Bullfighter's Costume (Traje de luces)

Mexican, 1950s

Silk satin, cotton, metal thread, metal sequins

Gift of Mrs. Denison Kitchel1981.c.167.A-I

"You dress slowly to prepare yourself, you slip on the suit and your mindset evolves at the rhythm that will ready you for the fight."

-Luis Miguel Dominguín, torero (bullfighter), 1995

The torero is aware of the historic and culturally important Spanish tradition that he represents; as a result he has a profound relationship with his costume which plays an intergral part of it. While the origins of the bull in the sport can be traced back to pagan rituals, the current look of the traje de luces, or suit of lights, formed at the beginning of the 19th century. Since then bullfighter's costumes are made according to traditional rules, but subtly change with the aesthetic concerns of the time.

Creating a garment such as this requires more than a month of work, during this time many fittings are needed to perfectly tailor the costume. There can be up to twelve miles of gold thread embroidered onto a single suit.  Dressing and grooming begin two to three hours before the fight allowing for the mental preparation required of a torero before meeting his opponent. This suit creates an athletic ideal in which masculine sensuality is celebrated rather than concealed.

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