December 17, 2025

CLEC Fashion Festival Valencia 2025

Held in the extraordinary architectural fantasy that is the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, the CLEC Fashion Festival occupies the central space. Like the bleached bones on a brontosaurus the building structures arch above the visitors, they’re suspended in pools of water and surrounded by waves of fragments of white tile mosaic. It’s like entering an enchanted kingdom, but it’s real.

This was my third visit to the event, it’s Spanish focussed with amazing support for Valencia both in terms of the local funding and attendance, but also in the crowds, the ambitions of the designers and the desire to be part of the event, from backstage to runners. Designers apply and and to whittle down I was told was from over sixty applicants was no easy task.

Like any event of this size and type I’m sure visitors have no idea of the work involved in the management of every component part. The security tags, wristbands, entry system, and name badges. The bar, with a wave of guests after every event, the VIP area and its food and table settings reset and refreshed endlessly by the team. Guest liaison with visitors arriving at airports and stations, speaking different languages and all with different demands. The backstage, the show runners, the hair and makeup teams and the show producers, callers, and dressers. The huge teams of video, photography and sound engineers and experts, and of course the DJ’s and music guys. Then there’s the look and settings and ideas of how the space is used and decorated. In all this it was obvious that the event has a brilliant balance of tension versus smiles, stress and applause, and a wonderfully diverse crowd both in grant and behind the sevens, plus sheer energy which stayed high until the final moment.

There are stand alone shows by both local and visiting designers, group shows for emerging designers, one of whom will be awarded a trophy at the end of the event. There is a strong sustainability thread throughout the event, hence this year orange as reflecting the earths heating up, and there’s a group show for ethical/up-cycling/recycling /repurposing/dead-stock/sustainable collections.

There are two groups of talks on both days, and this year my friend Daniel Lismore was the final speaker. He spoke without notes on his journey and his work in all its variety, he held the audience fascinated and we learnt about his friends, partnerships, deep commitments, and his life.

I would like to start with some designers in the group shows and single them out for mention. Pau Ribera showed extravagant evening wear on male models, it was beautifully realised, and I especially loved the crinoline skirt formed of huge baskets complete with handles. Cristina Ramos showed a superb Alice in Wonderland look with a crisp white ruff; a bunny decorated corset and a fringed orange skirt. Ariana Ramos teamed a white feathered Lac des Cygnes bustier with a slender pale apricot skirt. The pieces by Claudia Torres were truly works of art, lacquered and painted sculptures in fabric that were breathtakingly complex but exceptionally beautiful. Asier Jimenez terrific menswear pieces were assembled from ribbons, ribbons of fabric and used tonal complex shading in the layering of colour. As the models wafted past, they spoke of dreams and a kind of languid Dandy. Marc Bas used the ring pulls from cans to make sexy evening wear, Ignacio Ortolano offered very chic menswear, including one of my favourite pieces a white shirt come frock coat with clouds of tulle jabot at the neck.

The first stand alone collection I’d single out is that of Manuel Cornejo who won emerging designer. He combined exciting silhouettes, and interesting interplay within his textiles and fabrics which offered a fresh take on the Spanish aesthetic. The balance always between severity and rigour, with a romantic allure. It’s the edge of darkness found in the love of black and lace and ruffles alongside exuberance of flowers and flamenco. Isabel is my name, showed some superb pieces with extraordinary construction, a sliver of blue silk satin, had a bell of shimmering fabric swaying from the top, a layered puffball of frills and flounces had piping holding some of the layers and a small padded cushion inserted between layers, a black dress had twisted draped heavy ivory satin sleeves. It was a masterclass in how to make beautiful clothes with a surrealist touch, yet it was overwhelmingly subtle and wearable and beautifully elegant.

Abraham Sébastien offered brilliant use of textures from a complex knitted dress to a long white dress with black stripes in sequins, worn with a long black lace coat and with a hem of scarlet ostrich feathers, it was like a Juan Miro painting. Also, an evening dress with flounces of what looked like from a distance heavy silver embroidery was actually empty pill packets of a range of sizes rustling and twisting on the skirt of a black dress.

Juan Andrés Fernandez brought a chic to the runway with a fresh take on elegance but in a modern way. Soft asymmetric, furled umbrella narrow, graphic black and white, a tip tilted chapeau, the collection was balanced with a couture sensibility and great editing. I thought there were some great pieces in the collection of Juan Antonio Martínez especially the floral brocade man suit. Alvaro Machero did a brilliant job of sparkling disco pieces, chains, metal discs, golden charms, links, and rings and metallic bric a brac. Everything was beautifully made and fitted and it’s clear he has a client who orders and enjoys wearing this sexy but never vulgar party wear.

Finally, I must of course mention Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, whose showing closed the catwalk events. Her models spun and twirled, laughed, and danced, the patterns popped and the colours zinged and joyful applause echoed, she brings energy and happiness both with the pieces themselves, and with her style of presentation. What I love is that you can wear her pieces in many different ways from top to toe, or with denim or with basic black or with vintage finds. The reason it works is it can be adapted and adopted into many wardrobes.

I could go on and on, but I will finish with one observation. Much of the innovation was subtle and the key aim of the designers seems to be to make real clothes. The cut and finish, and most of all the fit of the clothes was of a high standard. Clothes didn’t drop pieces or cause the models to fidget or keep adjusting things. This was all about the business of offering ideas and fashion but not in a fantasy of catwalk only, this was for clients to desire and purchase. Congratulations to everyone, huge applause to the offices and officials of Valencia who support the event and thank you Miquel Suay the Director of the entire CLEC fashion festival for inviting me.

Words by Tony Glenville