hats and veils set at a jaunty angle to set off stylish and daring dresses (see 2 pics above). It was a tense reverse roll call as the big moment approached but team Margot exploded with joy as their names were announced. A cheque for 4,000 euros was presented, a small token that will be dwarfed by the kudos, acclaim and of course work that comes as a result of this honour. Margot will have plenty to enthuse about over the beakers and Bunsen burners when she gets back to her Montevideo laboratory,
Check out more photos at this Flickr set.

Pisaverde

(When you have destroyed the last tree.
When you have eaten the last fish.
Then you will realise that you can’t eat money)

I first stumbled across Pisaverde at the Pinolere craft fair in 2007 when they were exhibiting a small but highly visible range of shoes and handbags. The colours were so vibrant and intense, the designs so different from the homogeneous offerings of high street shops that they quite literally stopped me in my tracks.

I came within a whisker of buying a pair of boots that would have Portuenses checking their calendars lest Carnaval had arrived unexpectedly. The only reason I didn’t buy them was because it would have cost me a whole lot more than the €30 price tag to acquire an entire new wardrobe to go with them.

At the end of the 1990s in La laguna, Laura Quintero Rodríguez, a licensed marine biologist and Plácido Alonso Ponce, a lifelong leather worker whose family have been shoe makers for generations, recognised that the influx of mass produced goods was killing originality, obliterating personality, destroying the planet and eradicating generations of traditional crafts.

Laura and Plácido undertook to try to save their craft by reinventing it – easy to say, not so easy to do. They began to think about how they could bring their craft into the 21st century and ensure its future sustainability through concept, design, marketing and green production. And so Pisaverde was born.

The first shoes and bags were produced in 1999 and Pisaverde took them to local crafts fairs to see what reaction they would get. Then the magic began. People loved their simple yet striking designs and the philosophy behind their products.
Using recycled materials, imagination, design, a unique marketing approach and their honed skills they manufactured and launched a range of products, every one of which was unique.

As sales grew, Pisaverde opened its first workshop in La Victoria and began to reinvent their trade. Looking for new ways to work the materials and new designs, they began to metamorphose their ancestral craft into a contemporary art without losing the traditional skills.

Their reputation spread and in 2005 they launched their first web page which began to attract international attention. Now confident in their craft and expanding their product range, in 2007 they opened their first shop in La Laguna. Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Madrid followed swiftly.

When Pisaverde began, they had three objectives:

1. Reinvent our craft
2. Apply modern design
3. Innovate

Today Pisaverde can simply say “mission accomplished”.

Now a collective, Pisaverde is more than just a product and a label, it’s a whole philosophy and a belief in a sustainable way of life.  They’ve transformed the concept of handmade footwear into handmade fashion and now design shoes to individual specification so you know your feet are dressed in one of a kind, foot couture.

You owe it to the environment to support Pisaverde…and saving the planet has never looked so good.

Style Counsel
I bitterly regret not buying those boots back in 2007 and this year I went back to Pinolere in the vehement hopes that they would be there, alas they were not. They’ve moved on to bigger and better things. But you can find them and their products at:

• Pisa verde – Calle Nuñez de la Peña nº 37, La Laguna; tel:  922 31 41 28
• Pisa verde – Calle Cano, nº 22; Las Palmas, Gran Canaria; tel: 928 37 12 59
• Folelè - Plaza de Haria, Haria, Lanzarote
• On Girls – Calle Atocha, nº 114, Madrid
• Con Los Pies En Las Nubes – Calle Magallanes nº24, bajo, Santander
• Blanca – Calle Tablao Nº 68, La Alberca, Salamanca

Charleston Charm

The heat’s rising on Tenerife’s beaches and the sales are in full swing; it’s the perfect time to bag a bargain summer outfit and dress it up with some of Bijou Brigitte’s eye-catching new jewellery collection.

Ooh-La-La!

If you haven’t already discovered Bijou Brigitte, you’re in for a treat. With branches all over Tenerife, this little treasure trove of trinkets is packed with enticing earrings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, brooches, hair bands and more – all colour co-ordinated to make it easy to find exactly the shade you’re looking for.
It’s a great little shop in which to buy gifts for the jewellery lovers in your life too with prices ranging from piggy-bank friendly to lavish gesture. It’s always an early stop for me on the Christmas shopping trip.

The new Autumn/Winter 2010/2011 collection evokes memories of foreign travel and secret romance in vintage retro mode. Think Casablanca and Brief Encounter – cassis, champagne and smoky crystal shades in 1920′s style.
Paris provides the inspiration for the new season’s fun accessories in bright, primary colours; an Eiffel Tower pendant, charm watches, pretty polka-dot bows and hooped earrings.

The Jet Set

Or fast forward to the 21st Century and team up satin and chiffon with polished jet and rhinestone chandelier earrings and lace gloves to show off the summer tan on El Faro’s rooftop bar.

This is fashion jewellery at its best for me – great value for money; a huge selection of styles and colour co-ordinated displays so you simply find the shade you want and settle in to enjoy the spoilt-for-choice experience.

Sex and the City 2 went on general release last week and Carrie Bradshaw will no doubt once again be showcasing Lanzarote born designer Manolo Blahnik’s fabulous shoes. But had she waited another season before marrying Mr Big, she would surely have dumped the Vivienne Westwood bridal gown and opted instead for an M&M creation.

Marcos Marrero and Maria Díaz – Tenerife’s version of Elizabeth and David Emanuel – go by the trade name of M&M and this month have been sending their elegant bridal wear down the catwalks of Spain and unsurprisingly, wowing their audiences. Delicate lace and dreamy satins in soft ivory and cream tones bring back the femininity of the 30s, while hair and make-up lend a soft focus to give the whole ensemble an ethereal, Wuthering Heights romanticism. Plumes and jewels add Hollywood glamour to daring cuts ensuring that all eyes are firmly fixed exactly where they should be – on the bride.

On an island which is so dominated by the tourism sector, it’s easy to lose sight of some of Tenerife’s other talents. But when you see the incredible costumes worn by Carnaval Queens every year, there can be no denying the level of creative design and manufacturing talent that exists on this island, which is why Tenerife Moda is such an important development.
M&M are just one of 33 businesses that make up the collective ‘Tenerife Moda’, an industry-wide initiative set up under the auspices of the Tenerife Cabildo in 1997 which incorporates textiles, fashion design, beauty and garment manufacture – a sector which, in 2009 generated in excess of 13 million euros for the Tenerife economy.

Tenerife Moda aims to support, promote and find new markets for the sector through industry-wide collaboration. Products range from accessories to swimwear and include businesses from beauticians to textile manufacturers. Unsurprisingly, costume design is an important element in the mix, spotlighting the unique talent that has been honed over generations of staging one of the world’s most important carnivals.

Through attendance at international fashion shows and buyers’ markets; workshops looking at the future of the fashion industry and trade missions to find and exploit new markets; Tenerife Moda is fashioning its own future and if M&M are anything to go by, it won’t be long before the name Manolo Blahnik won’t be the only Canarian brand on Carrie Bradshaw’s perfectly painted lips.

With 519 stores dotted around the country, you’re never far from a Zara in Spain… or in the UK, or France, or even India in future as Zara stores are scheduled to open in New Delhi and Mumbai in 2010. In fact there are over 1500 Zara stores in 73 countries worldwide; they’ve come an awfully long way since Amancio Ortega opened the first shop in his home town of A Coruña, Galicia in 1975.

Zara’s Autumn/Winter 09/10 collection has seen a return to the big shoulders and tiny waists of the 80s for women. Fitted trouser suits worn over soft silk blouses in nude and muted earth tones give power style a soft edge. Long tunic tops in creamy soft cotton worn under leather bomber jackets with skinny trousers or minis and thigh-length boots create Dick Whittington meets Angelina Jolie sex appeal.
Men are getting in on the act with leather bomber jackets and knitted American Jock-style cardigans paired with sharp cut, military style double-breasted jackets. Trousers are baggy with cuffed bottoms worn inside ankle boots. It’s all very communist worker and will have you reaching for the vodka and your well-thumbed Tolstoy.

Of course, with a design-to-shop turnaround of just two weeks compared to the industry standard of six months, it could all have changed by the time you’ve read this and made your way to your nearest store.
Still, the sales are just around the corner and Zara always has huge discounts on everything. Happy bargain hunting!

Oysho is one of those shops you need to keep a regular eye on as they change their stock so frequently that you just might miss something.

Recently moving more into the teens market as well as women’s wear, Oysho specialises in underwear and what they term ‘home wear’ which is a mix of pyjamas and soft, comfy things for wearing about the house.
To be honest, some of my nicest tops have come from Oysho’s home wear collection but I wear them to go out in. Of course, now I’ve told everyone that, I’ll probably get sniggered at in the street.

If you’ve got presents for teenage girls on your Christmas shopping list, Oysho’s a great place to find girlie pyjamas and underwear in pretty pink florals or Mickey Mouse motifs which the early teens love.

For us rather more grown up women, this autumn’s underwear is 1920s style. Designed to emulate a period in history when intellectual women were experiencing social emancipation, you could call it the Bloomsbury bloomers collection. But they don’t, they just call it the Twenties Collection.

Knickers are French style in polka dots and bows with matching balconette bras in ruched velvet and soft cottons. Beautiful black satin corsettes and silk pyjamas will have you reaching for the cigarette holder while humming Rhapsody in Blue and wafting a marabou fan.

Oysho stores can be found in major commercial centres in Santa Cruz, La Orotava and the south of Tenerife.