Who Is María Alborés? The Galician Designer Creating for Dior

At a time when the world is once again becoming obsessed with craftsmanship and local traditions, Galician designer María Alborés is building one of the most fascinating creative worlds of the new generation. Her pieces seem to have emerged directly from an Atlantic port after an elegant storm, from a craftsman’s workshop hidden amongst stone and damp, or from a Galician country house filtered through the lens of contemporary fashion. And therein lies the charm: Alborés manages to transform fishing nets, ropes, bobbin lace and natural fibres from museum pieces into something naturally contemporary. Now, having recently joined Dior, she confirms that Galician craftsmanship could also have a place within the global conversation on contemporary luxury.

Born in Boiro and trained at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, María Alborés belongs to that generation of designers who see fashion as a way of telling stories. Between Galicia and Antwerp, she developed her own language where tradition and modernity coexist effortlessly, moving away from any overtly folkloric vision. Her work began to attract particular attention during the Antwerp Fashion Masters thanks to a collection deeply rooted in manual crafts and the Atlantic landscape, reinterpreted through a fresh perspective.

Lost in Tradition, Found in Galicia

Her final-year collection, Lost in Tradition, Found in Galicia, perfectly encapsulated that entire world. It featured pieces crafted using traditional techniques and materials, where the weight of craftsmanship, the damp texture of the Atlantic landscape and the handmade nature of the work were transformed into something entirely contemporary.

Part of that visual impact also stemmed from collaborations with local craft projects, such as La Parabólica, responsible for the woven baskets, or Raíces Nómadas, with whom she developed the bags, both linked to Artesanía de Galicia.

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