Spain’s Fashion Design Sector Achieves Historic €1 Billion Revenue Mark

Spanish fashion design has recorded its best turnover in the last decade, surpassing last year, for the first time, the barrier of one billion euros in turnover. This is the result of the ninth edition of the report El diseño de moda español, en cifras (Spanish fashion design in figures), promoted by the Asociación Creadores de Moda España (Acme).

The report was presented this Monday in the auditorium of the headquarters of the Ministry of Economy, Finance and Employment of the Community of Madrid and was attended by the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sport of the Community of Madrid, Mariano de Paco; the designer and founding member of Acme Modesto Lomba; the general manager of Amazon for Spain and Portugal, Ruth Diaz, and the executive director of Acme, Pepa Bueno, among others.

Collectively, the companies associated with Acme invoiced close to €1 billion in the last year, their best figure in the historical series, which began in 2015. Despite noting a full recovery after the pandemic blip, year-on-year growth has contracted compared to that recorded the previous year. Thus, turnover increased by 3.9% in 2024; whereas, in 2023, it rose by 8.4%.

This year’s edition reflects an increase in the weight of the digital channel in the market, which is one of the main drivers of turnover in the sector. Acme member companies recorded sales of €192.8 million through ecommerce, 8.6% more than the previous year. Thus, the online channel accounted for 19.2% of total turnover, compared to 18.4% in 2023.

On the other hand, the international market has also recovered some of the ground lost in the previous year. Sales of Spanish designer fashion abroad accounted for 37.8% of total turnover, up to €380 million. Once again, this is the best figure in the historical series.

Production, on the other hand, has abandoned its upward trend. Spanish design companies produced 14.2 million items last year, down 2.9%. On the other hand, the distribution network of Acme’s member companies grew by 1.5% and closed the year with 26,219 points of sale, the best figure recorded in the last nine years.

Acme’s associates also reflect on the main challenges and opportunities in the sector. Sixty-five percent of them believe that alliances between companies will set the tone in the future. They also value the made in and the growth of sustainable fashion as future trends in the sector.

Acme’s member companies recorded sales of €192.8 million through the digital channel

Spanish design places internationalization as its main challenge, ahead of access to financing, distribution channels and brand generation, which are also positioned as relevant challenges for companies.

On the occasion of the presentation of the report, the recently appointed president of Acme, Juan Duyos, said that “consolidating what has been built requires imagination, courage and a deep respect” for the sector. He defends a growth “with good handwriting, among all” and “without giving up the essentials”.

The executive director of Acme, Pepa Bueno, has defended that Spanish designer fashion has always been linked to sustainability. “It has done so without a loudspeaker,“ she said, with brands that manufacture “only what they know they will use, prioritizing the work of local workshops, choosing materials with history and soul,“ she concluded.

The presentation event was attended by the new president of Acme, Juan Duyos, designers Roberto Torretta and Ernesto Naranjo, as well as Laura Diaz and Isabel Ynzenga, from Pedro del Hierro. Also in attendance were the director of the Costume Museum, Helena López de Hierro; the general director of Ifema Madrid’s Trade Fair Business, Arancha Priede, and the director of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid, Asier Labarga, among others.