Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid recognises the national and international talent of Palomo and Silvia Tcherassi with unique awards
MBFWMadrid débuts new awards to honour the vision, innovation and commitment of fashion creators. Juan Garaizabal is the artist behind the distinctive works that will be presented, with a creation inspired by the dialogue between materials and memory. The 40th anniversary of MBFWMadrid will take place from 17 to 21 September.
The main showcase for Spanish fashion, organised by IFEMA MADRID with the support of Madrid City Council, will host an official celebration next Tuesday, 16 September at the Four Seasons Hotel. During this event, the MBFWMadrid Awards will be presented in recognition of the creativity, innovation, and talent that the event aims to celebrate.
These awards honour designers whose vision, innovation and dedication have significantly influenced both national and international fashion and reflect the coherence, excellence and ambition that are the hallmarks of MBFWMadrid, a reference in signature fashion.
In this edition, the recipients of the awards comprise a balanced combination of tradition, innovation and emerging talent, which connects with the values and strengthens the benchmark image of the fashion event.
The MBFWMadrid 40th Anniversary International Designer Award will be presented to Silvia Tcherassi, in recognition of her contribution to putting Hispano-American fashion on the global map and her strong connection to Madrid, where she opened her first boutique in Spain a decade ago.
The National Talent Award will be presented to Palomo in recognition of his ability to reinvent the codes of Spanish fashion and successfully showcase them on the international stage. He has established himself as one of the most influential creative voices of his generation.
An award transformed into a work of art
The winners will receive El Paso Alto, a unique piece created by internationally renowned artist Juan Garaizabal, known for his monumental public sculptures, part of this Urban Memories series. The design of this award was conceived in the workshop as a dialogue between materials and memory. The wood supports an irregular steel ladder that rises unevenly, symbolising life paths that are never straightforward. The figure accompanying the ascent represents both the creator and the wanderer, acting as both spectator and protagonist of the journey. And Madrid is the backdrop: a city on the way up, which rewards talent, and where merit is always a driving force. This sculptural metaphor rises from Cibeles, a springboard of dreams and recognitions, a reminder that every creative and personal leap begins with a high step.
With these new awards, MBFWMadrid celebrates four decades of history while looking towards the future, reaffirming its mission to serve as a platform for showcasing talent and promoting Spanish fashion worldwide.
About Juan Garaizabal
Juan Garaizabal (Madrid, 1971) is internationally known for his monumental public sculptures: the Urban Memories. He uses a combination of steel, light, and local materials to reconstruct abandoned architectures and evoke the collective memory of the places. His work is featured in cities such as Berlin, Paris (P. Louvre), Miami, Havana, Venice (Biennale 2013), Biarritz, and Shanghai, where he won the 2020 Sculpture Biennale. With workshops in La Alcarria, Berlin, Miami and Shanghai, his talent encompasses sculpture, printmaking and film. His artistic production, always accompanied by a strong dialogue with urban space and historical time, makes him a unique voice in the contemporary art world.