Isabel Sanchís, one of the most prominent figures in the world of haute couture in Spain, has recently been awarded the prestigious L’Oréal Paris Best Collection Award during Mercedes Fashion Week Madrid 2024, an honour she shares with Pedro del Hierro. On this occasion, Sanchís, alongside her daughter Paula Maiques, captivated the audience with a collection that embodies the epitome of elegance, blending craftsmanship and innovation.
Inspired by sculptural art, the collection features a colour palette ranging from pale yellows to lilacs, golds, and blacks. With 3D textures, handcrafted pleats, and exquisite lingerie pieces and evening dresses, each design stands out for its impeccable tailoring and unmistakable touch of elegance.
Isabel, congratulations on winning the L’Oréal Paris Best Collection Award. How do you feel about receiving this new recognition, and what does this achievement mean to you and your team?
Thank you very much. I’m truly delighted and happy about the award. We greatly appreciate the work that the entire L’Oréal team does, and coming from such an important company, it’s an honour to receive it once again. For me and for the whole team, it’s a boost of positivity as it encourages us to keep working hard and strive to do even better next time.
You employ a lot of techniques in this collection, such as 3D textures and handcrafted pleats. What makes you choose these techniques, and what challenges do they present?
We really enjoy working with traditional techniques like pleating, but sometimes we want effects that can’t be achieved industrially. For example, this season we worked with micro-pleating soleil, which has to be done by hand and requires four or five people to pleat each piece. Each dress consists of a minimum of 12 or 14 pieces, and because they are cut on the bias, it adds to the complexity.
Additionally, we like to explore sculpture and architecture and translate that into garments, playing with volumes.
What inspired your selection of these colours, and how do they contribute to the narrative and atmosphere of the collection?
This year, we wanted to break away from the tones we usually use, and in the end, we dared to try these shades: lilacs, yellows, and a touch of purple. They are fresh, feminine colours that bring softness and joy to a spring-summer collection.
What has your experience been like in this edition of Mercedes Fashion Week Madrid 2024, and what will you take to heart from this latest edition?
From this latest edition, we carry with us the camaraderie of the L’Oréal team, especially after the emotional 25th anniversary video, the award, and the support we received. We also cherish the special moments shared with the other designers and the collaborative work with our team, which ultimately turned out perfectly.
