Asociación de Creadores de Moda de España (ACME) and Gran Canaria Island Council, through Gran Canaria Moda Cálida, launched their 2026 training program, an initiative that connects fashion designer brands with the island’s educational centers.
The program, aimed at teachers and students of the Gran Canaria School of Art and Design and La Minilla Secondary School, brings together Acromatyx, Gonzales, Oteyza, Tamarcos, and Ulises Mérida in a series of meets, workshops, and specialized sessions running until October.
This initiative is a part of the collaboration between ACME and Gran Canaria Moda Cálida, which began in 2018, to bridge the gap between academia and fashion designer’s professional work. The sessions are designed with a practical focus: workshop processes, collection development, artisanal techniques, materials, creative identity, and new presentation formats.
The program began with a day at the atelier of Carmen González, creative director of Gonzales, alongside students from Gran Canaria School of Art and Design. The session addressed the creative process, the development of a collection, and the experience of building a brand through designer fashion.
José Manuel Rodríguez Díaz, founder of Tamarcos, will continue the program from June 8th to 23rd with a workshop dedicated to craftsmanship and techniques in women’s footwear at IES La Minilla. The training will cover topics such as material selection, assembly, sewing, finishes, and quality control.
In October, Xavi García and Franx de Cristal, founders of Acromatyx, will explore identity as the central element of the creative process. Also in October, Paul García de Oteyza will lead a sensory workshop focused on fibers, textures, and new fashion formats. The program will conclude with Ulises Mérida, who will lead sessions on costume design for the performing arts, focusing on the creative process, drawing, material selection, and the technical aspects of theatrical costume making.
The activities will take place in schools across Gran Canaria and in the designers’ own workspaces.
