Ailanto
The twins Iñaki and Aitor Muñoz make up Ailanto.
Born in Bilbao in 1968, they moved to Barcelona, where both graduated in Fine Arts from the University of Barcelona. Iñaki also combined these studies with Fashion Design at IADE. Today, their fashion brand is internationally recognized: their collections are sold in Japan, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and the United States, as well as Belgium and Italy. In addition to clothing, they design wedding dresses, home goods, and collaborate on art and architecture projects.
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Ailanto means "tree of heaven" — why that name?
When we started looking for the brand name, I was studying gardening, and among all the botany books, we found this tree, which has compound leaves made up of eight pairs of long-stalked leaflets.
This month, you held a private sale of your collection in an amazing space in Bilbao, at Galería 8360. How was the experience? Will you do it again?
For the 15th anniversary, we are doing different activities, including several private sales and presentations in art galleries and hotels such as Santo Mauro in Madrid and Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona.
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You have your own stores in Barcelona and Madrid, but can your garments be found in Bilbao?
At the moment, there is no multi-brand store in Bilbao that sells Ailanto. We are considering the possibility of opening our own store in Bilbao or having a dedicated corner in a special space.
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In 2001, when you were very young, you started walking at Cibeles. Now, more than 15 years of successes, awards, and fashion shows have passed. What are your future plans?
This year is our anniversary and our 30th runway show. As for future plans, we continue working on international expansion through our presence at the Tranoï fair in Paris and White in Milan.
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How would you describe the style of the Bilbao woman?
We believe that in Bilbao there is a taste for quality fabrics and fine finishes. The style is sober and elegant.
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As fashion experts, what advice would you give a woman to look stunning this summer during the day?
The best advice is to stay true to her own style. For daytime, there’s a cotton-silk dress with small black embroidery on a white base, ankle-length, from last summer 2017 that is very special.
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And for the evening?
Flowing kaftans with botanical prints and small dragonflies floating over a lake are our suggestion for summer evenings.
Now we would like to ask you a few questions about Bilbao.
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What would you say to someone who doesn’t know Bilbao to encourage them to visit?
Bilbao and its surroundings offer a balance between landscapes, sea, and mountains, full of hidden corners to discover.
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What do you miss when you are away from Bilbao?
The walks along the Cantabrian coast, and the butter buns that you can only find in Bilbao.
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How would you spend a perfect day in Bilbao?
A visit to the Museum of Fine Arts, pintxos in García Rivero, and then the metro towards Neguri to spend the afternoon strolling through the Old Port, finishing with an afternoon snack at Zuricalday.
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And for a perfect evening?
A beer on the terrace of the Alhóndiga at sunset. Dinner at Bascook or El Nido, and to finish, a drink at the Residence.
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Where would you have dinner and a drink?
Every time we go to Bilbao, we like to visit Bidebietas, a Basque restaurant we have been going to with our family since we were kids in the town of Larrauri.
Fotografía: Manu Rivas
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Is there a little-known spot in Bilbao that you would recommend?
We love the Mercado de la Ribera; even after the renovation, it hasn’t lost its original essence.
Some photos from the Fall-Winter 2017-2018 fashion show:
Foto: Vein Magazine
