Mariano Fortuny (designer)

Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo (in catalan Marià Fortuny i de Madrazo, pronounced: [məˈɾja fuɾˈtuɲ i ðə maˈðɾaθo]; 11 May 1871 – 3 May 1949), was a Spanish fashion designer who opened his couture house in 1906 and continued until 1946. He was the son of the painter Mariano Fortuny y Marsal.

Fortuny was born 11 May 1871, to an artistic family in Granada, Spain. His father, a genre painter, died when Fortuny was three years old and his mother, daughter of another famous painter, Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta, moved the family to Paris, France. It became apparent at a young age that Fortuny was a talented artist, as he, too, showed a talent for painting as well as a passion for textiles. During his childhood he was introduced to many different textiles and fabrics, which greatly imprinted upon his creativity. His parents were very passionate for materials and had their own collections of textiles from various shops they had visited in Europe. His father even collected metalwork and armor from previous ages as a hobby. As a young child he was fascinated with all of these textiles and would even dye pieces of material for amusement.It was this exposure that led him to grow up and begin designing and producing his own textiles and dresses. The family moved again in 1889 to Venice, Italy. As a young man, Fortuny traveled throughout Europe seeking out artists he admired, among them the German composer Richard Wagner. Fortuny became quite varied in his talents, some of them including inventing, painting, photography, sculpting, architecture, etching and even theatrical stage lighting. In 1897, he met the woman he would marry, Henriette Negrin, in Paris. While in Paris, using all of his creative talents, Fortuny registered and patented more than twenty inventions between 1901 and 1934.

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