Global Fashion Talent Explores Cádiz: Ubrique’s Leather Heritage Takes Centre Stage
The Antwerp Fashion School, part of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, has been talking about Cadiz and especially Ubrique for two days. Thanks to prior contacts made by the Cádiz Business Confederation in collaboration with the Leather Technology Centre – Movex, the director of the school, Mr. Brandon Wen, visited our province last September to learn firsthand about the know-how accumulated generation after generation in the leather workshops of Ubrique and to attend the presentation of the project “I love bags: a question of leather.”
Access to this renowned design school, a benchmark in the fashion world, is very difficult and restricted, with candidates from all five continents. Thus, the more than 70 students attending the first of the presentations were from more than 16 different countries. In addition to providing an in-depth overview of the leather goods sector in Cadiz, they were given a series of contacts so that in their future professional lives, they can turn to the Cadiz industry for the development and production of their designs or the collections of the major fashion houses where they work, as given the high standard of the school, these are usually the companies that take on the talent trained there.
The programme has sought to combine knowledge of the leather sector with the tourist attractions of the Sierra de Cádiz, as together they form the experience that these designers will have in the future when they entrust their productions to companies in the area. Considering that Central European countries such as France, Germany, and Belgium, where the school's students end up practicing their profession, occupy the top positions in the ranking of Spanish leather goods exports, this initiative is a commitment to promoting and creating a breeding ground that strengthens commercial relations between Ubrique and the international fashion industry.
To convey the benefits of leather, its characteristics, and behaviour, students worked in groups on the conceptualisation, design, and development of an artistic bag and its adaptation into a commercial bag to present to the Ubrique delegation, as would happen in the real world.
This initiative has raised awareness of the Learning Factories Project among the more than 70 students in attendance, as well as among the school's teaching staff. For the students at this school specialising in fashion design, having access to the information that Learning Factories will make available to them about the world of leather and leather goods represents a tremendous opportunity, as they graduate as professionals who are in high demand by established brands in the luxury sector.
The Movex Foundation has already arranged other sessions with different Spanish and international fashion schools for 2026, where, in addition to its usual workshops, there will be space for spreading the results of the Learning Factories Project.
The Movex Foundation's collaboration with this prestigious fashion school began more than 10 years ago with the sponsorship of the “Movex Prize,” which is awarded after the annual fashion show organised by the school in Antwerp. This is a must-see event for fashion lovers, where students review the history of fashion and those in their final year present their designs through individual collections. Through the Movex Prize, the Andalusian Leather Technology Centre rewards the student who has the most talented use of leather in their designs, inviting them to spend a week learning about the leather sector in Ubrique, including visits to the Leather Museum, factories, suppliers, and its own facilities.
During the Fashion Show, usually held in June, fashion meets more than 6,000 attendees on Friday and Saturday. In 2026, Antwerp will have a special calendar of activities as it will be the city's fashion year.
Access to this renowned design school, a benchmark in the fashion world, is very difficult and restricted, with candidates from all five continents. Thus, the more than 70 students attending the first of the presentations were from more than 16 different countries. In addition to providing an in-depth overview of the leather goods sector in Cadiz, they were given a series of contacts so that in their future professional lives, they can turn to the Cadiz industry for the development and production of their designs or the collections of the major fashion houses where they work, as given the high standard of the school, these are usually the companies that take on the talent trained there.
The programme has sought to combine knowledge of the leather sector with the tourist attractions of the Sierra de Cádiz, as together they form the experience that these designers will have in the future when they entrust their productions to companies in the area. Considering that Central European countries such as France, Germany, and Belgium, where the school's students end up practicing their profession, occupy the top positions in the ranking of Spanish leather goods exports, this initiative is a commitment to promoting and creating a breeding ground that strengthens commercial relations between Ubrique and the international fashion industry.
To convey the benefits of leather, its characteristics, and behaviour, students worked in groups on the conceptualisation, design, and development of an artistic bag and its adaptation into a commercial bag to present to the Ubrique delegation, as would happen in the real world.
This initiative has raised awareness of the Learning Factories Project among the more than 70 students in attendance, as well as among the school's teaching staff. For the students at this school specialising in fashion design, having access to the information that Learning Factories will make available to them about the world of leather and leather goods represents a tremendous opportunity, as they graduate as professionals who are in high demand by established brands in the luxury sector.
The Movex Foundation has already arranged other sessions with different Spanish and international fashion schools for 2026, where, in addition to its usual workshops, there will be space for spreading the results of the Learning Factories Project.
The Movex Foundation's collaboration with this prestigious fashion school began more than 10 years ago with the sponsorship of the “Movex Prize,” which is awarded after the annual fashion show organised by the school in Antwerp. This is a must-see event for fashion lovers, where students review the history of fashion and those in their final year present their designs through individual collections. Through the Movex Prize, the Andalusian Leather Technology Centre rewards the student who has the most talented use of leather in their designs, inviting them to spend a week learning about the leather sector in Ubrique, including visits to the Leather Museum, factories, suppliers, and its own facilities.
During the Fashion Show, usually held in June, fashion meets more than 6,000 attendees on Friday and Saturday. In 2026, Antwerp will have a special calendar of activities as it will be the city's fashion year.