Gran Canaria Swim Week by Moda Cálida concludes with encouraging figures and prospects for international collaborations

The Gran Canaria Swim Week by Moda Cálida has wrapped up its latest edition with encouraging participation figures. Staged between October 5 and 7 at the Expomeloneras venue in Maspalomas, the swimwear fashion event showcased a 45% increase in online engagement. This surge represents over 2.5 million impacts on social media. In 2023, the platform organizing the event allocated a budget of 2 million euros.

This year’s edition included the participation of 31 brands, each presenting their Spring/Summer 2024 swimwear collections on the Gran Canaria runway. In addition to welcoming nine international labels, including the French brand Pain de Sucre and the Italian firm Miss Bikini, and hosting six brands from the Spanish mainland, such as Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada and Como un pez en el agua, the event continued its tradition of endorsing local talent by featuring 16 Canarian brands, comprising 14 from Gran Canaria and two from La Palma.

With emerging local labels like Chacho Souvenirs and Volcano Blood, along with well-established names like Aurelia Gil and Palmas Swimwear, the event aspires to strike a balance between promoting local swimwear fashion and expanding its presence abroad.

Focusing on the international scene

“As part of our internationalization efforts, we aim to put the spotlight on Gran Canaria and provide a global stage,” affirmed Minerva Alonso, government counselor for economic development, industry, trade, and crafts at the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, during an interview with FashionNetwork.com. She emphasized the growing presence of foreign brands, noting, “If we aim to become an international platform and gain visibility in other regions, we must coexist with international brands.”

The participation of the Italian brand Miss Bikini, a veteran of the Canarian runway, is part of this internationalization strategy, which the event has been working on for years. Andrea Teofilatto, the brand’s founder and current CEO, highlighted from backstage that Gran Canaria Swim Week by Moda Cálida serves as “a great platform for expanding into new territories and reaching new generations.” For the brand, participation represents global visibility for its vibrant offering, which also includes evening wear.
 
Looking ahead, the Gran Canaria Swim Week by Moda Cálida aims to continue building alliances by participating in other events such as Maredamare in Italy or fashion weeks in Berlin and Copenhagen, as was the case last summer during the capital’s fashion week. Furthermore, in the upcoming swimwear runway edition, a New York-based brand will be featured, thanks to an agreement inked with the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

During a meeting with FashionNetwork.com, Canary Islands designer Elena Morales, who founded her eponymous brand in 2018, expressed her excitement, saying, “I’m tremendously moved and proud to be able to showcase my work on my home turf.” She confided that she had left her homeland for ten years to gain expertise in Madrid. Today, her sustainable brand is one of the most prominent names in the national swimwear industry.

An increasingly professional event

Another highlight of this edition was the heightened level of professionalism. “We are trying to attract specialized media outlets because we are eager for this island to become synonymous with swimwear, and we want any brand looking to showcase their swimwear collection to look to Gran Canaria,” explained Alonso. She even revealed they are considering extending the swimwear fashion week by one day due to the significant interest from brands wishing to participate in the event.

On the closing day of the event, the event hosted its annual awards ceremony to promote the work and visibility of select participating designers. The award for the best collection, sponsored by Louzao Mercedes-Benz, was bestowed upon Arcadio Domínguez for his collection “El amor,” entirely crafted in shades of pink. The brand Palmas Swimwear received the award for the best sustainable collection, sponsored by Maredamare and CYL magazine. Finally, the award for the best emerging collection, sponsored by Mahou 5 Estrellas, went to Muchiachio.

Established by the Industry, Trade, and Crafts Council of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria in 1996, and with the backing of the Spanish Association of Fashion Creators (Acme) since 2017, the Gran Canaria Moda Cálida program organizes various trade shows and runway events such as Gran Canaria Swim Week by Moda Cálida, Gran Canaria Summerland, Gran Canaria Bridal Collection, and Gran Canaria Fashion&Friends.

According to recent data, the event saw a growth of around 28% compared to 2019 and 41% compared to 2021. Moreover, since the second half of 2022, there has been a 5% increase in new companies registered, with an 8% rise during that period.