“Song to the siren” by This Mortal Coil, 1984.

This collection is a love letter to my beautiful hometown, Tapia de Casariego, in Asturias, Northern Spain.

My town has always been an inspiration in my work, but this season, I want to pay homage to it more than ever, to show its endangered beauty to the world.

Greed is dangerous, and on this occasion, it takes the form of a gold mining business putting at risk my beloved hometown, its nature, my people, and a way of life that is intrinsically connected to nature.

Tapia’s beautiful sea, landscapes, and mythology as well as the work of surreal artists such as Man Ray and René Magritte were essential to devising a colourful, ethereal, and romantic wardrobe for all, starring iterations of our signature styles. The Pedro silk shirt is now floor-sweeping dress and we adorned our Querelle tops and Gades high-waisted trousers with cascading overskirts.

Light draped siren tops and dresses are poetic additions to our sartorial ideals. Always asking myself ‘what would Madame Grès do?’ along the way, the styles are also inspired by Xanas, water fairies thriving in fountains, waterfalls and at the mouth of rivers, and protecting gold.

A fantasy exalting the nature of my town and our mythological creatures who would wake up and fight against the greed of gold and the avarice of men. Imagine one of those fairies or mermairds swimming in an electric blue trompe l’œil gown with a see-through torso and long, effusive skirt.

The white feather ensemble conjures up the Home Marín (men of the sea) and Espumeru, creatures hiding in littoral caves, as well as waves crashing against a cliff. It materialises that unique feeling of diving in the ocean and being surrounded by foam.

The black Man Ray Mermaid ensemble is a response to the artist’s “Venus torso” from 1936. Its embroidered rhinestone chains twist in a glamorous and ostentatious way reminiscent of water dripping around the body.

René Magritte’s “The victory” from 1939 also inspired the spirit of the collection. It tells the story of escapism, of opening the door and simply reconnecting with nature. It made me think about whenever I return to my hometown and how much I want it to be protected.

Thank you for your support, Arturo

All images courtesy of Arturo Obegero

PR Agency Ritual Project Paris