From Carlota Barrera to Jeanologia, the Fashion Academy Awards recognize and celebrate the industry

With a red carpet and audiovisual gala format akin to other academies, such as the film academy, the Spanish fashion industry dazzled on the evening of Thursday, June 13. The first edition of the Fashion Academy Awards, held at the Teatro Fernán Gómez and preceded by a reception at the National Library’s steps, honored the craftsmanship and talent within the sector. This event featured a comprehensive and inclusive finalist selection, aiming to encapsulate the various disciplines within the industry. Hosted by Nieves Álvarez, the awards ceremony highlighted the finalists in each of the 10 categories, included speeches from the winners, conversations with the audience, and musical performances, attended by designers, models, influencers, and institutional figures.

During its nearly 90-minute duration, the gala paid tribute to figures such as Jesús del Pozo and Sybilla, and revealed Rossy de Palma as the winner in the category of Ambassador of Spanish Fashion. Meanwhile, Suma Cruz, with its creative director and founder Susana Cruz, won the award for Best Footwear, Jewelry, and Accessories Collection.

Leandro Cano, the creative director and founder of his eponymous brand, received the award for Sustainability, Innovation, and High Craftsmanship in Fashion. Cano was a favorite in this inaugural awards ceremony alongside Carlota Barrera, who, nominated in several categories, won the Emerging Talent award towards the end of the gala. “We are all friends here; it’s a very special night for all of us. Thanks to everyone who is part of my day to day, my team, everyone who makes the tailoring and pattern-making possible, all those behind the scenes who are so essential. I share this with all of them,” Barrera said upon receiving her award.

Reflecting its mission to integrate all industry stakeholders, the Fashion Academy aimed to spotlight not only design but also business innovation. Thus, it created the Best Business Project category, which in 2024 recognized Jeanologia. Its CEO, Enrique Silla, accepted the trophy, a sculpture by Helena Rohner inspired by the movement of fabrics and Cristóbal Balenciaga’s hats and headpieces.

The Honorary Award of this edition, the only one without other finalists and directly chosen by the board of the Spanish Fashion Academy Foundation (Fame), the awards’ driving force, went to Pedro del Hierro. Nacho Aguayo and Alex Miralles, the creative directors of the brand’s men’s and women’s collections, received the award.

Rabanne’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection, “Chasing Dreams,” won the Best International Collection category. Representing the Puig group brand, Ainhoa García Echaniz, its operations director, accepted the award. Madrid es Moda was also recognized within the category of Promoting and Disseminating Spanish Fashion, with Daniel Pérez and Tamara Alcalde, its strategic director and coordinator, respectively, accepting the award.

The final segment of the ceremony saw awards presented to Oteyza for Best Presentation for “Merina,” received by its founders Caterina Pañeda and Paul García de Oteyza, and to Acromatyx for Best Collection for “Follow Me 004,” with creators Franx de Cristal and Xavi García accepting the award.

Before presenting the final award, model Laura Sánchez addressed the audience and viewers—the gala was broadcast on RTVE, both on La 2 and its digital platform—with a message that encapsulated the evening: “Fashion and all of us who are part of it are the protagonists tonight and we are privileged to work in something we are passionate about.”