{"id":16352,"date":"2026-01-28T12:46:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T11:46:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bridal-times.com\/en\/?p=16352"},"modified":"2026-01-28T12:53:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T11:53:01","slug":"barcelonas-new-generation-of-designers-will-share-runway-with-stephane-rolland-at-bbfw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bridal-times.com\/en\/barcelonas-new-generation-of-designers-will-share-runway-with-stephane-rolland-at-bbfw\/","title":{"rendered":"Barcelona\u2019s new generation of designers will share runway with St\u00e9phane Rolland at BBFW"},"content":{"rendered":"

The designer will guide students throughout the creative journey<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week<\/strong> and designer St\u00e9phane Rolland<\/strong> have completed the selection process of more than 20 students from Barcelona\u2019s design institutions LCI, IED,<\/strong> and ESDI<\/strong>, to open his runway show at the upcoming Bridal Night<\/strong> next April. This joint initiative led by the French couturier and BBFW, underscores the event\u2019s commitment to emerging talent and offers young designers a unique opportunity to learn from Rolland while showcasing their creations\u2014crafted with fabrics provided by the textile house Gratac\u00f3s\u2014alongside one of haute couture\u2019s most influential figures.<\/p>\n

Under the title Sculpted by Nature<\/strong>, St\u00e9phane Rolland and Pierre Martinez, Vice President of STEPHANE ROLLAND Haute Couture<\/strong>, have challenged the students to develop proposals conceived exclusively for this occasion, exploring the relationship between nature, volume and form through an organic sensibility and a sculptural vision of elegance. Beyond the conceptual framework, the designer has placed particular emphasis on craftsmanship, excellence in execution and mastery of technique, understood as the very essence of fashion and the foundation upon which haute couture is built.<\/p>\n

After an initial briefing and project presentations, the top proposals were selected to take part in the runway show by the renowned designer during Barcelona Bridal Night 2026<\/strong>, the tradeshow\u2019s gala evening, to be held on April 22 at Hall 8<\/strong> of the Montju\u00efc venue, before an audience of more than 1,000 industry professionals, buyers and international media.<\/p>\n

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A shared goal by Paris and Barcelona
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\nThe project was born after a BBFW team attended a St\u00e9phane Rolland show in Paris that featured creations by young talents from the French capital\u2019s two leading design schools. That experience\u2014rich in emotion and meaning\u2014highlighted the powerful impact emerging talent can have when integrated into an internationally renowned runway, inspiring BBFW to bring an initiative of equal significance to Barcelona.<\/p>\n

To this end, BBFW sought to bring this concept to Barcelona, an idea the designer eagerly embraced. As Rolland himself states, \u201cIt is essential to provide a stage to the future. Youth is energy and inspiration; their participation in the Barcelona show reminds us that fashion is built through many voices, and theirs is indispensable.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Albasar\u00ed Caro, Director of BBFW, adds: \u201cWe were deeply moved to discover Pierre Martinez and St\u00e9phane Rolland\u2019s proposal in Paris, which gave visibility to young talent, and to realize that we shared a common goal: to empower new generations and offer them a real space within a high-level professional context. At BBFW,\u201d <\/em>Caro continues, \u201cwherever we are, we constantly think how to transform the things that inspire us into projects that bring value to Barcelona. St\u00e9phane Rolland has been th<\/em>e perfect ally in making this initiative a reality to support emerging talent, whose fresh, free and conscious perspective enriches the industry and anticipates the evolution of contemporary fashion.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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A Haute Couture Exercise
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\nThe three participating schools\u2014LCI Barcelona (LCI International), IED Barcelona (Istituto Europeo di Design) and ESDI (Escola Superior de Disseny)<\/strong>\u2014 made an initial internal selection. From 60 initial applications, 20 per school, eight were selected from each to comprise the final group.<\/p>\n

The jury\u2014composed of St\u00e9phane Rolland, Pierre Martinez, Albasar\u00ed Caro<\/strong>, Director of Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week, and Aida Molano<\/strong>, Partnerships Manager at Gratac\u00f3s\u2014reviewed drafts, conceptual approaches and technical tests in person, placing special value on rigor, dedication and the connection of projects to the traditions of haute couture.<\/p>\n

The judges highlighted the students\u2019 outstanding technical quality and their ability to bring fresh perspectives to fashion and the bridal universe through highly personal sensibilities, confirming the strong educational foundations offered by Barcelona\u2019s design schools and strengthening the city\u2019s position as a major international hub for creative talent.<\/p>\n

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From Mentorship to the Runway
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\nFollowing the selection, the students will embark on a creative journey guided directly by St\u00e9phane Rolland through three in-person sessions in Barcelona, focused on mentorship, volume definition and technical guidance. The schools will make their ateliers available for the creation of the garments, overseeing the entire process through to the final fitting.<\/p>\n

The looks will be crafted using materials personally selected by St\u00e9phane Rolland and supplied by the historic Barcelona-based textile company Gratac\u00f3s<\/strong>, ranging from high-quality plain fabrics to embroidered details and creative proposals specific to bridal fashion. Students will receive guidance from the French master as well as from the Gratac\u00f3s team on the properties of each fabric and its suitability for each design. This collaboration strengthens the bond between the textile industry and fashion education, bringing new generations closer to real-world production processes.<\/p>\n

Organized by Fira de Barcelona with the support of the Ministry of Business and Labor of the Government of Catalonia, Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week\u2014 the leading event and international epicentre of bridal fashion\u2014 is preparing a new edition with a special focus on gala and red-carpet creations. Featuring collections from more than 400 brands, 80% of them international, and runway shows by 40 designers, BBFW will take place from April 22 to 26, 2026, at the Montju\u00efc venue<\/strong>, transforming Barcelona into the capital of trends, business and emotion of fashion and its creators.<\/p>\n

For further information on the trade show, visit Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n