The latest edition of Dressing the stars at the Zinemaldia was presented this morning at the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, at a news conference attended by the Provincial Deputy for Culture, Cooperation, Youth and Sports, Goizane Álvarez; José Luis Rebordinos, Director of the Zinemaldia; and the San Sebastian Councillor for Economic Development and Local Employment, Marisol Garmendia. The three were accompanied by nine out of the fourteen creative directors from the pre-selected Basque companies.

For the 71st edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival, 39 companies applied for the project, although, after the presentation of their proposals and the analysis of the official Zinemaldia stylists, 14 have been shortlisted. The final awards are currently being made and will be revealed from Friday onwards at the different scheduled galas; although brands such as SKFK, Loreak Mendian and Sastrería Aldabaldetreku have already been confirmed as the Basque firms selected to participate in the seventh edition of the ‘Dressing the stars of Zinemaldia’ project, in which actors and actresses, as well as presenters of the galas will wear fashion 'made in Basque Country' in their public appearances.

The rest of the pre-selected firms are the following: Eñaut, Sister Sister Brand, Gorka Cintero, Talisman Jewellery, Manuela va de fiesta, Raquel Balencia Couture, Ines Itsaso, Soñarte, Artola Couture, Mao and Aiza Couture.

In her speech, Álvarez said that, compared to the previous edition, the “most outstanding” new aspect is the higher participation of Basque fashion designers. At this seventh edition there has been a rise of 15% in the Basque companies who have signed up for an initiative demonstrating that it is “fully consolidated”.

Out of the 39 participants, 35 are from Gipuzkoa, three from Bizkaia and one of them lives in Barcelona, but is of Guipuzcoan origin. However, she also stressed that, although in previous years the participants were fundamentally designers, every year sees the addition of new companies who have a physical shop in the city, thereby demonstrating the versatility of this initiative.

For Álvarez, this project supports local fashion companies by recognising their creativity and good work, and it is also an opportunity to make these companies known to those who dress men and women actors and presenters so that they can add our designers to their list of contacts for future projects. That’s why she said that, thanks to this initiative, “Gipuzkoa becomes the capital of Basque fashion” during the Zinemaldia. “We are making an important and solid commitment to this sector in view of the fact fashion is a very important cultural industry. Cinema is not alone in its importance, but is joined by fashion, and that’s how it is understood by the Council of Gipuzkoa”, she noted.

For his part, the Director of the San Sebastian Festival, José Luis Rebordinos, said that for the Festival “it is an honour to do our bit in attracting attention to local talent and to providing an international showcase” for fashion from the Basque Country and Gipuzkoa.

In addition, the San Sebastian Councillor for Economic Development, Local Employment and Ecology, Marisol Garmendia, said that “yet another year, we put the Festival’s red carpet at the service of our designers and creators. Every edition, the Festival sees a great many well-known artists who demand fashion bearing the San Sebastian stamp: elegant, well-made and overflowing with creativity and the cinema, as is to be expected of an excellent Festival such as our own”.

At previous editions, presenters, filmmakers and actors including Anne Igartiburu, Loreto Mauleón, Itziar Ituño, Bárbara Goenaga, Cayetana Guillén Cuervo or Úrsula Corberó, among others, have worn a garment by Basque firms.