Dominico, the designer's universe Domingo Rodríguez where everyone has a place
By Sara Hernando
This issue was published in the February 2022 number of Vogue Spain.
The cafeteria of the renovated Hotel Rosewood Villa Magna in Madrid today has an unusual customer.Among the men and women of business, all suitcased, and tourists who in December are dropped through the capital, stands out the figure of Domingo Rodríguez Lázaro (Alicante, 1994).His clothing, black, wide and removable cargo pants, new rock boots, a pearl necklace and a crossbag, show that their ‘normality’ is not like that of others.“To the people of my generation they have not taught us to be free, but we have demanded to be normal, it means this word what it means.I hope and wish we advance.I think it is everyone's home.Help it to rethink everything we believe already given, imposed, ”reflects the founder and creative director of Dominnico.Said and done.From his particular platform, a fashion firm committed to his portentous aesthetic vision, his voice is heard high and clear.With only 27 years, this early creator can boast of having dressed musical divas such as Lady Gaga, Rosalía or Rita Ora, but also having proclaimed winner of the Mercedes-Benz fashion talent award, in 2019, and from who on Next, in2021, the most important Spanish fashion award that Vogue Spain organizes in collaboration with Inditex.“This award is recognition of the work that I have been doing during all these years.That is to tell me, ‘you have achieved it, you have come here, and from now on there are no limits’ ”.
The security with which it travels in the complex fashion business, driven by the blind faith in its project, is not usual.Domingo knows what he wants, how he wants it, and works hard to get it: “I've been without vacations for five years.The same that my brand has.It is clear that when one triumphs there is some factor luck, but in my case all that has happened to me is the result of work, effort and constancy.Believing in something for many times to close doors or do not understand your vision.Keep believing in you despite everything ".Words that are surprising if they are put in the mouth of this extremely shy and reserved young man - ”I am working on it.I know that the public exhibition is part of my work ” -, for which there was never another option that was not a designer.“I don't remember the moment I said:‘ I want to study fashion ’.It was something organic.Something that came naturally as I develop as an individual.Since childhood I loved drawing.I think all my teachers and friends have a signed sketch between 2006 and 2008, when I was eight and ten years old, ”he jokes.It was at that time that he began to become obsessed with the Bratz, making complete collections for these two thousand dolls, the first germ of what would later be dominic.“He was a collector.I was in love with them.With the retales that my paternal grandmother gave me it, I sewed pieces, accessories, made arrangements.So, when I told my parents that I wanted to study fashion, they didn't hesitate for a minute.They already knew it, ”he recalls.
So, after doing, as a family, an exhaustive analysis of all homeland fashion schools, Domingo Rodríguez would start a transformative trip from Alicante to Barcelona to study at the LCI School of Design and Arts."There were many universities that offered me the title at the most visual, creative or digital level, but I wanted to understand the patterns, the human body, and then be able to draw my sketches," he explains.Only four years later, in 2016, Dominico launched.“In first race I already made my sweatshirts and other garments.It was at that time that I began to develop my identity as a creator.So I always had it clear, I wanted to have an umbrella from where to expose my ideas.It was risking to win.I feel that all my life I have been risking, but always from reflection, knowing what I was in, processing the information.Each step has been a success, or an error.But errors have never stopped me, they have served me to go back, learn and make me stronger.In the end I have always known what I wanted, and what was the right direction, ”he says.I knew and have achieved it.To be a fan of Lady Gaga to dress her.To admire Rosalia to design the costumes of the American tour of El Mal.«With 22 years I like Lady Gaga and with 25 I am wearing her.It seems crazy, and it is.I don't know how his stylist came to the Instagram account he had created for Dominico, who at that time did not reach the 2.000 followers.But he arrived and wrote me.And after several comings and goings I put on my clothes, I pronounced my name, even if it was wrong, it labeled me...And then madness came.And everything began to make sense, ”he recalls.Although at that time I was only 24 years old, that sudden visibility, which provides the world of entertainment and celebrities, did not go up to the head.On the contrary, he adjusted his goals and redoubled the hours of work.“I feel terribly grateful to all the people who have believed in me, all those who have somehow caused the brand to go ahead.Like Rosalia.She was one of my first important invoices.Go figure!Make a living like that, with her, in something with which you really enjoy.I didn't care if the days were marathon and we delivered the pieces at four or five in the morning.Worth".
His latest collection, the spring/summer 2022, which has baptized with the name of Extra Life, is a reflection of everything learned during these five years of adventure, in addition to an exquisite sample of a personalist (and brutalist) aesthetic, which, whichThe same baby of the first decade of the 21st century, that of his obsessions for Kawaii and Japanese culture.It also implies a containment exercise, perhaps the first, which shows the effort of this designer to achieve the balance between his artistic impulse and the commercial need.“It has taken me for a while, but I have finally realized that a cowboy of 120 euros can also be domain.That I can create products that reflect what I want to count without the need for thousands of euros.In my community everyone is welcome.I want all those who share my vision can access my designs.Both a kid who saves to buy some pants and the lady of the high bourgeoisie of Barcelona who wants a custom jacket.All are Dominico ".A community, yours, every day more numerous, founded on diversity and inclusion: “In a short time we have gone from being a woman's brand to one that, in a way, is Genderless.Be as you are, with your height, with your weight, your ethnicity, your religion, you have a space here.We are not going to exclude you.That everyone who wants to be and seen how they want ”.While it ends its cup of coffee with milk, Domingo Rodríguez Lázaro preaches with the example: “I am introverted, but it is important that we defend what we believe in.And I do it through what I wear and what design ".
