The next Pielespaña will promote young designers

The 23rd Pielespaña Internacional, International Leather Fashion Exhibition, organised by Fira de Barcelona, which will be held in Hall 1 of the Montjuïc exhibition centre from January 30 to February 2, 2004, will feature a special young creators' group fashion show, the aim of which is to promote future professionals dedicated to the design and manufacture of suede, nappa and doubleface garments. With this is mind, the exhibition has organised a 'Young Talents' contest, open to students at national and foreign universities whose academic programme includes the design and manufacture of suede, nappa and doubleface garments as a subject. Participation has been confirmed by Esdi - Escuela Superior de Diseño from Sabadell (Barcelona); Escola de Disseny, from Palma de Mallorca; Northampton University, United Kingdom; and the London College of Fashion. All participants in this contest will be able to present their garments in the fashion show, which will take place on Saturday, January 31 and compete for a prize awarded for the best design, which will be decided by a jury made up of renowned professionals representative of communications media in the sector and the Committee of Pielespaña Internacional. The winner will also be given the opportunity to participate in the official show taking place the following year. The contest has the collaboration of the Confederación Española de Curtidores (CEC - FECUR) and the magazine Woman. Pielespaña Internacional will also provide the setting, once again, for the Exhibition Proposals catwalk, in which 14 national and foreign firms will present the new autumn/winter 2004/2005 season collections in two daily shows. The Pielespaña fashion show programme will also include another group session to be held every day throughout the exhibition called Balears és Moda, featuring the collections of over 10 firms from these islands present at the exhibition, which reflect the idiosyncrasies and particularities of Balearic leather products and fashion. Leather Surrealism space Another highlight of the next edition is the new Leather Surrealism space. With the collaboration of the CEC - FECUR and the Italian magazine Vogue Pelle, Pielespaña Internacional will present the latest leather fashion trends in a unique surrealist setting. This exhibition, in which fashion, colours, garments and accessories will be blended together, will look like a contemporary art installation: under a cascade of magenta-coloured ribbons, the exhibition space, whose predominant colour will be acid green, will consist of two concentric rings, each housing the proposals of 10 tanning companies. The showcases reserved for the skins will be alternated with one-metre diameter plexy cylinders, 10-metre high posters and antique gilt-framed mirrors. With regard to the national market, exhibitors from 9 Autonomous Communities will be participating. The Balearics Government will be present, for the fourth year running, with a space housing a total of 14 companies. Another highlight will be the participation of Promofirenze, from the province of Florence (Tuscany), a group of 10 suede, nappa, doubleface and fine fur garment manufacturers. Promofirenze will share the space dedicated to the Italian presence with 8 other companies, which will exhibit garments, as well as accessories, tanned goods, trimmings and patterns. The next Pielespaña Internacional will be host to over 180 exhibitors, 56 of which will be foreign, occupying a gross exhibition space of 14,000m². The exhibition will present proposals for suede, nappa, doubleface clothes; tanned goods; fine furs; small leather articles; trimmings; chemical products and machinery. The exhibition, exclusively for trade, forecasts an audience of 15,000 visitors, 10% of whom are expected to be foreign.