Back in February Aitor Goikoetxea presented at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid, where he took home the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Talent Award which will now see him showing at the upcoming Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week México. At 22 years old and Basque as hell, AITORGOIKOETXEA is a brand with a lot of personality, highlighting its aesthetic sensibility full of creativity, savoir-faire, and technique. His aesthetic, full of nostalgia and always inspired by some aspect of the designer’s origins, fills the designs made by Aitor with colors and textures. The artisan aspects are also a fundamental point in the process of their creations, using embroidery, knitting, and manual flocking that give a unique value to each garment. We caught up with Aitor to have a peek at what’s in store with us in México!
You are showing at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week México. I imagine that you always wanted to be a designer. When did you know that’s what you wanted?
Actually, I never really dreamt of being a fashion designer. All my life, my family, friends, and teachers told me that I should be a designer. I have always liked to take care of aesthetics, but it was during high school that I realized that fashion was a discipline in which I could work on the conceptual part of art that interests me the most and translate it into something material. Fashion ends up having a meaning, a usefulness, and an impact on people’s lives. Also, I realized that it allows me to explore it in many different disciplines, such as cinema and music. It also gives me an artistic freedom that, for me, is perfect for experimenting and growing.
Tell us about your SS24 collection showing at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week México.
This next show in Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week México is thanks to the Mercedes Benz Fashion Talent award I received last February in Madrid. The collection speaks about the hidden intimacy that’s behind traditional costumes used as part of rituals in the Basque Country. It really gets me so excited to be able to present this kind of project at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week México presented by Marriott Bonvoy, because I do have some of my family members living there, and it will be amazing to see them again this way.
Do you have a favorite piece from the collection?
Of course! I think that one of my favorite looks is the black and white embroidered pieces, that’s actually the one that closes the show. But I also love the knitwear pieces that will be soon on sale.
What is your starting point when working on a collection?
I always start my collections by looking at my family’s old photo albums. Every time I see them again I look into different things, that spontaneous interest in something nostalgic gets me so excited to start to develop them into textures I can make, maybe they get me into an interesting color palette or into a certain moment like it could be the 70’s and start from references from actual clothes my family used. I also get so inspired by films, or even Netflix hahaha. I think what I like the most about this process is that I can see “real” moments where clothes have meaning and context.
If we visited your atelier, what would be on your playlist?
I love this question! I think it would depend on the moment. When it’s early in the morning I need to get some energy to really wake up, and techno gives me that. In the afternoon and early night is when I work the best, and Jungle would be my favorite option, “Candle Flame” or “Back on 74” are my latest favorites. I also love SZA.
Looking ahead, what are your plans going forward?
I’m planning to present my next FW 24 collection in Paris and start to sell my clothes in different online stores. I feel ready now to take a bigger step with my brand.
And finally, what was the best piece of advice you have been given?
I would say trust your intuition and don’t compare your process with others.
