The events of the painting "Velvet Gallery" are focused on the drama in the fate of the high-class Madrid department store, which flourished in the 1950s.
The main idea of the picture
In 1958, there was a place in Spain where everyone dreamed of shopping. At least once in their life, everyone wanted to go to the Velvet Gallery store. The kingdom of elegant, sophisticated, expensive costumes has become the guardian of a love story.
The series "Velvet Gallery" colorfully describes the business and personal life of the characters of that time. The story is effectively complemented by magnificent historical costumes.
The actors of Velvet Gallery filled this film with everything:
- desires;
- feelings;
- devotion
- scandals;
- intrigue;
- betrayal.
This is a vintage romantic melodrama.
Love component
The main storyline, which is displayed on the screen by the famous Spanish actors of the Velvet Gallery, is the love story of Alberto (played by Miguel Angel Silvestre), the heir to the dynasty that owns the largest and most successful fashion houses in Spain in the late 1950s, and Anna (Paula Echevarria), who works as a seamstress in this company.
For the first time, the main characters meet in Madrid back in the days when they were both children. After the death of her mother, Anna moved to a big city to live with her uncle. He served as the head of the department in charge of staff recruitment at the Velvet Gallery fashion house. Thanks to the relations of this relative, Anna manages to become first an assistant seamstress in the workshop, and then one of them.
The love of the protagonist and the heir to the empire erupts even in their teens, but their plan to escape together was not destined to be realized. The reason for this is the aristocratic family of a young man who did everything to destroy the dreams of a couple in love about a joint future.
Everyone desires power
Alberto was sent to study in England. So they with Anna should have been separated by a distance that could ruin any feelings.
In 1958, Alberto returned to Madrid with a diploma from the London School of Economics, just a few days before the opening of the main store belonging to their dynasty. The department store has become a magical place where dazzling luxury commands. This event was covered in the press with news about fashion houses, which showed their collections on the catwalks of Paris, Milan and New York.
High society attributes Alberto an affair with Cristina Otegi (performed by Manuela Velasco). Such a beautiful, elegant, attractive girl from an aristocratic family is easy to imagine as the mother of future heirs. In fact, she is only interested in condition, status, position in society. For this, she was ready to weave intrigues, manipulate people, use all for her own benefit.
Meanwhile, the arrogant second wife of Don Rafael Gloria (Natalia Millan) involves everyone in conspiracies aimed at transferring control of the fashionable empire to her daughter Patricia (Miriam Giovanelli).
Don Rafael, the true king of fashion, does not even want to hear about such an option for the future for his brainchild, which he has been managing since he turned 30 years old. He has every intention of transferring the management of the company into the hands of Alberto. Then few of the characters know that this day will come much earlier than they might think.
The struggle of the main characters for their happiness
As for Anna and Alberto, everyone is trying to resist their reunion. Unfortunately, their plans to live freely and happily away from their families and the legendary fashion house face a number of difficulties and barriers.
Among the elegant fabrics and high-fashion dresses, Anna and Alberto do not give vent to their feelings, knowing that the family of the young man opposes his relationship with a simple girl who, in their opinion, needs only his condition.
Away from clients and surveillance cameras, the ruthless Donja Blanca (Aitana Sanchez Gijon) is extremely cruel to a poor seamstress. Family conflicts are exacerbated. The actors of the Velvet Gallery masterfully demonstrate the confrontation between Alberto and his stepmother Dona Gloria, which is also facilitated by his plans to modernize the concept of the family realm of beauty.
Alberto and Anna’s desire to fight for their fate and seek freedom for their forbidden love is also growing. The young man rebels against the expectations that others have on him. At this time, the seamstress working at the Velvet Gallery fashion house (which Paula Echevarria plays) is striving to become a designer, struggling to establish herself as a creative person.
The problem is that Alberto does not want to continue the work of his father.
The actors of the Velvet Gallery are unrivaled on-screen scenes of how the characters confront the web of jealousy, ambition, and dazzling fashion.
The main character is ready to remain without an inheritance in order to live his life with his beloved, and not be a puppet in the hands of an influential and oppressive father.
Female lead performers
Aytana Sanchez Gijon was born in Rome, but grew up in Spain in the family of a professor who taught history and his wife, a native of Italy, also a professor. The mother of the actress taught math.
Aytana Sanchez Gijon is one of the most famous talented actresses in Spain. She first became popular among fans and figures of the film industry at the international level after she played the role of Victoria of Aragon. In the movie "Walk in the Clouds," which was released on cinema screens around the world in 1995, her partner was Keanu Reeves.
Manuela Velasco Diez is a Spanish TV presenter and actress. She was born in 1975 in Madrid.
Manuela Velasco has starred in many Spanish horror films. In 2007, she received the Goya Award for Best Actress.
The protagonist is a world-famous actor
One of the main actors of the series "Velvet Gallery" - Miguel ngel Silvestre - studied, in addition to drama and theater art, modern dance and acrobatics.
He was also a professional tennis player before he was seriously injured during a Hungarian tournament. Later, the actor decided to study physiotherapy. And only after his aunt introduced him to the world of theater, he devoted himself entirely to this profession.
Sylvester was a star in the films of the legendary Spanish director Pedro Almodovar.
World success
The actors of the Velvet Gallery involved in this film created an artistic illustration of Madrid from the late 1950s, the golden age of haute couture in the history of Spain.
According to preliminary ideas of the creators of the series, only a few episodes were planned to be released. But the ever-increasing success of the picture led to the creation of three seasons with dozens of episodes.
The series "Velvet Gallery" is a multi-episode film that a group of Spanish filmmakers worked on. His budget is estimated at 500,000 euros per episode.