Gumidafe Gutiér tells us about his career as Creative Director and shows us one of his latest works for Neo2, a fashion editorial entitled Posh, with the star presence of hairdresser Peter Gray.

Creative Direction, one of the professions in fashion, as seen by one of its protagonists, Gumidafe Gutiérrez

You are a filmmaker, photographer, creative director… what was your training before becoming a professional?

It always surprises me that people think I'm a photographer; on a personal level I take photos with my Polaroid as a hobby because it's one of my weaknesses, but never in professional projects.

I started studying Tourism and Culinary Arts Management, but they didn't convince me. I then went on to Business Administration, until I finally found my calling and trained in the Master's Degree in Fashion Dissemination by pure chance; from there, everything has progressed according to the opportunities that came my way in the fashion and advertising sector, and learning through trial and error.

Your home base is in the Canary Islands. What are the advantages of working there? And the disadvantages?

As a Canary Islander happy to live in paradise, the best thing about it is undoubtedly its versatile environment; it's like having a mini-continent in just 1,560 km². The excellent weather conditions are a bonus, as they allow for outdoor work practically year-round, which generates a lot of activity on the islands.

In the Canary Islands, last-minute projects have to be approached with caution due to the frustratingly slow logistics we have to deal with because of our geographical location. Managing relationships with companies, showrooms, agencies, and so on is quite an uphill battle. Eventually, you get used to it since it's always been there, but little by little, thanks to digitalization, everything is improving.

Who are your main customers in the Canary Islands?

Currently, tourism-related platforms in the Canary Islands and regional institutions on some islands, with a focus on fashion, promote the development of Canarian textile brands both within the islands and internationally. Examples include Tenerife Moda, Isla Bonita Moda, and Lanzarote Moda.

Do you also work for brands and institutions in the rest of Spain and the world?

Yes, more closely linked to the advertising sector. Volkswagen Deutschland, Postbank, Eucerin, Multiópticas, Fisherman's Friends, Ergo, Glashütte Original, Davines, Uniqlo, Corioliss, Muss Moscow,…

One of your latest projects has been Live Fashion Hair, what does the event consist of and what is your role as Creative Director?

Defining Live Fashion Hair in a few words: a limitless creative experience. Let's use an awards ceremony as a pretext to bring together renowned hairdressers from around the world for a week of creating artistic projects where fashion and education play a key role.

I have been participating for four editions as creative director of the event, creating campaigns with different themes in each edition, the development of the event in artistic matters and helping to connect all this with artists from different fields who come to the Live every year and live with the whole team.

To see more: neo2.com