Hyères Festival 2026: Double Award Winner Brais Albor Rodriguez Explores European Linen
October 20, 2026
A double award-winner at the 2026 Hyères Festival, Brais Albor Rodriguez explores the creative possibilities of European flax in his menswear collection. As a partner of the Festival for over ten years, the Alliance has supported him, along with four other finalists in this fashion competition.
From 15 to 18 October 2026, the 41st edition of the International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Accessories took place at Villa Noailles in Hyères. Spanish designer Brais Albor Rodriguez won the City of Hyères Public Prize and received a Special Mention from the Fashion Jury, chaired by Chemena Kamali, Creative Director of Chloé. His collection, Por mis santos cojones, developed with the support of the Alliance and its member companies, showcases the diverse applications of European Flax-Linen.
Brais Albor Rodriguez: European Linen in an Inclusive Menswear Wardrobe
In his collection Por mis santos cojones, Brais Albor Rodriguez challenges traditional menswear codes through an exploration of materials, volumes and contrasting textures. European Flax-Linen plays a significant role, featuring in several garments with distinctly different treatments and finishes.
With the support of the Alliance and its members, the designer created a jacket made from linen cloth with a wool-like appearance, alongside a pair of coated linen shorts. Both garments were produced using fabrics supplied by Italian weavers Lineaesse Tessuti and Marini Industrie, members of the Alliance.
The designer also worked with waxed linen fabric from Belgian weaver Libeco to create trousers with a papery feel and a structured silhouette, lending the garment a contemporary shape. He also repurposed linen weaving selvedges recovered from Libeco's looms, transforming them into fringes to create a faux-fur effect on a coat combining recycled shearling and linen. This upcycling approach demonstrates another way of experimenting with textiles.
Together, these creations illustrate how European Flax-Linen can extend beyond its conventional uses, offering a range of creative and technical possibilities.
I would never have imagined the incredible range of creative and technical possibilities that flax-linen offers. This experience allowed me to discover a material with a wide variety of textures, finishes and applications, which I now see in a completely new light.
Brais Albor Rodriguez
Por mis santos cojones: A Different Perspective on Masculinity
Originally from Galicia, Spain, Brais Albor Rodriguez is a Milan-based designer. A graduate of Central Saint Martins in 2022, he develops inclusive menswear, particularly for larger men and those with broader builds, who are often underrepresented in conventional fashion collections.
His experience as a pattern cutter specialising in menswear has enabled him to develop expertise in fit and proportions beyond standard sizing.
With Por mis santos cojones, he advocates an approach in which clothing adapts to the body, rather than the other way around. Combining tailoring, references to men's underwear and experiments with proportion, his collection questions traditional representations of masculinity.
Hyères Festival 2026: Five Finalists Supported by the Alliance and Its Members
Of the ten finalists in the Fashion Competition, five chose to incorporate European Flax-Linen into their collections, with the support of the Alliance and nine member companies: B&T, Graziano, Libeco, Lineaesse, Marini Industrie, Nova Fides, Rechberger, Textil Santanderina and Stoker Mills.
Diverse Creative Interpretations of European Linen
Alongside Brais Albor Rodriguez (Spain), four other finalists explored the creative possibilities of this natural fibre:
- Dieter Vlasich Obermann (Mexico–Germany), unisex collection Tiliches, also awarded the le19M Métiers d'Art Prize;
- Loïs Cousin (France), menswear collection Alkyde;
- Jennifer Milleder (Austria), womenswear collection The Garden;
- Farnia Salim (Iran), womenswear collection The In-Between Homes
These collections demonstrate the diversity of artistic and technical approaches made possible by European Flax, from textile experimentation to new interpretations of contemporary clothing.
The Fashion Grand Jury Prize was awarded to Chinese designer Yui Chen for her unisex collection Food Cover.
The Alliance for European Flax-Linen & Hemp: Helping Emerging Designers Discover Linen
Acting as a link between emerging designers and companies across the European flax-linen and linen sector, the Alliance facilitates access to materials, textile innovations and specialist expertise, helping finalists bring their creative ideas to life.
A Partnership with Hyères Festival Spanning More Than Ten Years
This long-standing partnership with the Villa Noailles gives emerging designers opportunities to experiment with European Flax-Linen certified Masters of FLAX FIBRE™ and/or Masters of LINEN™, notably through the provision of European flax-linen and linen materials for the collections presented to the jury Festival.
Discovering the Fibre, Its Properties and Creative Applications
Beyond providing fabrics, the Alliance helps finalists discover the properties, finishes and processing possibilities of European Flax-Linen.
By connecting emerging designers with companies throughout the sector, the Alliance encourages the transfer of expertise and the exploration of new applications for this plant-based fibre in fashion design.
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