The Scoop with Valentina Suárez-Zuloaga: A Change of Location (and Attitude) for Madrid Fashion Week

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?

For the first time ever, this coming September, Madrid Fashion Week will actually take place in Madrid. Since its launch more than 40 years ago, the event has been held at a venue a 20-minute drive out of the city. This has been holding us back because the city of Madrid is one of our strongest assets.

We will be doing the shows in big palaces, other institutional buildings, and even on the streets. Our designers have been asking for the option to present their collections in unique environments, and we are trying to position MBFW Madrid as the main platform for Hispanic fashion in Europe. Having the shows in the city should help with that mission.

I’ve been hearing and reading that Madrid is experiencing a renaissance. Can you talk to me about that?

Madrid is currently receiving an influx of international visitors, mainly from Latin America. There are a lot of Venezuelans, Colombians, Mexicans… they actually call Madrid “the new Miami”. They are starting businesses in Madrid and establishing residences. We felt we needed to take advantage of this moment, so we started to invite international brands to show during MBFW Madrid. In March, for example, we had [Colombian brand] Johanna Ortiz’s show here.

Which international brand are you inviting for September?

This year, we’re excited to welcome Agua Bendita, a very popular resortwear brand from Colombia. The show will be done in collaboration with the Latin American Fashion Awards (LAFA). It’s the first time we’ve partnered with an external platform, and it’s incredibly valuable to join forces with organizations that have already built strong communities.

As part of this partnership, Agua Bendita presented by LAFA will host a special showcase on Tuesday, September 15, at 12pm in collaboration with LAFA. The show will celebrate Latin American culture, craftsmanship, and cultural heritage. It will also feature prominent Hispanic talent, including a well-known singer who will perform live and help open the fashion week program in the city.

You’re relatively new to this job. What was your brief when you started?

To put Madrid on the fashion map. It’s a city already known for its gastronomy and art, but there is still an opportunity in fashion, which we are strong in, though it’s not widely known. I feel like the wind is blowing in our sails. If we execute the plan properly, it can generate jobs, economic growth, opportunities, and international visibility for Spain, not just Madrid.