Lina dies, the teacher who dressed Rocío Jurado and the Duchess of Alba and turned the flamenco dress into haute couture

Flamenco fashion is in mourning. Lina, the teacher, passed away this Tuesday at her home in Seville at the age of 89, after a lifetime of dressing and filling numerous well-known and anonymous clients with excellence who wanted her to dress them as flamenco dresses.

Her remains have been transferred to the San Jerónimo funeral home, where a mass will be celebrated first thing tomorrow, Wednesday. Later, she will be cremated, and later, her family will take her to the Villanueva del Ariscal cemetery, where she also rests her husband, Francisco Montero, a native of that Sevillian town.

Lina "has been fading little by little", according to what her daughters have told LOC. Lina was the mother of six children, who have been accompanying her mother at all times these days. Three of them work at the firm and have taken the reins of it. Mila, who studied tourism, and Rocío, Fine Arts and Fashion Design. Also another of her children is in charge of the leather line, more recent.

But Lina has always been the soul of the house, always aware of everything and helping and advising her daughters. "That you be good people, discreet and hard-working", she told them, and they have complied.

Meeting Lina was a delight. She was kind, affectionate, polite, attentive, serene and calm, she was always perfectly groomed, she was a friend of her friends, among them, the designer Tony Benítez, who was very affected. With the know-how of a great lady.

Her mastery of sewing took her to the top, so much so that it could be considered the haute couture of flamenco fashion. For some reason, people as well known as John Galliano or Tom Cruise visited her in her workshop.

FROM DOÑA SOFÍA TO GRACE KELLY

And for something she dressed the most prominent women in society. HM Queen Doña Sofía, while still Princess, chose it to go to the Seville Fair in 1968 -a classic design, white with red polka dots- and also for the Rocío pilgrimage -a two-piece with white shirt and red skirt with small polka dots white-. Grace Kelly walked through the Fair dressed by Lina in 1966, in a white dress with pink embroidered straps in an image that went around the world. The Duchess of Alba wore her dress countless times -also her daughter Eugenia Martínez de Irujo, even when she was almost a baby-.

In the world of song, she dressed Isabel Pantoja, also on her wedding day with Paquirri, as well as Kiko Rivera for her baptism. Also to Rocío Jurado, who wanted Lina to dress both her and her daughter Rocío Carrasco at her baptism.

Juanita Reina, Lola Flores, María del Monte, Carmen Sevilla -her wedding dress at her wedding with Vicente Patuel was by Lina, with Goyesque inspiration-, Gracia Montes, Rocío Dúrcal, Marisol... Names like Baroness Thyssen, Paloma Cuevas , Naty Abascal, Bárbara Rey, Cósima Ramírez, Rocío Crusset or Joaquín Cortés, who in 1990 wore a nine-meter long bata de cola for his show Soul. She was also a master of the batas de cola. The list is endless.

Even the owners of large yachts that arrive in the Andalusian capital, sometimes from Arab countries, called Lina to choose between her designs.

Nominated for a Goya for I am that in 1991, she has made history, although she, so discreet, was not quite aware of her great importance in the world of fashion, not only in flamenco fashion. It was she who changed the length of the sizes; She innovated in cuts and ruffles, and from the beginning she had a clear idea, together with her husband, Francisco Montero, that the flamenco dress could evolve and be fashionable.

In fact, there are many great international designers who have been inspired by the most Andalusian fashion. As an example, just look at the image of Anna Wintour, dressed by Oscar de la Renta, at the MET gala held two days ago in New York.

HIS SIGNATURE: HIGH NECKLINES

Lina's story began in 1960. The year Marcelina Fernández married Francisco Montero in the Tabernacle of Seville Cathedral. He was a bullfighter and worked at the Bazar España. She sewed since she was a child, she earned her living by sewing whatever came out and making clothes for her dolls.

After their wedding, the couple opened a small workshop on Calle Salado, in the Triana neighborhood. Five years later they moved to Gravina Street and later to the Barrio de Santa Cruz, later changing their current location to Lineros Street.

The following year, Lina transforms the flamenco dress. She lengthens the suits to the ankle, closes the armholes and incorporates the shawl as a complement; before, the fringes were sewn on the neckline.

In 1971 she launched high necklines, which are still in fashion; a decade later she introduces exclusive embroideries designed by her husband; and in 1989 she continues to innovate and lowers the waist to the knee to stylize the woman's figure, also taking the sleeves to the elbow.

Little by little they adapted to the times, innovating in fabrics and cuts, introducing collections, accessories and even expanding their catalog with wedding and party dresses for the general public or even garments to wear on a daily basis, always with flamenco inspiration. .

Currently, her daughters Mila and Rocío act as executive and creative directors, respectively, thus continuing with the company that her parents created 61 years ago. At her 60th anniversary celebration, held at the Casa de Salinas, Lina wished "that the firm would continue for another sixty years." At the moment they are on the right track.

Lina has been a great couture and fashion, and she will be forever in everyone's memory.

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