EME Studios' expansion: new womenswear collection and international stores in 2026

Valencia - When a company achieves meteoric success, there is always a fascination with the "secret sauce." Questions inevitably follow: where did the spark come from, and how did they scale so fast? When the origin story is as transparent as the one behind EME Studios, it leaves observers asking: Why them and not me?

It is a narrative reminiscent of Steve Jobs starting an empire in a California garage or Thomas Meyer selling customized jeans at Ibiza flea markets. For EME Studios, the Spanish streetwear brand founded in 2017 by Conra Martínez and Gabriel Morón, the trajectory is equally striking. The company closed its 2025 financial year with 33 million euros ($35.9 million). “It all started almost by chance,” Martínez recalls.

“A friend suggested I create a brand of sunglasses cords because they became trendy one summer, and I accepted without thinking too much about it,” Martínez told FashionUnited. At the time, the Alicante native was a university student looking for a creative outlet. While eyewear accessories weren't the endgame, they provided the perfect testing ground. “We decided to go for our first run of T-shirts. That's when everything started to gain traction,” he notes. He attributes their early momentum to a simple maxim: “When you do something you are really passionate about, it shows.”

A global outlook for 2026

Almost a decade in, EME Studios operates five flagship stores across Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia. While 2026 promises to be a landmark year, the founders are prioritizing a "measured" approach.

“2026 is coming with quite a few things, but we are taking it easy. In February we are launching EME for Everyone, our first womenswear collection, and in March there will be a collaboration with a very well-known brand”

The brand’s ambitions are now shifting beyond Spanish borders, with plans to open permanent stores in London and Amsterdam. They are also eyeing a return to New York, though through a long-term pop-up rather than a permanent lease. “We are daunted by the idea of making a direct leap to a permanent store, but it is a project that excites us and that we want to do well. Step by step,” they explain.

This "slow and steady" international expansion is a formula they tested last summer in the U.S. with great success. “We rented a house and set up a showroom in the living room. Every day artists and industry professionals came by,” explains Gabriel Morón. “More than just showing the brand, we lived with them. We talked, we spent time together, and very genuine bonds were created.”

The "cool without trying" philosophy

Neither Martínez nor Morón believe in forced marketing. Their growth has been fueled by a "generational philosophy" of effortless authenticity. “We weren't going to sell anything or impose a discourse; we just wanted to be ourselves. That way of doing things connected very well,” they agree.

This sense of community is the primary asset for streetwear brands targeting Gen Z. While their audience is digitally native, EME Studios views physical retail as essential. “We don't see stores just as points of sale, but as spaces where people can immerse themselves in the brand,” says Morón. He compares the brand-consumer relationship to a friendship: “You can talk to someone a lot, but if you've never been to their house, you don't really know them.”

Leading the Spanish streetwear wave

If the "Generation of '27" revolutionized Spanish literature, the 2020s have seen a profound transformation of Spanish fashion led by Gen Z. Alongside brands like Nude Project and Scuffers, EME Studios has helped pivot the "Made in Spain" label from traditional craftsmanship toward global streetwear prestige.

“We were not aware of the dimension that streetwear was going to acquire. We knew there was a real interest, but we never thought we would achieve this international projection”

Despite their success in the category, the partners resist being pigeonholed. Their collections have evolved beyond hoodies to include loafers, polo shirts, and button-downs. To better serve their community, they are shifting from fortnightly "drops" to a monthly release schedule in 2026. This allows for "slower communication" and more considered designs. “If we manage to get the concept across and people feel reflected in it, it will have been worth it,” they conclude.

From cultural events to global icons

The brand finds its inspiration in the visceral—specifically music. “It influences us a lot, especially that moment before a concert, when the intro plays and you get goosebumps,” they confess. This connection has led to collaborations and sightings with artists like French Montana, Jaden Smith, Nathy Peluso, and Rita Ora.

That same adrenaline fuels their events, most notably the viral Getting Robbed activation. Now in its fifth year, the event allows 250 pre-selected fans to "steal" as many clothes as they can carry. It has become a phenomenon of youth culture in Spain, proving that for EME Studios, the value isn't just in the product—it’s in the sense of belonging.

This article was translated to English using an AI tool.

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