Fashion designer Naya Ahdab, from Parsons Paris school, received the 2024 David Delfín International Fashion Award for Original Talent, granted by the Provincial Council of Malaga through Málaga de Moda and La Térmica; a contemporary culture centre. The first edition of the contest, in which Galician Sara Maneiro, a graduate in Fine Arts and specialised in Design and Creative Direction in Fashion from the University of Vigo (ESDEMGA), also obtained the David Delfín scholarship to participate as a finalist next year.
Born in 2002 in New York and of French nationality, Naya Ahdab has won the award for Neuroblastome, a collection about a journey of self-acceptance and self-confidence. Naya received the award, which includes 10,000 euros, along with a statuette created by visual artist Irene Molina, A piece moulded using as a starting point some drawings by David Delfín and the Tutti Frutti collection that Malaga's most international designer presented at MBFWM in 2013.
Sara Maneiro has been finalist with El Objeto Sentimental y el Hogar, which explores, through experimentation with clothing and graphics, the concept of home and the sentimental ties that we develop with objects.
In this first call, a total of 92 designers have sent their candidatures, of which 23% came from abroad, from countries such as the United States, France, Belgium, Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan. After the selection process, carried out by a committee of experts, the nine finalists defended their proposals before a jury made up of prominent figures in the world of fashion. Among them, Rosemary Rodríguez, with extensive experience as creative director at Paco Rabanne, Thierry Mugler and Christian Dior, as well as founder of the AMA agency; Patrick Cabasset, fashion editor at such prominent publications as L’Officiel de la Mode et de la Couture de Paris, Gap or Vogue Paris; Cristina Baruzzi, partner at Sterling International and talent recruiter for Miuccia Prada, Maria Grazia Chiuri or Pierpaolo Piccioli; Leticia García, fashion editor-in-chief at Smoda and fashion editor at El País; designer Juana Martín and Pepa Bueno, executive director of the Asociación Creadores de Moda de España.
The Asociación Creadores de Moda de España (ACME) has joined this project firmly intent in amplifying its reach both in Spain as well as internationally. A support that reflects its commitment to initiatives that not only provide a launching pad for new generations of designers, but also advocate sustainability, innovation and the integration of new ethical and transformative principles in the fashion sector.
“David Delfín has been an outstanding and prominent figure in Spanish contemporary fashion scene, a creator with a unique and singular world who opened new paths that many creators have followed, and continue to follow. Spanish fashion owes him a lot, and the Asociación Creadores de Moda de España, of which he was a very active part since he became a member of the board of directors for years, also owes him a lot. Collaborating in the launch of this award has been an honour and a duty for all of us,” adds Pepa Bueno, executive director of ACME and member of the jury.
This award not only honours the legacy of one of the most iconic fashion designers in Spain, but also reaffirms Malaga's commitment, and that of its institutions, to fashion, thus becoming a space for the promotion of creativity, innovation and global talent.
