Sèven questions with Arturo Obegero, the young designer creating custom pieces for the likes of Harry Styles, Beyoncé and Adele

Welcome back to the SèveN! This week we spotlight a rising star from Spain, Arturo Obegero, whose Paris based Atelier is gaining international recognition.

Nov 22, 2024

Arturo Obegero, a Central Saint Martins graduate, launched his eponymous label during the pandemic, driven by a desire to share his vision of modernity infused with his Spanish heritage. Inspired by Flamenco’s passion and Balenciaga’s legacy, his designs - described as "brutally romantic" - blend traditional elegance with bold contemporary silhouettes. Arturo’s work challenges gender norms, celebrating individuality and vulnerability. Known for bespoke creations for the likes of Harry Styles and Beyoncé, he continues to captivate with his artistry and ability to fuse tradition with innovation.

Arturo Obegero, CSM graduate, Creative Director and Founder of AO

Arturo, you attended CSM and very quickly started designing for your own namesake brand. Can you tell us about the inception of the brand and why it was important for you to design under your own label ?

One week after graduating, I moved to Paris to start working for Lanvin. It was a great learning experience on how a big brand and the industry work. However, I am ambitious, and I always knew I wanted to tell my own story and to bring my own ideas to life. I decided to launch my eponymous brand during covid, tough time to launch your business, but I couldn't be prouder of what my incredible team and I have accomplished in only 4 years !
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Spanish culture is so prevalent in your designs. An ode to the matador inspired aesthetic, from boleros to ultra high-waisted pants, how do the Spanish codes of elegance play into your brand ethos ?
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I am proud of my Spanish and Asturian roots. I come from a small fishermen village from northern Spain called Tapia de Casariego. It's a stunning place surrounded by the most captivating and poetic nature. My home and my family will always be an inspiration, whether it is on the moodboard or not, it’s what made me who I am today. I'm also an avid fan of Flamenco, it's a dance that shows life and all its contradictions, it reflects every emotion, from the most cheerful celebration of life to the saddest expression of sorrow, and always full of a powerful passion, romanticism and elegance. With my work I want to bring my roots to modernity, and I want to follow the steps of what Cristóbal Balenciaga masterfully did. He was able to combine the rigorous culture of the north with the opulent south.
Arturo Obegero, El Amor Brujo Collection
With my work I want to bring my roots to modernity, and I want to follow the steps of what Cristóbal Balenciaga masterfully did.
When it comes to menswear, Arturo Obegero redefines men’s tailoring and welcomes proportions and silhouettes you don’t often see. You named one of your collections “Homme Fatal”, can you tell us about your design philosophy ?
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I love playing with the codes of what's considered to be "masculine" and "feminine" by society. I think we all have a balance of those in us, and in that balance is where I find the most beauty. For example, with the collection "Homme Fatal" I was taking inspiration from that term and from all those characters we considered "Femme fatale", a term that to me is a compliment, as it is about women who are proud, who fight to get what they want, who are intelligent. I think we should all channel our own "fatal" energy to thrive and survive. I always define my collection as "minimal drama" or "brutally romantic and seductively melancholic", it's about a balance of contradictions and how vulnerability can be powerful.
I love playing with the codes of what's considered to be "masculine" and "feminine" by society. I think we all have a balance of those in us, and in that balance is where I find the most beauty.
Arturo Obegero, Rue de Rome Collection
Your designs have caught the attention of some incredible creatives. Harry Lambert was an early supporter, working with you on custom looks for Harry Style’s “As It Was” music video.
Can you share how this collaboration process came about, and what the inspirations for the pieces were ?
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Harry Lambert got in touch with me for a secret project. I had my suspicions, but of course, I couldn't confirm what it was until almost the release date of the videoclip. It was truly great working with him. He was kind, patient and supportive, and the process was fun, we were exchanging ideas and references the whole time until we arrived at the final one. We knew we wanted something that referenced Queen, Bowie, Mick Jagger, but still AO and in a fun way. I wasn't expecting the look to be such a main character in the video clip, I thought it would appear in a scene or two, but when I saw the video, I almost fell off my chair, I will forever be grateful for that opportunity!
I love working with the artists or their creative teams, it's truly my favourite kind of project. It's a constant creative conversation and exchange of ideas, and I love that part of the process.
You’ve created custom pieces for major performers such as Adele and Beyonce, why does working on custom pieces appeal to you ?
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I love working with the artists or their creative teams, it's truly my favourite kind of project. It's a constant creative conversation and exchange of ideas, and I love that part of the process. You have to adapt to the artist's needs, maybe regarding the song they are going to perform, maybe the choreography or the set design, or how they want to feel or what they want to communicate... but you also have to design something that feels true to you. It's almost like creating a wedding dress each time! I've been lucky to work with artists and stylists whose work I deeply admire, and I hope it keeps happening!
Adèle in custom AO
How do you typically begin the collaboration process for a custom piece with a stylist ?
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The most important thing is what the artist likes, what they want to communicate and how they want to feel. It's important to know what's the occasion as well, is it a performance? Is it a red carpet? will they be dancing or sitting? etc... I love when the stylists come with references and ideas already, sometimes they send me looks from my past collections, sometimes they come with a completely different moodboard. It's all about keeping your mind open, constant feedback, and back and forth of designs proposals, until you find the winning look !
The design process for Adele's custom Arturo Obegero dress
Have there been moments when a stylist’s request pushed you to explore new techniques or design elements you hadn’t considered before ?
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Definitely, for example, I had never done so much colour or sequin work until I had to made the custom looks for Harry Styles with Harry Lambert... or even the look for Beyoncé, I remember talking to Michal Handler a couple of days before delivering the final dress, and he came up with the idea of making a headpiece, something I had never done before, so I had to improvise last minute, and it was the perfect touch, he was so right !
Beyoncé in custom Arturo Obegero