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Welcome to the Scoop: a weekly email series in which I quiz fashion insiders on the stories of the week. This will be a way for the Vogue Business community to synthesize and reflect on the latest headlines and get a little inside scoop every Friday.
This week’s guest is Valentina Suárez-Zuloaga, the creative director of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid (MBFW Madrid). After spending a few years working in e-commerce for Stella McCartney and Temperley London in the English capital, Valentina moved back to her native city in 2018 and founded slow fashion retailer Es Fascinante.
A few years later, in February 2025, she was appointed to her position at MBFW Madrid. In just a little over a year, she’s put Madrid back on the fashion map. Vogue Business covered both the Johanna Ortiz show in March and the city’s retail revival, before I even met Valentina in person at the Condé Nast offices in London last month. It was there that she shared some news that I asked her to share with you today.
Hi Valentina! What’s the scoop?
What is the plan?
Before I got the job, I developed a strategy and presented a growth plan that analyzed what we do well, our strengths, and areas for improvement. The Hispanic community was a central focus. Another was the need to elevate the platform by surrounding ourselves with people who already have international experience. Everything in this industry is about strong teams and building the right network of people. So one of my main priorities was to identify the right people and build a new committee. That is how I met [Roksanda CEO] Patricia Sancho, who introduced me to Isabel Mascareñas [head of communications at JW Anderson], and they both introduced me to you. This is the type of collaborative ecosystem we are trying to build.
We’re also working a lot on the runway schedule, which used to be quite mixed, with swimwear, bridal, menswear, and womenswear all presented together. We reorganized the calendar — for example, the first day now focuses on more established brands such as Pedro del Hierro and Adolfo Domínguez. The second day is dedicated to brands that are highly active on social media, with strong influencer communities and cultural relevance. And so forth.
We want to create a strong and clear narrative around MBFW Madrid. The goal is for people to say: I can’t miss Madrid because it offers a unique combination of culture, craftsmanship, design, and commerciality.
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The trouble with fashion weeks is that there are so many of them, and you are competing with the big four by holding your event in September. Press and buyers tend to be reluctant to add to their already stacked traveling schedules. How do you plan to get them to Madrid?
We are very conscious of not overlapping with the major fashion weeks. In this edition, we deliberately aligned the dates with the period just after Formula 1 in Madrid. IFEMA, our organizing body, also organizes Formula 1, so we can create synergies between the two events and offer an itinerary that combines sport, fashion, and broader lifestyle experiences. For March, we’re planning to schedule the event two weeks after the main cycle to make it easier for press and industry guests to attend.
We also want to create smaller, more curated, and more creative networking experiences. The goal is to bring together the right people in meaningful settings. If you are coming to Madrid, the intention is that you not only attend shows but also experience the city.
Who do you want to be on the front row in Madrid in September?
We always look out for breakout TV stars and singers to invite. We are also working with major cultural figures such as [director] Pedro Almodóvar and artists like Guitarricadelafuente and Los Javis. We have previously had [actor] Rossy de Palma walk the runway, which was a great moment, and we would love to bring her back. And of course, it would be amazing to have Rosalía, especially since this year marks the 10th anniversary of designer Palomo Spain, who has dressed her on multiple occasions. That’s the wishlist. We also extended an invitation to Queen Letizia, although understandably, she is unable to attend due to other commitments.
What’s one Spanish brand that you can foresee making the latest It item?
Spain is very strong when it comes to accessories, especially footwear. There’s one brand in particular that I’m excited about, Flabelus. It’s one of the biggest Spanish footwear success stories. And very often, It-items are the result of collaborations. I can definitely see Flabelus partnering with another designer to create the next must-have shoe.
And what are you nostalgic for?
I don’t think many people realize the full impact Spanish designers had on the industry. Take Cristóbal Balenciaga, for example. He was born in a small village not far from where my family is from. Then there were figures like Paco Rabanne and Manuel Pertegaz. Perhaps I’m nostalgic for that golden age of Spanish fashion.
Since the 1990s, we haven’t seen the same level of international recognition. To become a global brand or designer, you have to go abroad. You have to travel, build relationships, sell your work, and engage with the wider world.
That’s why I think Madrid’s growing openness is such an important opportunity. We need to take advantage of this moment and help uncover the next generation of Spanish talent, because it’s out there.
You can catch up with last week’s Scoop with Christie’s Henry Bailey here.
