Lorenzo Caprile Exhibit in Madrid

In the past month, the exhibition “Caprile Lorenzo”, paying homage to the work and mastery of the esteemed fashion designer Lorenzo Caprile, was inaugurated at Madrid’s Sala Canal de Isabel II. This showcase offers an immersive journey through over 100 of his most iconic haute couture pieces, reflecting his inspirations and the rich cultural heritage that informs his work. The exhibition is open to the public with free admission until March 30, 2025.

Lorenzo Caprile, born in Madrid in 1967, is a celebrated Spanish fashion designer renowned for his exquisite craftsmanship and timeless designs. After studying at prestigious institutions such as the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and the Politecnico di Milano, Caprile began his career in costume design for theatre and opera. He later transitioned to haute couture, earning acclaim for his elegant bridal and evening-wear creations. Over the years, he has dressed Spanish royalty, including Queen Letizia and the Infantas Elena and Cristina, and notable figures from the worlds of art and culture, cementing his place as a master of classic yet innovative fashion design.

The exhibition is curated by Eloy Martínez de la Pera and José Luis Massó who have conceived the exhibition as such:

“It’s not easy to define CAPRILE, it’s not easy to define LORENZO…, so we invite you to reach your own conclusions during this overview of his influences, his passions, his experiences, his creations and his life.

ITALY, in his roots, in his soul and in his heart, a constant, fundamental and necessary inspiration to understand his vital and creative world.

ROMANTICISM, the quest for beauty in an abiding evocation of the delicacy and elegance woven into every stitch.

CINEMA, fascination and glamour but, above all, the possibility of telling stories, of travelling in time and of dreaming through the great divas of celluloid.

COUTURIERS, the great twentieth-century masters who have inevitably influenced his sense and way of understanding fashion as an artistic expression.

BAROQUE, boundless creativity and the ideal counterpart in his relationship with another of his great passions: theatre.

Everything is reflected, concealed, interwoven, asserted or contradicted in his work. Caprile is Lorenzo, and Lorenzo is Caprile in every design”.

For this exhibition, Queen Letizia has loaned seven pieces from her wardrobe, including dresses which were acknowledged by the press and royal watchers as some of her most iconic looks throughout her 20 years of “royal” life, notably the red evening gown which was paired with the Chaumet Ruby Clips for the Wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in 2004, as well as the outfit worn the nigh before for the Wedding Gala Performance at Copenhagen´s Royal Theatre.

Queen Letizia’s silver dress, worn together with her Diamond, Sapphire and Pearl Suite, for her Wedding Gala at El Pardo Palace is also show at the exhibition.

As is the outfit worn for by the then-Princess of Asturias for the Wedding of Beltrán Goméz-Acebo in September 2004, a crystal-embroidered gown worn for several State Banquets, and a red gown worn for a Dinner offered to the then-Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall on their Official Visit to Spain in 2011.

The Queen’s latest outfit designed by Lorenzo Caprile was seen at a Banquet offered in honour of the President and First Lady of Israel in 2017.

One of Princess Alexia of Greece’s dresses can also be admired at the “Caprile Lorenzo” Exhibition. This outfit was paired with the Princess’ Diamond Tiara, the Connaught Diamond Earrings, and the Ruby Bow brooch for the Wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in 2004 and for Queen Margrethe of Denmark’s 70^th Anniversary Gala.

Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, as also been a good client and friend of the designer. For her, he has created several outfits, including the iconic pink dress and torero jacket worn with the Marichalar Tiara for the Wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden in 2010, as well as the green look worn the night before, for the Wedding Gala.

The green and black Goya-inspired dress worn for her brother’s Wedding Banquet also features at the exhibition.

However, Lorenzo Caprile’s “royal” designs have remained mostly associated with the important moments of Infanta Cristina’s life. The designer has been the person behind the creation of the Infanta’s Wedding Dress in 1997.

Two years before, Lorenzo also created a golden evening gown for the Infanta to wear at her sister’s Wedding Banquet in Villamanrique de la Condesa, near Seville.

The designer was also behind the pale green dress worn with Queen Ena’s Cartier Tiara for the Wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden in 2010, as well as the black outfit worn the night before.

The exhibition also features a dark outfit worn by the Infanta during a visit to the Vatican, as well as the blue dress worn for the Wedding of Princess Theodora of Greece earlier this year.

Twenty years ago, Lorenzo was also responsible for the design of the outfits of Queen Letizia’s bridal page boys and girls in 2004. Two of this Goya-inspired looks, belonging to Felipe de Marichalar y Borbón and Victoria López-Quesada y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, can be admired.

Caprile has also designed several outfits for the Borbon-Two Sicilies Family, namely the iconic wedding dress worn by Princess Cristina 30 years ago, as well as the bridal dress worn by her daughter, Victoria López-Quesada, earlier this year.

As mentioned before, the designer has been famed for his wedding creations, among them, one can admire the dress made for Princess Carla of Bulgaria, Lorenzo’s first bridal design in 1993, as well as Amparo Corsini’s and Xandra Falcó’s wedding gowns, or the Madrina’s red gown created for Matilde de Solís for the Wedding of the Count of Osorno.

This article was written by assistant editor, David Rato, who runs the Spanish Royal Jewels account on Instagram!