A Fashionista's Guide To Madrid During Fashion Week

Madrid Fashion Week, the most important event in Spain’s fashion diary, takes place from September 14–19 at IFEMA, the city’s huge trade-fair centre. Established homegrown and international brands will show alongside up-and-coming names to watch, in what is set to be an exciting week full of inspiring creations and boundary-pushing style. But away from the catwalks, what does Madrid have to offer fashionistas? We take a look at the best places to shop, sleep and snack during Madrid during Fashion Week.

Trends

Street style is big in Madrid right now, with sports luxe showing no sign of going anywhere anytime soon. Think vintage trainers and sweatshirts that channel the grungy early-90s aesthetic that is everywhere right now.
As Madrid emerges from its long, baking summer, local fashionistas are embracing autumn trends, with tailoring emerging as one of the top looks for Autumn/Winter 2017 (see, for example, Zara’s women’s suits).
Along with the 90s, the 1970s are getting their time in the spotlight, with corduroy and big floral prints making a real splash this season.
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Where to Shop

Vogue Fashion’s Night Out
Head to the swanky Salamanca district on September 7 to browse designer stores during Vogue Fashion’s Night Out, when shops open their doors and offer live music, great promotions and entertainment, drawing Madrid’s most fashionable crowd. This is the ninth edition of the evening, which centres around Calle Serrano. Be sure to check out some local designers, such as Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Bimba y Lola and Felipe Varela – a favourite designer of Spain’s Queen Letizia.
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Malasaña Vintage
Fashion magpies need to visit Malasaña, Madrid’s coolest neighbourhood, whose graffiti-strewn streets hold some of the city’s best vintage stores. Lots of shops are on Calle Velarde: head to The The Storage for a serious denim fix, or Alphaville for some Americana style. Malasaña is also home to lots of young, new designers.
Calle Velarde, 28004 Madrid, Spain
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Gran Via
Madrid’s main boulevard has striking buildings, busy pavements and practically every one of Spain’s best high-street stores. Spanish fashion has taken the world by storm in recent years, with the likes of Zara and Mango offering catwalk-style looks at record speed. Check out Pull&Bear for understated street style, Adolfo Dominguez for smart tailoring and Desigual for crazy patterns and a hippy-chic vibe.

Where to Eat

Platea
In fashionable Salamanca, this beautifully converted 1950s cinema is the place to see and be seen during Fashion Week. DJs spin discs from the stage, while patrons sip cocktails in the former boxes or browse the tempting food stalls on the lower levels of the space. Platea bills itself as Spain’s biggest gastronomic centre, and it is a great place to explore Spanish cuisine, as well as a range of international options.
Calle de Goya, 5-7, +34 915 77 00 25
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Ramses Life
This Philippe Starck-designed space comprises three different restaurants: Suria Mediterranean restaurant; Natsuki, which offers international cuisine; and the outdoor Ikebana terrace, which looks out onto the Puerta de Alcalá, one of Madrid’s most emblematic monuments. The terrace is a cool area to enjoy a chilled glass of cava and enjoy some local tapas.
Plaza de la Independencia, 4, +34 914 35 16 66
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StreetXO
The cool younger brother of Madrid’s only three Michelin-starred restaurant, DiverXO, is this street-food restaurant, located in the department store El Corte Inglés. Chefs work over hot pans right in front of you as you sit at the bar area, giving you a privileged view of their process. The cuisine is an Asian-infused mixture of street-food favourites and creative spins on the genre.
Calle de Serrano, 52, +34 915 31 98 84
Circulo de Bellas Artes
This cultural centre has a stunning roof terrace, popular with Madrid’s most stylish, that has Instagram-worthy 360° views across the city. The roof terrace has its own restaurant, Tartan Roof, where you can try a range of tapas or opt for a three-course meal from its dinner menu. Main courses include sirloin steak taco with asparagus and octopus with Aragón black olives.
Calle de Alcalá, 42, +34 913 60 54 00
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Where to Stay

Room Mate Oscar
Madrid’s barrio of Chueca is full of cool bars, restaurants and buzzing nightlife, and has transformed in the past decade from a down-at-heel area into the city’s main LGBT district. Room Mate Oscar has stylish rooms with tongue-in-cheek touches, as well as a glamorous rooftop pool and bar area with great views over the rooftops of the city.
Plaza de Pedro Zerolo, 12, +34 917011173

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The Principal
The Principal, popular with Madrid’s fashion crowd, is located right on Gran Vía, so some of the city’s best shopping and nightlife are right on your doorstep. Its wellness suite is a great place to relax, and its roof terrace and Ático restaurant offer stunning views across the city.
Calle Marqués de Valdeiglesias, 1, +34 915218743

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ME Reina Victoria
This beautiful whitewashed hotel is on the popular Plaza Santa Ana, a central square bursting with tapas bars. Rooms are contemporary and stylish with designer flourishes, while the hotel also has an incredible roof terrace, The Roof, a popular spot with Madrid’s in-crowd and the ideal place to kick back with a cocktail after a long day of shopping.
Plaza Sta. Ana, 14, +34 912 76 47 47
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