June 04, 2018
Latin American fashion meets in Uruguay thanks to MOLA
These have been the highlights of MOLA, the biggest fashion sustainability event in Latin America
From May 20 to 27, we moved to Uruguay to see the new proposals of Latin American design. One more year, MOLA has managed to combine creativity, innovation and sustainability in a special edition with more than 20 activities in the city of Montevideo between workshops, conferences, runways and exhibitions. From BIAAF we thank the MOLA organization for allowing us to present the data of the last edition of our contest within the framework of our conference: Cultural heritage: legacy and innovation.
The highlights of MOLA
In the Forums, Latin American referents (the Argentinean ones of Estudio Quier, Lucía Chaín and María Del Mar Romero, and María Inés Strasser, from Uruguay, among others) invited, through their experiences, to reflect on the fashion production chain . During the Hilatory, sociologists, anthropologists, and international experts – from different fields – debated the role of fashion and its social impact in different spheres.
As a closing, a Keynote Conference dictated by international referents in sustainable fashion was held: Eduardo Iracheta (Iracheta.es) gave a talk on the Human Right to water and good practices in its use at an industrial level; Giusy Bettoni (C.L.A.S.S. Eco Hub Milan, Italy) spoke about circular economy, smart textiles, and certifications for new materials and new business models. Evelyn Mora, founder of Helsinki Fashion Week (Finland), the first 100% sustainable fashion week, recounted her business experience and invited us to reflect on conscious consumption.
Manifesto, workshops and gallery at the Carnival Museum
The sustainable brands and designers had their space: MOLA intervened the streets of the Old City with the Uruguayan sustainable fashion Manifesto, together with Gaia, Inner, Cerrito de Indios, Cosa Nostra and Ekofusion. Likewise, throughout the weekend, gallery attendees were able to visit spaces of sustainable fashion brands in Latin America (Guani, So Vintage, Tramarte, Texturable, María Bouvier, Josefina De León, Wairá, Laboratory X, Bambú del Este, Algo Bonito, Troja, Boobamara, Cyril, Carla Andrada, Get Wild Escena by Gaby and Aura) as well as outdoor activities, from talks, collective weaving, pedal films and specific workshops on sustainability in fashion, with the participation of Victoria Cerón from Chile and Manos del Uruguay, among others.
Closing at the Teatro Solís
The sustainable fashion week closed with a Green Carpet on Sunday 27 at the Solís Theater in Montevideo. There, the Ecuadorian designers Fabrizio Celleri and Andrea Tello presented their collections of clothing and jewelry, recognized internationally. Likewise, the DOLMEN and CHAIN brands made an intervention at the beginning of the night. During the gala, the designers Carla Andrea from Argentina, and Gaia from Uruguay obtained, in recognition of the outstanding sustainable brand, an online course with Slow Fashion Next Spain and a mentoring with C.L.A.S.S. Eco Hub Milan respectively.
The winners of the MOLA 2018 Awards to students were announced as a highlight of the evening, a contest in which the Istituto Marangoni awarded a study grant for its headquarters in Miami to Rocío Arredondo and Slow Fashion Next an online course to introduce the sustainable fashion to Florencia Panaro, both Argentine students.
Likewise, the Latin American Design Association, ALADI, recognized the valuable contribution of Eduardo Iracheta for the development of Design in Latin America during the closing gala of MOLA 2018.
MOLA generates awareness about the textile industry and promotes the wealth and diversity of Latin America. Each edition of MOLA Event is a showcase to make visible the sustainable design industry and stimulate good practices in fashion. We invite you to join this platform that takes strength and to continue building the change together.
Special thanks to:
Valentina Súarez and Doris Helena Rojas, Founders of MOLA, for their know-how, their love and understanding.
Smith & Smith Bilbao for dressing Eduardo Iracheta during his stay in Uruguay.
