The Treasure Hunt con Linda Sharkey

What does fashion mean to you? For me, fashion is art; it is culture. It can express the purest part of your essence as well as those little alter egos we all have. It’s a powerful tool to communicate who we are and, above all, authenticity.

What is your relationship with the industry? I studied journalism in London, where I lived for ten years, and worked for six at The Independent. That’s where I developed my career in fashion journalism. At the same time, I had a blog, Fashion Inside Out, which helped me enter the industry. But in reality, my passion began much earlier: as a child I used to secretly steal clothes from my mother. She eventually had to put a lock on her wardrobe. Back then, fashion felt like an aspirational world; today, with digitalisation, it’s far more accessible.

How would you define your work today? I’m a stylist, fashion storyteller and host. I organise events where we present a collection through looks or capsules that help translate what we see on the runway into real life. In a digital world, is the physical experience the new luxury? Absolutely. For a while, online shopping dominated everything and status seemed to be about not having time. Today, the opposite is true: real luxury is time. Time to travel, to take care of oneself, to enjoy life. And fashion plays a role in that too. We’re returning to physical experiences: visiting a boutique, touching fabrics, understanding the pattern cutting and silhouettes. That’s the key difference between fast fashion and luxury.

Every city has its own way of living, reinterpreting and wearing fashion. How is fashion experienced in Madrid? I love Madrid because it’s authentic. When I arrived in 2016, I found a fairly classic, more understated street style, very connected to those inherited wardrobes. But over the past five years, it has changed a lot. The arrival of Latin American women—Mexican, Venezuelan, Colombian, Peruvian, Chilean—has brought a different energy: more colour, more playfulness, more mixing. Today I see a more diverse and adventurous fashion scene, inspired by the runway yet with a local character, open to combining the classic with the unexpected.

What is the experience like at Las Rozas Village? I was surprised by the number of timeless pieces you can find. Not just trends, but garments that truly stay in your wardrobe. That’s something we look for more and more: investing in smart pieces. And as it’s an open-air destination, the experience is much more relaxed. You can start with a matcha at Starbucks, go shopping, stop for lunch at Cristina Oria or Mentidero, and keep exploring boutiques. And then there’s The Apartment, that private space where you can end the day with a glass of champagne.