The Emerging Talent award was granted to Mans, the prêt-à-porter label founded by Jaime Álvarez (IED Madrid) in 2017. Juan Vidal, creative director and faculty member at IED Barcelona’s School of Fashion, was awarded in the Best Presentation: New Formats category for his 2024 Bridal capsule collection.
The School Where the Most Prominent Voices in Design Are Born Shines at the Spanish Fashion Academy Awards
Date
18 July 2025
The future of Spanish fashion is being shaped in the classrooms of the Istituto Europeo di Design. This was made evident by the strong presence of IED-trained designers at the second edition of the Spanish Fashion Academy Awards, an event organized by the Fundación Academia de la Moda Española (FAME) and RTVE, which honors the most outstanding national talent.
Out of the 13 awards presented during the ceremony, 11 nominations across seven categories were for IED alumni. Among them, Jaime Álvarez (Mans) from IED Madrid won one of the prizes, reaffirming the school's prestige in fashion education. Additionally, Juan Vidal, teacher and creative director at IED Barcelona’s School of Fashion, also received an award.
In the Emerging Talent category, four of the five finalists were linked to the IED: Luis de Javier (IED Barcelona), Luis Berrendero, Tíscar Espadas, and Jaime Álvarez (Mans)—the latter ultimately taking home the award.
Jaime Álvarez earned his Higher Degree in Fashion Design at IED Madrid, graduating in 2017, the same year he launched Mans, his prêt-à-porter brand. The label offers a refreshed take on artisanal tailoring, blending classic codes with an avant-garde aesthetic, clean lines, and textile innovation.
In recent years, Mans has received multiple accolades, including Best Emerging Designer from the Government of Catalonia at three consecutive editions of 080 Barcelona Fashion Week, Vogue Who’s on Next (2020), and the L’Oréal Award for Best Collection in both February 2024 and September 2023. He was also a finalist for the Emerging Talent Award at the previous edition of the Spanish Fashion Academy Awards in 2024.
Additionally, Mans was nominated in the Best Collection category, highlighting the brand's recognition across multiple creative dimensions.
In Best Presentation: New Formats, the award went to Juan Vidal for his 2024 Bridal Capsule Collection, a temporary exhibition held at his studio in Madrid in February 2024. Vidal, creative director and faculty member at IED Barcelona, was recognized for presenting 20 looks that blend traditional, intricate designs with more contemporary, minimalist styles.
With this achievement, Juan Vidal further consolidates his position as one of the leading figures in Spanish fashion, combining innovation, sophistication, and a distinct personal identity that continues to impress both the public and critics.
In the same category, Tíscar Espadas (IED Madrid) was a finalist with her project “Chapter VI. Madrid es Moda. September 2024”, alongside “Collection 013” by Ernesto Naranjo (also from IED Madrid), showcasing the strong narrative and experimental approach that defines the IED’s educational philosophy.
The brand Sepiia, founded by Federico Sainz de Robles, also an IED alum, received double nominations in the Best Business Project and Sustainability and Innovation categories. The brand’s work combines environmental responsibility with contemporary design, perfectly embodying the IED’s educational model: holistic, current, and socially committed.
A Creative Community That Leaves a Mark
The prominent presence of IED Madrid and IED Barcelona at these awards is no coincidence. It reflects a teaching philosophy that emphasizes experimentation, interdisciplinarity, and real-world professional engagement. In a constantly evolving industry, IED’s educational model equips creative talents to meet the current and future challenges of the fashion world.
This is further evidenced by the recent announcement that Luis de Javier will join the judging panel of the TV show Maestros de la Costura Celebrity, replacing Palomo Spain—a confirmation that came just hours before the award ceremony.
Credits: Photos from Instagram @academiadelamoda.es
Cover photo: Juan Vidal on the right and Jaime Álvarez (Mans) on the left.
Juan Vidal, portrait of Jorge Fuster
Collection of MANS
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