The Spanish entrepreneur and designer Purificación García has conquered the world with a very particular vision. She does not believe in the perfect marketing-produced model, with whom no woman can identify. She is committed to the real woman—with her contradictions, changes of opinion and weaknesses. “I try to enhance their ambiguity and mystery. Women who are facing their day with courage and humor, always looking for new goals inspire me,” says García. “I can envision a woman who sometimes wants to relax, and at times wants to seduce. I want to help women not to see their wardrobe as an enemy.”
Purificación García in her studio.
Purificación García was born in Castrelo do Val, in Orense, Spain. “Since childhood, I had a taste and a talent for color and fabrics. I always loved everything that had to do with creative disciplines and, above all, with color,” recalls the designer. When she was just 21 years old, she went to Canada and became acquainted with the world of furs. Then in 1978, after a brief New York stint, she decided to return to Spain, specifically to Barcelona, where she established her permanent residence.
In 1981, García launched her first full fashion collection and by 1983 she was already well known in Spain, presenting a fashion show every season in Barcelona and Madrid. Six years later, her creations were introduced on the catwalks in Milan, where they received praise from Italian designers. “I think the secret of success for most projects is tenacity and the desire to face new challenges,” declares the talented artist.
Purificación García has had the privilege of dressing personalities of the worlds of arts and culture such as Geraldine Chaplin, Maribel Verdú, Alberto Amman, Elena Anaya, Ana Belén and Alondra de la Parra, among others. In 1998, she signed an agreement with the Lonia Textile Company to design, manufacture and distribute two prêt-a-porter lines— for men and women— complete with accessories.
According to the successful designer and entrepreneur, the current man is condemned to dressing according to a strict protocol that she has tried to make more flexible by customizing the details. “Today’s man must be restless and curious, he must look for comfort without ignoring the trends; he must be a man who enjoys every moment, “says García. “Since I do not like costumes because I find them ephemeral, anachronistic and impractical, I have respected the traditional basis of men’s wardrobe, adding a little twist, a second reading.”
Garcia has opened 80 stores worldwide. The first was in Belgium in Antwerp; another of her boutiques is in Tokyo, besides to the ones she has in Barcelona and Madrid. Her clothing and accessories are available in more than 300 outlets in Spain, Portugal, Poland, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Paraguay, Panama and the United States. “The stores are designed to highlight the garments; they are strict enclosures, without excessive attributes. People call them minimalist, but I would say they are essentialist, they have a contemporary design,” says García, about the concept behind the design of her stores.
Accessories are crucial elements in our wardrobe, both for women and men, says the designer. She believes that “a touch of light, a detail that makes a look,” make the difference between bland and spectacular. That attention to detail has been instrumental in her collections and is present in the broad range of options that make up her creations.
It would seem that–for Purificación García–there are no limits or boundaries. In 2001, she published her book Having Style, issued by the Editorial Temas de Hoy. And in 2003, she created the Photography Award Purificación García, which after nine editions has become one of the most prestigious events of its kind in Spain. In 2011, her perseverance and work in the world of fashion earned her the Silver Medal for Merit in Work, awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Labor and Immigration.
“We are currently focused on developing the brand to make it available in new markets. It’s a challenge to adapt our collection to the demands of different markets and the changing times in the world of fashion. It is a project in itself,” García explains. “My plan for the future is to keep learning and bringing new ideas to my collections.”
Purificación García understands fashion is a universal language that must be adjusted to everyday needs. “Each person must adapt to it, live it without submitting to its dictates,” says this enterprising woman who, between her design work and business, leaves a very crucial space for her family. “I enjoy family time, above all, the moments I spend with my children,” says Purificación, while revealing what makes her happiest: “I like traveling, spending time with my kids and going for an early walk with my dog Gus.” ■
