The costume of the bullfighter in the homeland of bullfighting in Spain is called traje de luces, which is translated into Russian as brilliant clothes. Such a quantity of gold or silver threads and jewelry can hardly be found on some other outfit, not to mention the semiprecious stones sewn into the outfit.
The courageous matador goes to meet in a huge angry bull as if for a royal reception in the palace. With his elegant costume, the bullfighter shows his noble animal his respect for him.
People who enter the arena to meet the bull have a difficult fate. The character of the matadors is strong and difficult. The master who sews the costume to the bullfighter must understand the person to whom he sews the outfit. Therefore, communication takes place within 4-5 months, when the costume is made by the master.
Outfit Description
The costume of the bullfighter for foot bullfight until the 18th century was sewn from suede. Then they used an outfit that has remained virtually unchanged to this day. Embroidered with stones and gold, the costume has about 6 kilograms of weight. However, despite the beauty of the clothes, the matador must fight a formidable animal in it, so the outfit fits the body of the bullfighter, like a second skin. It should be comfortable and absolutely not constraining the movement of a man.
The matador profession in Spain is very prestigious. Bullfighters, who demonstrate their courage in the arena, earn huge sums of money, all are considered millionaires. Therefore, tailoring a beautiful outfit for them is a matter of honor. Only a few well-known tailors are engaged in sewing. One suit can withstand only 4 bullfights.
Components
The story of the costume of the bullfighter begins in Andalusia, where the bullfight was born. The transformation of the costume took on the legendary matador Francisco Montes Pakiro. At first he worked as a simple mason, but then he became famous, going out into the arena with a bull. Having earned significant capital, speaking with the bulls, Pakiro decided that the costume requires significant changes.
To begin with, he replaced the hairnet with an original hat from karakul, which is called moter. At first it was large, but subsequently it was replaced with a smaller one, making a cut with "ears". Now it is made from a bookmarked velvet thread that resembles astrakhan fur.
The name of the costume of the bullfighter in Spanish, you already know. Some literally translate the name as a costume of lights. The outfit has the following components:
- Tight-fitting pants called Taleguilla. The lower part of the legs barely reaches the matador’s knees, they are decorated with fringe, and on top they have an oversized cut and are reinforced with suspenders.
- The Chaguetilla jacket is worn on a white Camisa shirt decorated with a frill collar, the lower part reaches the waist. The armpits are open so as not to hamper the movement in the arena, but he himself is pretty tough. The shoulders have Machos tassel linings beautifully painted with gold or silver threads.
- A black thin strip of Corbatin fabric (ribbon) is worn under the shirt collar, which is usually tied to a bow.
- The brightest and most mesmerizing part of the costume is the magnificent Capote de Paseo cloak. It is most often decorated with religious embroideries with gold threads, various patterns.
- The matador's shoes are black, the sole without heels is covered with a special layer that does not slip. Zapatillas shoes are adorned with bows in front.
Interesting Facts
A mandatory attribute of any bullfighter is a pigtail. Previously, matadors grew long hair and before the fight they braided a pigtail and hid it under a hairnet. Now the headdress of the fitter is on the torero, but the tradition has been preserved. However, many matadors do not grow hair, but use a chignon, attaching the attribute of the costume under the jokes.
There is a tradition to go to the last decisive duel with a bull without a hat. This means that the matador worships the strength of the opponent. Another tradition is related to the departure of the bullfighter for a well-deserved rest. He cuts the pigtail, that is, announces to all fans of his departure from the arena forever.
In Spain there is a proverb literally sounding like ponerse el mundo por montera, which literally means "appearing in front of the whole world in the hat of a bullfighter." It means that a person is ready to go "to you", that is, act decisively, regardless of common sense and dangers, without listening to anyone.
How to sew costumes for bullfighters
In Spain there are only six craftsmen who are engaged in sewing traditional costumes for matadors. They are very revered and are real fabric artists. One of the best tailor suits for bullfighting is Fermin Lopez Fuentes. It is in his famous atelier that dresses for the San Fermin festival are sewn. Every year it takes place in Spain, the best matadors from all over the country gather, and, of course, the most beautiful outfits are demonstrated. The cost of each can range from several hundred to tens of thousands of euros.
Each costume is sewn for several months, fitting under the body of the matador on the fitting. The Fermin studio is very popular, where the famous master Antonio Lopez Fuentes sews bullfighter outfits, and Louise Munoz creates intricate patterns for costumes.
The costumes of modern matadors are sewn from synthetic fabrics, they can be washed, cleaned, they withstand more exits to the arena. Each costume is unique in its own way. Two identical instances simply do not exist. Tailoring in Spain is called art, and tailors are called costume designers.
For example, the master Justo Algaba sews costumes that are decorated in the style of Picasso. On the jacket you can see the elements of the paintings of the great artist from Malaga. People who have visited Madrid at the exhibition of bullfighter suits leave reviews only admired. Examining each instance, you wonder how a person can create such beauty with his hands. Each outfit can be viewed for hours.
Holiday option
Although many people in the world are dissatisfied with bullfighting, consider it brutal massacre of a defenseless animal, but, dressing up for holidays and masquerades, they put on a bullfighter's outfit. Such a wonderful costume will decorate any boy or man. It can be sewn independently, especially since the reader already has the necessary knowledge about its components.
You can sew the costume of the bullfighter with your own hands from satin or thick cloth. The jacket can be cut on a shirt or on a pattern of a jacket. The sleeves are sewn long, and the front shelves and the back of the product are made short, reaching the waist line. From the line of the chest down, measure 10 cm. The shelf is represented by an even line from the bottom to the neck itself.
When transferring patterns to fabric, be sure to leave 1 cm around each line for seam allowance. At the bottom of the jacket you need to leave more, 2 cm is enough for folding the fabric.
The neck and shelves need to be trimmed with an inlay. For its cutting, lay out the pattern with the wrong side on the fabric and draw a line from the neck down along the shelf. The fabric is cut by about 2 cm. Then all the details are sewn with basting stitches and try on a jacket on the "matador". If you sew a costume of a bullfighter for a boy, then 5 cm fabric is cut from the line of the chest. The rest is all done similarly to an adult costume.
After fitting, everything is sewn on a sewing machine, the seams are ironed through a damp cotton cloth.
Jacket Decoration
Of course, without the experience of embroidery, even a semblance of a real outfit of a matador cannot be made. But you can always replace manual embroidery by sewing on strips of golden fabric, ribbons with ornaments, which are commercially available.
Sleeves and front shelves are sheathed in gold or silver canting. Be sure to make your child a wide belt. On the shoulders of the suit there are pads that can be of different shapes - rectangular, pointed or rounded. In the photo in the article, consider the option of both an adult and a children's bullfighter costume.
How to sew shoulder pads
After tailoring the jacket, you need to try it on the model and measure the distance between the neck and the edge of the shoulder. Measurements of the length of the strip of fabric are also needed. It should hang symmetrically from the shoulder in front and behind. Then they transfer the dimensions to the paper and draw a sample of the shoulder pad. The easiest way is to make oval details and stitch them around the perimeter. Such elements are decorated with brushes or a ribbon with a fringe, matched to the color of all other details of the outfit.
Sew crafts on the line of the shoulder seam on both sides with stitches. The edges should hang freely from the shoulders.
Matador's Pants
The bottom of the suit is easiest to sew with elastic. Any pattern is used, if you do not have it, you can cut the fabric along the pants of the child. The length of the legs is taken to the knees. Wide stripes of gold fabric or piping are usually sewn on the sides. The bottom edge of the legs can be framed in elastic or just slightly narrowed. Sewed thread brushes will look beautiful on the sides.
If you decide to make a belt and sew a "zipper", then it is better to place it on the back seam so as not to visually interrupt the side stripes. A wide belt is fastened on buttons or hooks on the back of the child.
Hat of a bullfighter
If you can’t sew a real motter from black fabric, then you can take a simple black hat with not too wide brim. The bezel on it is represented by a red ribbon. If the costume is sewn from blue or green fabric, then the tape is taken in the same color.
The bezel of the hat is trimmed with fringe or piping with pompons.
Torero Cloak
The do-it-yourself costume of the bullfighter for the boy will not be completely sewn, if you do not make the child a wide bright cloak with ties at the front. For sewing, you need to take measurements from the neck to the line of the hips. This will be the radius for the fabric circle. In front you need to make a straight cut and cut a small indentation for the neck. The upper edge is bent inward and a tape for tying is inserted. The remaining edges are hemmed and decorated with a bright golden edging.
Other costume details
The child needs to wear white knee-high socks or pantyhose on the feet. To decorate black shoes with a bow from a ribbon of the same color as the tie on a white shirt. You can complement the outfit with a short sword attached to the belt.
The costume is bright and original. The child at the celebration will attract the views of others.