Swimwear once again takes centre stage in the Canary Islands. Gran Canaria Swim Week 2025, held from 22 to 25 October, brought together nearly fifty national and international brands and designers at the Expomeloneras exhibition centre, opening with an open-air first day.

According to the latest industry data, the event generates an economic impact of €6.25 million, boosting sectors such as restaurants, hospitality and transport, while the island’s fashion companies increased their turnover in 2024 by 24.58% on the previous year, when they recorded a total turnover of €1.1 million, consolidating Gran Canaria as the European epicentre of the sector.

A total of 44 brands from the local, national and international scene participated in this edition. Specifically, the event brought together 27 Canarian firms from Gran Canaria, La Palma, Tenerife and Lanzarote, as well as nine from mainland Spain and eight international. A line-up that demonstrates the consolidation and evolution of the event in recent years.

“You can see the evolution, and the project is taking clearer shape,” said Carlos San Juan, a long-standing figure on the catwalk, who highlighted the professional growth and international reach that Gran Canaria Swim Week has achieved.

Karolína Kurková, the star of the opening day

The opening day, held in Pasito Blanco, a marina in the south of the island, offered a different format with open-air catwalk shows by the sea. Czech supermodel Karolína Kurková, the face of the event, took part in several shows and provided one of the day’s highlights, arriving by boat to open the Victoria Cimadevilla show. The Oviedo-born, Madrid-based designer presented a collection inspired by Truman Capote’s Swans, “something glamorous, pure and that embodied the society of the time,” as she explained to FashionNetwork.com, crafted primarily in neoprene, in a black-and-white palette.

Local talent was once again a cornerstone of the event, with names such as Palmas, Diazar, Mare Far Niente, Pomeline and Elena Morales, underscoring the islands’ creative richness. Morales, one of Gran Canaria’s best-known designers, offered a more intimate, emotionally driven collection this time.

“Since my first show in 2018, the brand has evolved in all aspects. It is more developed and consolidated. I also enjoy the chaos of the catwalk more now,” she explained.

Her new collection, romantic and fluid in lightweight fabrics such as chiffon and kaftans, was presented in a show that departed from the energetic tone of her previous presentations, where techno music often took pride of place, in favour of something subtler, accompanied by Afro-Cuban notes, in tribute to the designer’s late grandfather.

Among the national brands, highlights included Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada, faithful to her playful and colourful universe; Bohodot, with its “Raíces del Sol”collection inspired by the Mediterranean; Fiona Ferrer, who combined local craftsmanship and international references, featuring Snoopy details that nodded to her FFL x Peanuts line; and the veteran Dolores Cortés, with decades on the catwalk.

“We are delighted to come, as always,” said Óscar Colomer, CEO of the family firm from Castellón and grandson of its founder, noting that, having taken part in practically every edition, “we have noticed a spectacular evolution of the event.”

The brand presented an exclusive selection from its “Earth” line, focused on neutral tones, natural fabrics and handcrafted techniques, reaffirming its commitment to meticulous production and sustainable design.

The international dimension of this edition came courtesy of names such as British designer Melissa Odabash, who celebrated 25 years in swimwear with the “Cruise 2026” collection, inspired by 1970s resort glamour; Colombian label Macaed, with a menswear offering imbued with Caribbean spirit and artisanal construction; Banana Moon, founded in Monaco, which fused Western style with a beach sensibility through fringing and synthetic suede; and Italian brand Miss Bikini, which presented “Boho Dream”, a collection blending craftsmanship and luxury with paisley prints, crochet and eco raffia accessories. “Beyond bikinis, our dress offering also accounts for a significant share of our sales,” noted Andrea Teofilatto, the brand’s founder and CEO, of a range made entirely in Italy with fabrics from Como.

The GCSW 2025 Awards recognised the work of three brands

The Gran Canaria Swim Week 2025 awards ceremony brought the final day to a close, with three brands receiving €3,000 each. Italian designer Dan Ward was recognised with the Best Collection Award, thanks to a collection that fused elegance and functionality with a resort sensibility, while the award for Best Sustainable Collection went to Canarian designer Elena Morales, for her artisanal work and commitment to the environment. Meanwhile, the Gran Canarian brand Mare Far Niente won the Best Emerging Collection award with “Viaje a la calma”, inspired by the Mediterranean and everyday life, underpinned by a commitment to the local.

The winning brands were selected by a jury comprising names such as Pepa Bueno, executive director of the Association of Spanish Fashion Creators (ACME); Simona Severini, director of White Milano; Scott Lipinski, CEO of the International Fashion Committee; Melanie Bauer, buyers’ representative; Araceli Díaz, representative of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria; Grisel Fernández, international adviser to the Chamber of Commerce; and Esther García Capdevila, director of Esma Events and creative director of Gran Canaria Swim Week.

With the backing of the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, through the Gran Canaria Moda Cálida programme, created in 1996 by the Cabildo’s Department of Industry, Commerce and Crafts, and supported since 2017 by ACME, the event reaffirmed with this new edition its role as an economic driver and platform for talent. \

“Gran Canaria has established itself as the island specialising in swimwear and as the leading European platform in this field,” stressed Minerva Alonso, councillor for economic development of the Cabildo, noting that, looking ahead, “the goal is to continue growing and consolidating our position not only as the benchmark swimwear catwalk in Europe, but also as a global reference point.”