Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid unveils its new visual identity moving toward internationalization, sustainability, and emerging talent

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid has taken another step towards its repositioning as a benchmark event for the Spanish fashion industry. This movement is in line with the rapid transformation of the sector, the rise of Madrid as a creative capital, and growing international competition, attracting attention with a new identity that is not only aesthetic but also strategic, focused on talent, industry, international expansion, craftsmanship, and sustainability.

The presentation of the new visual identity, which will be released shortly, has been revealed at the first of several events aimed at building and active and continuous community focused on key topics for the fashion industry. This time, the event focused on two concepts - craftsmanship and sustainability - and was also an opportunity for the new director of MBFWMadrid, Asier Labarga, to unveil the new image and strategy. “We have taken on the challenge of redefining the positioning of the fashion week in a context of global transformation”, he explained. “That’s why we are presenting a new strategy that responds to a real need for the event to add value to the Spanish fashion industry”. Meanwhile, the creative director, Valentina Suárez-Zuloaga, said that "this new project is far more than a visual redesign. From the outset, we wanted to showcase a redefinition of what MBFWMadrid is and aspires to be. We have done this in line with a new strategy that is more agile, more connected to the industry, and with more extensive international projection”.

Similarly, Arancha Priede, business director of IFEMA MADRID, also highlighted at the event that "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid is embarking on a new phase for its 40th anniversary, updating its image, its strategic pillars, and, above all, renewing its ambition to become an essential launch pad for the fashion industry, as well as for the cultural and economic fabric of the city". At the same event, Oscar Romera, General Coordinator of Economy, Trade, and Consumption at the Madrid City Council, stressed that the City Council wants to work closely with MBFWMadrid and take another step to ensure that Fashion Week is a reference throughout the year, positioning Madrid as a key centre for fashion.

With this revamp, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid will move towards the forefront by organising its new strategic proposal into four basic areas:

• Talent: A new approach where everything revolves around the designer. The fashion spectacle will become a real launchpad for emerging talent with programmes to encourage connection and introductions in the industry.

• Industry: MBFWMadrid is doubling down on its role as a business platform for designers with a thorough review of all its professional support tools and a new strategy to attract buyers and national and international buyers.

• Internationalization: The organisers are committed to putting MBFWMadrid on the global calendar by forming strategic alliances and attracting sponsors, talent, and international brands.

• Craftsmanship and Sustainability: Spain is renowned for its craftsmanship and local production. This competitive advantage will be the kingpin of communication and action, encouraging a more responsible model of fashion and aligning with ESG values.

In addition to presenting this new strategy, the seminar also featured two roundtable discussions that addressed these topics, which will be highly relevant to the future of MBFWMadrid. The first, on the subject of sustainability, included outstanding participants such as Carolina Blázquez, Director of Innovation and Sustainability at ECOALF; designer Pablo Erroz; Regina Polanco, founder of PYRATEX; and Patricia Sancho, advisor at TOUS and ESG expert; moderated by Gema Gómez from Slow Fashion Next. They all agreed on the pressing need to transform the industry from within, advocating for sustainable processes, local production, and a more ethical approach to design.

The second roundtable discussion, focused on craftsmanship, featured designer Palomo Spain; co-founder of the Contemporary Association of Arts and Crafts, Ramón Vergara; Gavina Ligas, representative of the Atelier Aletheia studio specialising in natural dyes; moderated by Lucía Andrés, president of AMOA. They emphasised the need to preserve and encourage an appreciation of traditional crafts as an essential part of the DNA of Spanish fashion.

The new MBFWMadrid will be held in September and will be the 40th anniversary of Spain’s leading fashion extravaganza.

Get full details on the new website by clicking here.

Con esta renovación, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid pretende dar un paso al frente articulando su nueva propuesta estratégica en torno a cuatro ejes fundamentales:

• Talento: Un nuevo enfoque que sitúa al diseñador en el centro. Así, la pasarela se redefine como un trampolín real para creativos emergentes, con programas de impulso y conexión e introducción en la industria. 
• Industria: MBFWMadrid refuerza su papel como plataforma de negocio para los diseñadores, con una revisión integral de las herramientas de apoyo profesional, una nueva estrategia de atracción de compradores y medios nacionales e internacionales.
• Internacionalización: La organización apuesta por posicionar a la pasarela en el calendario global mediante alianzas estratégicas y atracción de patrocinadores, talento y marcas internacionales.
• Artesanía y Sostenibilidad: España se posiciona como líder en técnicas artesanales y producción local. Esta ventaja competitiva se convierte en eje de comunicación y acción, fomentando un modelo de moda más responsable y alineado con los valores ESG.

Además de la presentación de esta nueva estrategia, durante la jornada también se han celebrado dos mesas redondas en las que se han abordado precisamente estos temas que tan relevantes serán para el futuro de MBFWMadrid. En la primera, centrada en sostenibilidad, han participado voces destacadas como Carolina Blázquez, directora de innovación y sostenibilidad de ECOALF, el diseñador Pablo Erroz, Regina Polanco, fundadora de PYRATEX y Patricia Sancho, consejera de TOUS y experta en ESG, moderados por Gema Gómez de Slow Fashion Next. Todos ellos coincidieron en la urgencia de transformar la industria desde dentro, apostando por procesos sostenibles, producción local y una visión más ética del diseño.

La segunda mesa, dedicada a la artesanía, ha contado con el diseñador Palomo Spain, el cofundador de la Asociación Contemporánea de Artes y Oficios, Ramón Vergara, la representante del estudio Atelier Aletheia, especializada en tintes naturales, Gavina Ligas, moderados por Lucía Andrés, presidenta de AMOA, quienes han destacado la necesidad de preservar y revalorizar los oficios tradicionales como parte esencial del ADN de la moda española.

La próxima edición de MBFWMadrid se celebrará en el mes de septiembre coincidiendo con el 40 aniversario de la gran pasarela de referencia de la moda en España.