The designer Angel Schlesser (Santander, 1957) has been awarded this Monday with the National Fashion Design Award, corresponding to the year 2022, as proposed by the jury meeting this Monday. This prize, awarded annually by the Ministry of Culture and Sport, is endowed with 30,000 euros.
The jury highlighted «the complete artistic and entrepreneurial career of a Spanish creator who consolidated a certain aesthetic to make it internationally recognizable, with pure and innovative lines».
In addition, the jury noted that «his work describes a focus on professional and contemporary women, which is an example for the younger generation of designers».
The National Fashion Design Award rewards the meritorious work of the winner through a work that, in this creative field, has been made public during 2021 or, in duly motivated cases, a complete professional career over time.
The jury was chaired by Adriana Moscoso del Prado Hernández, director general of Cultural Industries, Intellectual Property and Cooperation; and Carlo Penna Gómez, deputy director general for the Promotion of Cultural Industries, acted as vice-chairman.
Ángel Fernández Ovejero, better known as Ángel Schlesser, began his working life in the world of law and banking, but soon changed direction in 1983 and moved into fashion, alongside the couturier Juan Rufete, with whom he began to create fashion for men.
His impeccable and flattering couture also seduced women. «I started designing for women when some of them asked me for garments with which to combine American jackets,» he explained in an interview with Efe.
He debuted in 1990 at Pasarela Cibeles with resounding success and six years later, with minimalism as a flag, he opened his first store in Madrid in 1996.
The brand evolved, had a progressive growth and reached eight stores throughout Spain and several «corners» in El Corte Ingles. She also launched a line of perfumes and accessories, as well as creating the costumes for the film «Hazlo por mí» (1998), by Ángel Fernández Santos.
A lover of refined lines, his garments were designed for an urban woman, until in 2016, Schlesser decided to sell most of the brand to Óscar Areces.
Currently, this Cantabrian, away from fashion, lives focused on design, art and interior design at the head of Galería A.
