Minerva Alonso Santana, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Crafts of the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, receives us in her office to tell us all the details of her visit to Copenhagen Fashion Week and the moment of grace that Gran Canaria Moda Cálida is experiencing
Recently arrived from Denmark along with a delegation representing the Gran Canaria brand, the counselor answers all questions about this promotional event and the current state of a brand that is already a representative symbol of the island.
The councilor comments on the hard work that the council has carried out together with the Gran Canaria Chamber of Commerce in the internationalization process of Gran Canaria Moda Cálida, a process that has taken place at international fashion fairs in countries such as Germany and Italy before arriving in the city that is already called "the epicenter of European fashion": Copenhagen.
The visit had two main objectives: to promote Gran Canaria Moda Cálida and to finalize in-person participation in the second edition of Copenhagen Fashion Week , to be held in August. According to the councilor, these objectives were more than achieved. As mentioned during the presentation of the promotional activities, a promotional video for Gran Canaria Moda Cálida was shown during the international live stream of the various shows at Copenhagen Fashion Week. Regarding participation next August, the positive expectations from the visit to Copenhagen have been met, with the Gran Canaria brand's presence at the second edition of Copenhagen Fashion Week now confirmed . Furthermore, Minerva Alonso indicated that discussions have begun for Gran Canaria Moda Cálida to have a presence at a trade fair coinciding with Fashion Week, where sales of garments by Canarian designers attending the event in Denmark will be promoted.
The choice of Copenhagen was not accidental, the counselor indicates that the appearance of Gran Canaria Moda Cálida responds to its inclusion in the European Fashion Alliance where debate, reflection and the experience of experts about current trends took place. and, with sustainability as a premise, the conclusion was reached to carry out the choice of Copenhagen as the next step in the internationalization of Gran Canaria Moda Cálida.
The counselor highlights the good relationship established with the Danish Fashion Council, which has allowed the total success of this promotional action that has brought Gran Canaria Moda Cálida to the Nordic country. When asked about the next steps that the department intends to take in the internationalization of the brand, the advisor reveals that contacts have been established with the United States to promote Gran Canaria as a meeting point between Europe and America in terms of fashion. refers; But she emphasizes that, although it is something raised within the internationalization plan, it is not a priority objective right now.
The achievements of the campaign have not gone unnoticed by the brand, the reach has been two million people and, although the official data will be available within a month, estimates point to an ROI equal to or greater than the 23 million euros. The online campaign was also satisfactory, with two Danish influencers who brought Gran Canaria Moda Cálida garments closer to their followers, creating a much more direct channel for promoting the brand in the country; a country whose maximum temperature does not usually exceed 16 degrees, so as the counselor herself indicates, it has been a challenge for Canarian designers, who have worked to adapt their garments to the Nordic market.
The regional government has also emphasized the importance of the criteria that designers interested in traveling to Denmark to show their collections in August must meet. Minerva Alonso stated that the regional government is already working with the Danish Fashion Council to establish the necessary technical criteria for participation. She also highlighted the significant publicity that the selected designers will gain from this opportunity.
Training plays a key role in this process. The counselor especially values the training structure that has been generated around Gran Canaria Moda Cálida through scholarships (which have doubled in the last year), a Gran Canaria Moda Cálida school in which business training focused on the world of design by the Association of Fashion Creators of Spain and a tutoring program with external technical assistance that guides all those interested in the training process. Thanks to this training program, the counselor confirms that they have 10 companies in the pipeline that have gone from being a “new talent” to being consolidated, thus being able to count on them in the future for new projects that the brand undertakes together with the ministry.
At a global level, Minerva Alonso gives a very positive assessment of the brand's development over the years, highlighting the significant step forward achieved through the internationalization process undertaken by the regional government in collaboration with the Gran Canaria Chamber of Commerce. The regional minister emphasizes the positive relationships established with various institutions, citing as an example the words of Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of the Danish Fashion Council, who stated that Gran Canaria Moda Cálida is an inspirational element for Copenhagen.
