Flamenco is one of Spain’s most recognisable cultural expressions, yet its roots and influences are often overlooked. Whilst it’s celebrated worldwide for its dynamic rhythms, soulful melodies, and dramatic dance, the deep Andalusian history behind flamenco is less understood. Since the 2000s, flamenco’s influence has stretched far beyond music and dance — it has made a profound impact on fashion both nationally and internationally. From the iconic flamenco dress to high-fashion runways, the movement and dramatic flair of this traditional art form have influenced the aesthetics of the fashion industry for decades.
Flamenco’s origins: A cultural mix
Flamenco’s roots are embedded into many cultures, including Jewish, Gypsy and Christian influences, transforming flamenco into its distinctive style. The dance is mainly marked by movements like zapateando (rhythmic foot taps), giros (turns) and braceos (arm postures), accompanied by music crucial to flamenco’s storytelling.
One aspect of flamenco that has continuously evolved is the clothing and attire of its dancers. Historically, flamenco dancers (called bailaores for men and bailaoras for women), performed in informal settings and wore comfortable plain costumes. As the art has become more professional and public, an apparent shift has taken place towards more iconic and special pieces being worn.
The Iconic Flamenco Dress and it’s complements
The traditional flamenco dress, (called traje de flamenca), has become the most identifiable element of flamenco culture, becoming both a symbol of tradition and modernity. This garment’s origin is humble and finds its antecedent in the gowns worn by peasants and gypsies who accompanied traders to livestock fairs. These women worked dressed in these gowns with ruffles, containing embroidery and colours that caught the attention of high society women. This initiated the copy of these garments and the development of further designs.
Besides the flamenco dress, there are other compliments that are crucial when a woman dresses in flamenco style. It is common for females to gather their hair into a bun, decorating it with a series of accessories that are essential to showcasing the dress, such as the comb, small combs, or the flower. The shawl, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets are other key elements that complement the flamenco dress, in addition to high-heeled shoes or the fan.
Flamenco’s influence on High Fashion
Fashion designers continuously use flamenco’s theme and concept for their brand pieces, collections and items. Some brands have chosen to implement individual pieces of flamenco in their catwalks, including Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren, Balenciaga and Dolce & Gabbana.
Other brands, including Dior, have drawn inspiration from this art form for entire collections, ranging from jackets to hats. A prime example of this is it’s Cruise collection, which was inspired by Seville. The brand’s creative director, Maria Grazia , specifically chose to represent this collection without the use of famous models or celebrities, saying it was “so that my work is appreciated as art”. Chiuri also expressed how the pieces created broke from the traditional flamenco dress, with designs including cotton poplin blouse, gabardine trousers, removable collar with embroidered rhinestones and leather boots.
National maintenance and struggle of Flamenco
Although this artwork has been economically maintained through its influence on high fashion and its international influence, Spaniards are always trying to maintain a national tradition and uniqueness to their pieces. In Madrid, Pertiñez is one of the oldest flamenco shops that can be found in the capital, having been in the scene for 25 years. Javier Salines, one of the sales managers at Pertiñez, has acknowledged the struggle they are experiencing for the maintenance of this business. He says that “the shop’s income flows depending on the time of year, towards spring and ferias time there is a lot of work and customers”. He also explains how their shops are mainly focused on traditional flamenco pieces such as the dress, shoes and female accessories, but addresses that “there are not many shops in the city that have survived like ours, some have gone through very rough and low-income seasons”.
For instance, the shop Flamenco, established in 1997 by Madrid locals Carola Morales and Elena Martín, was a flamenco influenced shop which struggled and ended up bankrupt in 2016, due to a lack of profitability. The brand grew to employ 80 people and had a network of seven stores across Spain. Morales expresses that “Elena and I have known each other since we were children, we were neighbours and studied at the same school, it was heartbreaking to close this shop when a symbolism of our union and our connection being to Seville, where both our homes were”. Morales explains that their brand wasn’t completely about the art’s traditional dresses or pieces but rather took inspiration from this art for the creation of casual day-to-day pieces.
“It is a brand that is characterised by its embroidered dresses, sequin bags, as well as its colourful umbrellas with a clear brand signature and its tags and bags with colourful prints.” – Morales.
Despite significant national struggle to preserve flamenco-focused shops, IQ Collection has dominated the market, launched by Virginia Del Pozo and Ines Domecq in 2020. Both creators come from Seville, the heart of Flamenco, “which was one of the most crucial incentives and motivations for IQ’s creation”, says Del Pozo. The brand consists of elegant and conservative long dresses, blouses, co-ord sets and many more options. Its main concept is offering an alternative to wearing a typical flamenco dress during the feria of Seville, the main Andalusian party for this art form. “We aim to make pieces that range from €95 – €400, offering the customers the ability to dress according to the style of Seville during the festive season, without having to spend €800 tailoring a typical flamenco dress”, continues Del Pozo.
One of the main events that the brand has developed took place in 2024, during Seville’s feria. Domecq enthusiastically describes “The feria setting could not have been more evocative and authentic. We created a runway and fair inside of it, where models began to walk dressed in the new looks and dresses, blending tradition and avant-garde. National and international people at the feria came up to me and said they were debating if they would wear a traditional dress or rather an IQ dress for next year’s national party”.
“Walking for IQ’s 2025 exposition at the feria de Sevilla felt so unique and provoked a lot of positive reactions in the press. It was a very special moment not only for the brand, but also for us as Andalusian models who are initiating our careers” says Casilda Segovia, the 21-year-old model featured at IQ Collection 2025.
A more authentic look at the flamenco dress – Local exhibitions
Without a doubt, the Feria de Abril is the best place to admire flamenco fashion in all its splendour. Thousands of Sevillanas wear their best dresses during this week of celebration. At the flamenco tablaos, one can enjoy flamenco performances while simultaneously admiring the outfits of the male and female dancers.
Seville has also opened the Flamenco Dress Museum, (called El Museo del Traje de Flamenca), the only one in the world that invites visitors through the history and evolution of this Andalusian regional dress. This exhibition space includes a display of dresses created by well-known Spanish designers, some emerging and others already established in both national and international flamenco fashion.
It is found in El Palacio Andaluz and allows visitors to get an idea of how the evolution has taken place through the display of dresses created by designers, some emerging and others already established in national and international flamenco.