Antonio Banderas brings star power to Fashion Week in Miami

MIAMI, June 3 (UPI) -- Antonio Banderas turned up in South Florida this week to head up Miami Fashion Week.

Banderas brought star power to a press conference Wednesday at the Mandarin Oriental Miami Hotel to launch the event, now in its 18th year, the Miami Herald reported.

The star of movies including The 33, Puss in Boots, Expendables 3 and Matador, has more interest in how clothes are designed than how scripts are written, he said. The Spanish actor explained that he'd been studying bespoke tailoring at the renowned Central Saint Martins London art school.

"Believe me, it's not easy to enter university when you are 55 years old," he said to the crowd's laughs. "I had to do a lot of convincing that my intentions were real, and I was serious. They believed in me, and I began to work. I needed knowledge."

His newfound knowledge will be in evidence Saturday when he is set to debut a few pieces from his men's line with Scandinavian label SELECTED Homme at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.

The honorary president of Miami Fashion Week, Banderas confessed that these last few years have been crucial, E! News reported. "My life changed very much during the last two years, personal reasons," he explained, "the possibility of reinventing myself was there, and so I said probably this is the moment that I can do this."

Banderas said through his reinvention, he learned that his greatest teachers are actually his kids. "I told my kids sometimes, but in fact, the reality is I learned from them more. They were not very obedient," he laughed, "but I learn from them."

Griffith and Baderas first announced their intent to divorce in June 2014, saying in a joint statement: "We have thoughtfully and consentually decided to finalize our almost twenty years marriage in a loving and friendly manner honoring and respecting each other, our family and friends and the beautiful time we have spent together - Melanie & Antonio"

The split was an amicable one. The exes reunited for their daughter Stella's graduation last summer, even posing for a series of family photos together.