Allianz unveils 15 emerging fashion brands vying for Spain’s ‘Allianz Ego Confidence in Fashion’ award

Madrid – Allianz, sponsor of the Allianz Ego young talent platform at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid (MBFW Madrid), has announced the 15 emerging fashion brands that will compete for the ‘Allianz Ego Confidence in Fashion’ award. In line with its founding purpose, the accolade aims to continue supporting and fostering the fashion ecosystem and its development amongst emerging Spanish designers.

Launched by Allianz at the September 2021 edition of MBFW Madrid, after taking over from Samsung as the official sponsor of the ‘Ego’ platform for young talent, inaugurated in 2006, the Allianz Ego Confidence in Fashion award is reserved exclusively for emerging brands selected to participate in the Allianz Ego showroom at MBFW Madrid.

This area sits amongst the spaces surrounding the main runway shows of Madrid Fashion Week. Throughout the official presentations of this upcoming edition of MBFW Madrid, scheduled from Thursday September 12 to Tuesday September 17, a total of 15 emerging fashion brands will present their latest collections in the showroom.

These fashion houses, led by equally novel designers, have been given the opportunity to showcase their independent fashion labels and sell pieces from their latest collections to all visitors attending Ifema Madrid for this edition of the fashion week, while at the same time competing for the ‘Allianz Ego Confidence in Fashion award.

As contenders for the award, 15 emerging brands will compete for an accolade that, in recognition of their work as emerging designers, will grant them access to a six-month mentoring and coaching programme run by Madrid’s University of Design, Innovation and Technology also known as UDIT. This programme will provide them with the knowledge to establish the business profile of their respective fashion houses.

In addition, they will have the opportunity to present at the next edition of the Allianz Ego platform during MBFW Madrid, and receive a cash prize of 6,000 euros to finance the development of their next collection.

‘Allianz Ego Confidence in Fashion’ award: 15 finalists announced

Competing for the award in this upcoming seventh edition is a new group of 15 emerging fashion brands, including Alineo Studio, by young Mallorcan designer Lis Dominguez, the emerging Anidiplosis, by young Madrid designer Ani Merino, Boulard, by Barcelona-based designer Ugo Boulard, also from Barcelona, Crypa, by designer Florencia López, Alicante-based Devol, by designer Rosa Gasent; Madrid-based Düa Düa, by designer Eduardo González, also from Madrid.

In addition, Emeerree, winner of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Talent award at the last edition of MBFW in September 2023, by designer Aarón Moreno; and the celebrated fashion of Barcelona-based brand Guillermo Justicia by the eponymous designer who emerged as one of the great surprises of the last edition of 080 Barcelona Fashion in April 2024.

Completing the list are emerging label Joplin Atelier, another brand from Barcelona, by sisters Aida and Laura Molano, Seville-based brand Joss Blake, the label Juan VG specialising in upcycling and ‘genderless’ fashion by designer Juan Valentín-Gamazo, RDRSS, by designer Andrea Rodríguez based in Pontevedra, and The Curiousers, by the Bilbao-based designer who goes by the nickname Pink Papesse. Closing the list is Barcelona-based fashion house Zoe Oms.

Fashion designer Jorge Redondo joins the jury

To decide which of the 15 emerging fashion brands will win this seventh edition of the award, the organisation will once again rely on a jury made up of renowned figures from Spain’s fashion industry.

This year, they are joined by Extremadura-born designer Jorge Redondo, founder and creative director of his own fashion house, Redondo Brand. He replaces fashion designer and educator Ana Locking, the winner of Spain’s National Fashion Award in 2020, as a special member of the jury for this edition.

The other members of the jury are Ana Rodríguez, director of MBFW Madrid; Andrés Aberasturi, curator of the Allianz Ego platform, and Maruca García, director of the fashion department at UDIT.

They will ultimately name the winner of this new edition, who will join the ranks of previous winners: Rubearth, Evade House, Reparto, Tíscar Espadas, Coconutscankil and Mal Studio.

Winner to be announced on September 15

As the winning brand of the last edition of the award, held last February, the emerging Mal Studio Custom Project, by Peruvian-born, Bilbao-based designer Michelle Lima, will present its new collection as part of the official programme of this upcoming edition of the Allianz Ego platform at MBFW Madrid.

MBFW Madrid, organised by Ifema Madrid, will take place from September 12 to September 16. The fashion students of UDIT will inaugurate the event with a collective show.

On Sunday September 15, the spotlight will shift to more emerging talent with a new edition of the Allianz Ego platform, dedicated entirely to the new promises of Spanish fashion.

The Allianz Ego platform, where the winner of this year’s award will be invited to present their collection next season, will begin on Sunday 15th with the award ceremony for the seventh edition of the Allianz Ego Confidence in Fashion award.

This will be followed by runway shows from the selected emerging fashion brands, starting with Mal Studio Custom Project, followed by Anamingo, Karlo Módenes, Alejandre, Arturo de la Rosa, Boltad, H05, XVStrange and Santamarta.

Tomas Nemec, the international guest brand from Mercedes-Benz Prague Fashion Week will put the finishing touch to the presentations by these eight emerging fashion houses.

The day will conclude with the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Talent award ceremony, with the eight emerging brands showcasing their collections on the Allianz Ego platform, competing for the grand prize.

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.ES, translated from Spanish into English with the help of an AI tool and edited by Veerle Versteeg.