The Círculo Ecuestre hosted a meeting this Thursday between Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada, fashion designer and businesswoman, and Mariano Moreno, fashion designer and creative director. The event, presented by Enrique Lacalle, president of the Círculo Ecuestre, and moderated by Isabel Estany, vice president of the club's Cultural Area, offered an overview of both designers' careers, their work processes, and current trends in haute couture.
At the beginning of the discussion, Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada reflected on her career and fashion as a cultural expression. "My arrival in Madrid marked a turning point in my professional life, and I have always felt that my family and my childhood taught me to see the world with color and freedom," the designer stated after sharing with a large audience that she spent her childhood in Barcelona.
For his part, Mariano Moreno, after years working for brands such as Givenchy, Lanvin, Chloé, Pronovias, and Rosa Clará, shared his experience leading his own brand, which he launched three years ago. Recently, he presented her collection Le Fleur du Mal in Paris, conceived as a poetic narrative that allowed guests to discover the pieces progressively: “I wanted the guests to discover each piece gradually, as if each dress told a story.” “Every project we do now stems from our vision and creativity, adapted to each client and collection,” added.
Regarding sustainability applied to the fashion sector, Mariano Moreno explained that his brand “recycles leftover materials and only uses fabrics intended for finished pieces; sustainability fosters efficiency and creativity,” highlighting the reduction of environmental impact and innovation within their collections. For her part, Ágatha added that “managing resources responsibly is part of my daily life,” emphasizing that integrating sustainable criteria is part of her regular creative process and personal life, even though the fashion sector is not very eco-friendly, but she aspires to become so.
Regarding the relationship between creativity and public acceptance, Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada explained that "it amuses me, and I truly don't want to be liked," emphasizing that her creativity seeks above all freedom of expression and challenging conventions, without depending on external approval. On the other hand, Mariano Moreno stated that "I love it when people like what I do, but I don't always want to please others," adding that there's "a part I keep to myself, which I don't care about as much," highlighting the importance of maintaining a balance between authenticity and recognition.
During the final part of the colloquium, moderated by Isabel Estany, both designers reflected on the challenges of Artificial Intelligence. Moreno pointed out that AI can support production processes, but creativity remains an element that cannot be delegated to machines. Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada then emphasized that AI can help in organizing fashion shows and managing collections, but the final creative decision always rests with the designer.