Much like any other edition of Tenerife Moda, the 4-day long event opens with the iconic Young Designers Award Show. Yet, this year wasn’t like any other. There was something different about this year’s selection of designers. A je ne sais quoi that I cannot quite put my finger on but that was palpable to anyone sitting inside the prestigious Caja Negra located in the emblematic Recinto Ferial conference centre in Santa Cruz. Perhaps it was the award-winning “Blossom” collection from David Moss (Guadalajara, Mexico) that hit every coquettish note so perfectly. Or, the smart, fluid tailoring of Alejandro Niño’s (Colombia) collection, “Coffee” marked a shift in menswear.
Yaiza Díaz opens Tenerife Moda with an empowering message
Yaiza Díaz, journalist and presenter, opened the event with an evocative speech revealing her current battle with breast cancer. Her “live in the moment” energy, unwavering confidence and sheer radiance brought home the importance and universality of the fashion industry as a messenger for greater causes. Dressed in an exquisite gown and matching turban designed by Marco y María, Yaiza epitomised the power that love has to carry us through our darkest moments.
Cybermorphosis by Ama Studio: Can humans and technology coexist?
AMA Studio shocked onlookers with their final look, an all-black body suit worn with a patent leather structured cropped cape, signalling a complete loss of identity and dependency on technology.
Pastel perfect, Blossom is the winning collection from David Moss
David Pérez (Guadalajara, Mexico), better known as David Moss, lifted the mood with his “Blossom” collection. In typical Moss style, excess volume, frills and decadent embellishments inspired by art and sensuality were the hallmarks of this collection. Tapping into the Zeitgeist ever so perfectly, “Blossom” is what would happen if Marie Antoinette wore Harajuku fashion, delivering a coquettish style in love heart pastel shades. Watching the models parade in the silk, satin and tulle designs is like entering a time capsule to the innocence and femininity of the 1950s and 60s when women embraced feminine silhouettes and everything was more naive. The word “Blossom” means to be born – a nod not only to Moss’ personal life but to the new age of womanhood.
La Malquerida: Nanna's exploration of duality
“La Malquerida” presented by Nazareth Quesada Pieda and her brand Nanna explored the duality of life and the coexistence of opposing elements. Black leather face masks, oversized pea coats completely embellished with white roses, black dress shorts and black Crocs set the scene for the bold fusion of contrasting styles. Each piece tells a compelling story, challenging conventional norms and stereotypes by intertwining elegance with edginess. The result is a series of looks that embody a captivating balance between light and dark, softness and strength, offering a fresh perspective on contemporary fashion.
Glorius: An avant-garde collection from Diego Barroso
Diego Barroso (La Gomera) under the brand name FILST, showcased the avant-garde and inspiring “Glorius” collection as a tribute to genderfluidity and fashion’s ability to transgress, honour and celebrate individuality. Think RuPaul meets Rococo by way of Baroque with a dusting of religious motifs. Opulent jewel tones, larger-than-life silhouettes and ultra-kitsch prints of sumptuous silks and satins showed off the extravagant nature of Barroso. Despite it being a menswear line it is peppered with feminine silhouettes like the boned corsets, paper-bag waistlines, balloon sleeves and 70s-style oversized pointed collars – a fiesta of styles and colours that places the playfulness of fashion at the forefront of the designs.
Elysea Studio's Anti-Cosmos explores human's relationship with the natural world
Following on from this, Eva Gómez (Vitoria) and her brand Elysea Studio presented “Anti-Cosmos”, a collection that goes beyond the aesthetics with a social commentary echoing the growing concerns about man’s relationship with nature. Pantone’s Lucent White accompanied by tempestuous shades of blues and blacks formed the chromatic base from which Gomez experimented with different forms and finishings. Sensual dresses, moulded sleeves, cuffs fastened with fabric-covered buttons, oversized blazers and ethereal feather embellishments were just some of the standout details. Yet if we are talking about details, the look featuring the white cropped jacket and long silk skirt deserves recognition. At a glance, this simple look exudes an air of elegance and grace, yet in each stitch lies a deeper meaning. The beauty of the hand-beaded jacket and the sleek silk fades, just like a sunset, with the burnt details at the base of the skirt. A nod to the destruction of nature through global warming? Gómez leaves this for you to decide.
Zooilógico: Leonardo Mena's collection of resilience and self-discovery
Quite the colour clash, Leonardo Mena’s (Mexico) collection, “Zooilógico” is an ode to the emotional healing process from childhood bullying and sexual repression experienced by the designer himself. A kaleidoscope of colour, this carnival of animals is a bold celebration of personal resilience and self-discovery. The collection features an array of vibrant prints and whimsical patterns, each piece telling a story of overcoming adversity and embracing one’s true identity. By incorporating playful animal motifs and vivid hues, Mena transforms painful memories into a joyful, empowering narrative, challenging societal norms and inspiring others to find strength in their individuality. This sentiment is screamed to the high heavens in Mena’s extravagant orange firebird dress that closed the show. The layers upon layers of ruffles echo the singed feathers of the phoenix, a universal symbol of rebirth and renewal.
Coffee: Alejandro Niño's homage to Colombia
The thirteenth edition of Tenerife Moda’s Young Designers Award concluded with Alejandro Niño’s menswear collection “Coffee” for his brand M0m7. Hailing from Bogotá, Colombia, Niño’s work serves as a poetic expression of love, heartbreak, and unfulfilled plans, symbolised by coffee drops staining a white tablecloth, spreading into abstract patterns. Inspired by the countless stories shared over a mug of coffee, a symbol of his homeland, Niño’s collection underscores the omnipresent nature of fashion, weaving together these shared experiences into a cohesive narrative. Cosmopolitan yet elegantly informal, luxurious oversized silhouettes are splashed, uncontrollably with paint to highlight the juxtapositions in modern tailoring. Yet this collection goes beyond blazers, bomber jackets, oversized overcoats and baggy trousers. It fiercely defends not only artisan craftsmanship through collaboration with Indigenous communities but also through the selection of natural raw materials such as cotton, linen, and vegetable fibres in neutral, earthy tones.
Tenerife Moda, promoting fashion across the globe
Tenerife Moda, directed by Natanael Padrón, with the support of Efrain Medina, Councillor for Employment, Education and Youth of the Island Council, once again has delivered an innovative proposal that promises to move the needle towards not only a greener fashion industry but a more inclusive one. The first prize was awarded to David Moss, Diego Barroso took second prize and Alejandro Niño won the prize for the most commercial collection. This year’s event has set a new standard across the fashion world, placing these designers not only in the national spotlight but also catapulting their careers onto the international stage.
Photos: Eric Iglesias, El Color de la Idea
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