Covadonga is the founder and creative director of CLO, a Spanish designer fashion brand. With a career marked by curiosity, artistic sensibility, and respect for traditional crafts, she has built a brand centered on timeless pieces, high-quality materials, and the stories behind each creation.
After living and working in different countries, what international experiences have shaped your understanding of design and responsible consumption?
"What traveling has taught me most is that true elegance is never about having more, but about choosing better. In every country, I discovered different ways of relating to objects—cultures where pieces are treasured for generations, where garments are repaired instead of replaced, and where craftsmanship is woven into everyday life.
Those experiences reinforced a conviction that now defines CLO: to design less, but better. To create timeless pieces made from noble materials through responsible processes, establishing an emotional connection with the people who wear them. I believe that when a garment moves you, you care for it more deeply—and it stays with you for much longer."
Do you think younger generations are learning to appreciate craftsmanship and the work behind a handmade piece?
"Yes, and I believe it is one of the most encouraging developments for our industry.
We live surrounded by immediacy, but perhaps because of that, more and more people are seeking objects with a story, with time, and with human hands behind them. Craftsmanship offers something that mass production simply cannot: identity.
I believe a significant part of the younger generations values transparency. They want to know who made a piece, how it was produced, and what values it represents. Many are also interested in becoming part of the process themselves whenever possible. That connection transforms an object from being simply a product into something truly meaningful."
How important are shoes in your everyday life?
"Very important. To me, shoes do much more than complete a look—they influence the way we walk, how we move, and even how we experience an entire day.
I always look for beauty, but also comfort and authenticity. I’m drawn to designs that appear simple at first glance yet are full of intention. I believe the best shoes are the ones you almost forget you're wearing because they become a natural extension of yourself."
Where in the world would you most like to travel wearing your friulane shoes?
"Venice would be the inevitable starting point, because that is where their story began. But after that, I would take them around the Mediterranean. I would wander through the quiet streets of the Greek islands, lose track of time in small Italian villages, and stroll through the courtyards and gardens of southern Spain. And of course, I would walk among the boxwood hedges and hydrangeas of my native Galicia.
They are shoes that invite you to travel slowly and to enjoy the journey rather than the destination."
How would you design your perfect pair of Cayumas?
"I would preserve their essence completely, because that is precisely where their beauty lies.
I’m drawn to the idea of working with natural materials and a colour palette that feels very CLO: ivory, olive green, chocolate, deep black, or perhaps a subtle plum tone.
I would add one small embroidered detail inspired by constellations or the organic geometries we use at CLO—a delicate, almost secret gesture that only reveals itself upon closer inspection.
Because I believe true luxury is always found in the details."
