On October 7th, fifteen young creators upheld their fashion proposals at the Novel Designers Showroom Competition, the event starts-up the fourth edition of the Runway Uniendo Moda Castilla y León. Promoted by the Junta de Castilla y León and CEOE Castilla y León, the Competition acts as a gateway to the professional circuit for the region’s emerging talent. ACME sits on the jury represented by its Executive Director, Pepa Bueno, as part of its ongoing collaboration with the initiative.
The presentations took place in the Rehearsal Hall of Fórum Evolución Burgos. Each participant displayed a complete outfit on a mannequin and explained to the jury the concept, technique, and development of their design. Later that afternoon, the fifteen looks were showcased for the first time on the Runway Uniendo Moda Castilla y León. They remain on display in the Fórum Evolución lobby throughout the two-day event. The participants received their training at the Escuela Superior de Diseño de Valladolid (ESI), the Escuela de Profesionales Alcazarén–FP Aspasia Valladolid, and Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid.
The jury was made up by: representing CEOE Castilla y León, Rosa Frechoso; Head of Strategic Commercial Initiatives of the Junta de Castilla y León, Juan Carlos Martínez; Secretary General of ModaEspaña, Carmen Torres; Executive Director of ACME, Pepa Bueno; Director of the Zamora-based brand Marae, Raúl Escudero; Haidaen’si:k, Óscar Sixto; and designer for Valladolid-based brand Pablo y Mayaya, Pablo Merino. They evaluate the creative and technical quality of each design, its commercial potential, and its professional viability within the sector, assessing both the presentation to the jury as well as the runway show itself. ACME’s participation on the jury is part of a collaboration agreement with Uniendo Moda Castilla y León. The agreement outlines joint initiatives regarding institutional representation, training, promotion, and participation in industry forums, with activities aimed at designers and companies in the region.
The winning design will be announced on October 8th during the closing ceremony, after which it will be showcased on the runway once more. The prize includes a digital pattern-making course taught by ModaEspaña and a supply of materials from AyB Hislabor.
The Fashion Proposals
Celia Alonso Blanco (ESI) initiated the presentations with a design from her Black Swan collection, inspired by Darren Aronofsky’s film: a skirt constructed from second-hand ballet pointe shoes; featuring both cascading straps and others tied into bows, paired with a light, simple bodice. Daniela Gil Núñez (ESI) also drew inspiration from ballet for Élan, a piece that blends the tutu with the ambiance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream; a corset-style bodice with a folded neckline, an open overskirt at the hips, beaded fringes, and a sheer train, all in shades of white and ivory with pearlescent highlights.
Many designs were created using repurposed materials. Marta González Antón (ESI) took the 2015 Hatton Garden heist as her starting point to craft a top made of dyed shirts stitched together, retaining their collars and sleeves, and a skirt that reimagines a trench coat while preserving its original fastening. Inspired by nomadic architecture, Karen Herrera Bravo (Alcazarén) devised a modular system using a repurposed bedspread. Azucena Galván Robledo (Alcazarén) created Magic Spell; part of the Fairy City collection, by using surplus fabrics, scraps, and discarded curtains.
Corsetry and historical references featured in four other designs. María Castrillo Megido (ESI) presented Afrodita from the Evolución Eterna collection, championing fashion that combines comfort, sensuality, and body diversity: an upward-structured corset with hand-sewn beadwork, a terracotta-colored skirt with two openings, and jewelry tracing the shape of a moon across the chest and a cascade of stars down the back. Óscar de Miguel Martínez (ESI) presented Madurez Obligada, featuring three pieces in burgundy floral brocade: a princess-cut skirt, an asymmetrical corset, and a large hood that conceals the face. Patricia Meléndez López (Alcazarén) translated the Regency era into a formal gown featuring sheer elements in light tones, while Paula Muñoz de la Peña (Alcazarén) contrasted 19th-century corsetry with raw textures and punk deconstruction in her piece MUAN.
Rocío Elvira Villullas (ESI) drew inspiration from the duality of Lady Di’s public and private personas, creating a top that acts as a veil over a more delicate silhouette. Claudia Álvarez Sánchez (ESI) presented a look from Delirio; a reflection on consumerism and emotional emptiness, featuring a structured pink denim skirt that appears to be worn inside-out and an open-back T-shirt with a chain closure. Claudia Pérez de la Iglesia (Alcazarén) created a heartless angel in Taraji, featuring a fitted bodice and voluminous, cloud-like hems, crafted from tweed and cotton. Nao Sawada (Alcazarén) designed the CyberPink ’26’ capsule collection, inspired by cyberpunk and techwear, presenting the color pink from a gender-neutral perspective. Andrea Suárez Fernández (ESI) presented Elva, a look inspired by the “slow living” movement, using fluid fabrics and elastic bands to create gathered details.
Belén Tomé Torio (Rey Juan Carlos University) concluded the presentations with a look from Fisura, a collection that explores the five stages of grief as described by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. The piece represents the first stage, denial, expressing it through burnt or torn fabrics and naked skin.
