RAFAEL LOPEZ WAS BORN IN ÁGUILAS, A SMALL TOWN ON THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA IN ANDALUSIA, IN THE SOUTH OF SPAIN. IT IS AN AREA PROFOUNDLY ROOTED IN TRADITION, IN THE HISTORY, AND THE ARTISTIC AND ARCHITECTURALHERITAGEOF THE SPANISH CULTURE: FLAMENCO, BULLFIGHTING, RELIGION, THE PAINTING OF GOYA AND VELASQUEZ, FOLKLORE AND TRADITIONAL CLOTHING WITH TAILORS AND DRESSMAKERS SPECIALIZED IN THE PRODUCTION OF MANTILLA´S AND MATADOR COSTUMES.
RAFAEL’S DREAM BEGINS IN HIS MOTHER’S DRESSMAKING SHOP, SPECIALIZED IN THE PRODUCTION OF CLOTHES FOR LOCAL FOLK FESTIVALS. IT IS HIS MOTHER THAT TEACHES HIM NOT ONLY THE ART OF DRESSMAKING, BUT TO EXPAND HIS HORIZONS. SHE FAMILIARIZES HIM WITH THE GREAT DESIGNERS OF THE TIME: YVES SAINT LAURENT, VALENTINO, VERSACE, UNGARO, AND OTHERS, INSPIRING HIM WITH PHOTOS OF THE CLOTHES THAT APPEAR IN MAGAZINES. SHE IS FERVENT ABOUT PAINTING, TOO, AND ONE DAY SHE SHOWS HIM A PAINTING BY VELASQUEZ THAT SHE USED AS INSPIRATION FOR A DRESS FOR HER DAUGHTER. THANKS TO THIS WINDOW OPEN OVER THE WORLD, RAFAEL MAKES HIS FIRST ATTEMPT AT A CAREER IN DESIGN AND IS SURPRISED AS HE TAILORS A DRESS FOR HIS SISTER WITH HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DRAPES…
HE ATTENDS A CATHOLIC SCHOOL FOR EIGHT YEARS WHERE HE STUDIES WITH GREAT INTEREST SPANISH HISTORY AND CULTURE, BUT HE HAS ALREADY DECIDED: HE WANTS TO FOLLOW HIS DREAM OF BECOMING A COUTURIER. OBVIOUSLY, THE PROBLEMS ARE MANY, BEGINNING WITH THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH HE LIVES: A CLOSED SOCIETY FILLED WITH CLOSED MINDS. HIS MOTHER WANTS HIS FUTURE TO BE FREE FROM THE FRUSTRATIONS OF WHICH SHE HAS BEEN VICTIM, TOO, AND THANKS TO HER HELP, HIS DREAM CAN BEGIN…
HE LEAVES SPAIN FOR MILAN, THE CAPITAL OF ITALIAN FASHION!
HE TAKES A MASTER’S DEGREE AT THE MARANGONI INSTITUTE AND OBTAINS THE HIGHEST GRADES IN HIS CLASS.
RAFAEL COLLABORATES AS A DESIGNER WITH IMPORTANT FIRMS IN THE SECTOR, COCCAPANI, RUFFO AND BALLY. THANKS ALSO TO HIS CULTURE AND PROFOUND PASSION FOR PAINTING, ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORY, AND FOR HIS DEEP INTEREST AND RESPECT FOR THE HISTORY OF FASHION (HIS ICONS ARE BALENCIAGA, YVES SAINT LAURENT, DIOR AND VALENTINO), HE COLLABORATES AS FASHION EDITOR WITH PUBLICATIONS OF THE CONDÉ NAST GROUP: VOGUE ITALY AND GQ. THIS EXPERIENCE WILL BE USEFUL IN THE FUTURE, WHEN HE DECIDES TO CREATE THE BRAND THAT WILL CARRY HIS NAME: “RAFAEL LOPEZ”.
RAFAEL DOESN’T STOP THERE, THOUGH. HE WANTS TO GROW, TO STUDY AND TO RESEARCH FOR HIS CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT: HE DOES NOT WANT ONLY TO DESIRE HIS DREAM; IT MUST BE LIVED! SO, HE DECIDES TO GO TO LONDON THAT, AT THE TIME, IS THE FULCRUM OF A GREAT CREATIVE MOVEMENT IN ART AND FASHION. IT IS THE HOME OF MANY OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DESIGNERS OF THE LAST 25 YEARS: VIVIENNE WESTWOOD, JOHN GALLIANO AND ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, HE IS ADMITTED TO THE PRESTIGIOUS CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS SCHOOL OF LONDON!.
HE PRESENTS HIS FIRST “MATADOR” COLLECTION AT THE LONDON FASHION WEEK AND CALLS ATTENTION TO THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS THAT DEFINES HIM AS “ONE OF THE MOST PROMISING YOUNG COUTURIERS”. THE DREAM COMES TRUE!
FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS, HE WINS THE BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL “NEW GENERATION AWARD”. WITH THE AID OF PRIVATE SPANISH BUSINESSES HE ESTABLISHES HIS OWN FASHION HOUSE. HIS CREATIONS ARE SOLD IN 36 SALES POINTS: IN LONDON AT HARRODS AND SELFRIDGES, IN FLORENCE AT LUISA VIA ROMA, IN MILAN AT GIO MORETTI, JUST TO NAME A FEW.
HE CREATES A PERSONAL WARDROBE FOR KYLIE MINOGUE FOR THE ROYAL VARIETY SHOW THAT THE BRITISH ROYAL FAMILY HOLDS EACH YEAR AT CHRISTMAS. HE DESIGNS A WARDROBE FOR THE SINGER FOR THE TELEVISION SHOW TOP OF THE POPS AND FOR HER UNITED STATES TOUR.
RECEIVES THE PRESTIGIOUS “PETER JONES 75TH ANNIVERSARY AWARD” FROM THE BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL.
OPENS A BRANCH IN MILAN. HIS CLOTHING IS SOLD ON A WORLDWIDE LEVEL: ON THE MIDDLE EASTERN MARKET, THE FORMER SOVIET UNION AND NORTH AMERICA.
CELEBRITIES WEARING HIS CREATIONS: MEGAN FOX, RHIANNA, HILARY DUFF.
DESIGNS A PERSONAL WARDROBE FOR EMMA WATSON FOR THE LONDON WORLD PREMIÈRE OF THE LAST HARRY POTTER FILM.
EMMA WATSON WEARS RAFAEL LOPEZ FOR THE LAST HARRY POTTER WORLDWIDE PREMIERE IN LONDON.
THE RAFAEL LOPEZ SPRING/SUMMER 2012 COLLECTION PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMPAIGN IS CAPTURED BY THE ACCLAIMED ITALIAN PHOTOGRAPHER, GIANPAOLO BARBIERI.
«BLUE BLOOD» , AUTUMN/WINTER COLLECTION 2013 HAS BEEN PRESENT IN MILAN & PARIS.
THE MAISON START TO DEVELOP WITH LICENSING PARTNERS WORLDWIDE.
CELEBRATING XV YEARS OF STYLE
«THE MAISON PRESENT THE FIRST MEN’SWEAR COLLECTION DURING MILAN MEN’S FASHION WEEK»
«WOMEN’S & MEN’S COLLECTION WILL BE PRESENT AT THE SAME TIME»
AFTHER 14 YEARS RESEARCHING IN NEW MATERIALS AND A FORMULA TO TRANSFORM OUR BUSINESS, TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE A MORE SUSTAINABLE & ETHICAL LUXURY FASHION,OUR MESSAGE FOR THE FUTURE IS THAT WE CAN DRESS LUXURIOUSLY BUT ALSO «UNIQUENESS,QUALITY,DIVERSITY.INCLUSIVITY AND THE RESPECT FOR NATURE» ARE OUR MAIN KEYS IN OUR PHILOSOPHY FOR THE FUTURE.
