Design independency facing setbacks: Juan Antonio Ávalos disbands his studio

Juan Antonio Ávalos, a renowned Catalan designer, has announced that he is putting his own design firm on hold and seeking new opportunities in the market. The change comes as the designer has been appointed as the new Head of Retail at Nike Europe, set to begin his new role on October 14, 2024.

Ávalos will be working for one of the world's largest sportswear companies, based at the European headquarters of Nike Europe. The news marks a significant shift for the designer, who will be moving to Amsterdam to take on this new challenge.

This decision comes amidst a trend in the Spanish design industry, with several designers choosing to leave independent work and join major companies due to economic challenges and a lack of business support. Last March, Carmen March, a Mallorca designer, was forced to close her workshop, while David Delfin was compelled to close his only store in Madrid.

In November 2021, Anna Figuera Delgado and Macarena Ramos Buil, the design duo behind El Delgado Buil, paused their business project due to similar reasons. Elio Bernhayer, who retired from the fashion world after nearly fifty years in the sector, is another example of designers leaving independent work.

Ávalos had set a deadline for himself to achieve his objectives with his own firm. However, when he did not receive the desired response from companies he approached for new alliances, he decided to cease the activity of his own firm last September. Since then, he has been sending dossiers with his work to various companies he thought he could fit in.

It was Nike Europe who contacted Ávalos with the offer to work as a designer for their European operations. In his new role, he will be working on retail design, a field he is well-versed in. Ávalos will begin his new journey with Nike Europe next year, marking a new chapter in his career.