Gran Canaria Swim Week will move from October to June from 2026 to boost global reach

Starting in 2026, Gran Canaria Swim Week will be held in June instead of October, according to a statement issued this Monday by the Cabildo of Gran Canaria, together with the organizing entity of the event, local designers and representatives of the sector.

In recent years, Gran Canaria Swim Week has been held in October, but will now be moved to summer for “strategic reasons”, according to the statement.

The Council described the move to June as a “strategic step” to consolidate the event's position as an “international benchmark in swimwear.”

The institution stated that the change of date will improve competitiveness within the global calendar, strengthen its commercial and media appeal, and reinforce the island's status as a European center of creativity, innovation and the swimsuit industry.

“After analyzing the market, we identified that this rescheduling offers a date more aligned with the strategic interests of the main actors in the sector, including wholesale buyers, the media and the final consumer,” explained the Councilor for Economic Development, Minerva Alonso, after meeting with designers and stakeholders of the Gran Canaria Moda Cálida program.

After consulting experts, he added, “holding the catwalk closer to the start of the swimming season will allow for a more direct connection with consumer trends, facilitating greater commercial efficiency, better alignment with wholesale purchasing cycles and reinforcing its positioning as a key platform for the sector internationally.”

GCSW is currently presenting collections for the upcoming season, aimed primarily at professional buyers and department stores, with orders usually finalized between July and early September.

Alonso stated that holding the event in October limits its commercial potential for the participating brands, which by then have already concluded their sales processes. Therefore, “if it is moved to May, June or July, it falls within the key period” of the brands' ordering and production strategies, helping retail buyers finalize orders and improving the commercial efficiency of participating brands.

The Cabildo stated that aligning the event with the global calendar of swimwear fairs and catwalks in the face of important international milestones represents a “strategic opportunity” to improve its visibility, since the audiovisual and graphic content generated in June can be used as promotional material in said events, positioning the catwalk more strongly in the international circuit.

From an operational and promotional point of view, the beginning of June also offers an “even more attractive experience” for press, buyers and attendees, since “it coincides with the beginning of summer, when Gran Canaria is especially attractive to receive professional visitors.” The schedule also takes advantage of the island's low season, allowing resources to be optimized and offering greater comfort to guests.

The analysis has been carried out with the support of the Association of Fashion Creators of Spain (ACME), ESMA – company in charge of managing and producing Gran Canaria Swim Week – and the Chamber of Commerce of Gran Canaria, following the recommendations of international fashion professionals, buyers, designers and economic and commercial offices.

The opinion of the international consulting team led by Scott Lipinski, CEO of the German Fashion Advisory Council and secretary of the European Fashion Alliance, was also taken into account.