Maya Carbajal Alex-Hansen was born in Madrid of an Argentinean father and a Danish mother. She graduated from the Higher Centre for Fashion Design of Madrid with distinction.
The Maya Hansen brand was founded in 2006 and, since the year 2010, Maya Hansen’s collections have been presented at Madrid Fashion Week. She took part initially at El Ego de Cibeles, where her collection entitled “Lace Wings” won the L’Oréal Award for Best Collection from a Newcomer. Then in September 2011 she was incorporated into the established designers’ fashion show schedule, which makes up Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid today. In 2012 she was admitted as a member of the Fashion Designers’ Association of Spain (ACME) and was chosen amongst the 15 Finalists at Vogue’s “Who’s On Next” Competition in the years 2012 and 2013.
Maya Hansen’s unique style always departs from the feminine silhouette of the corset, the clothing item around which her collections revolve. She has also developed tight silhouettes in other kinds of clothing, as well as some entirely cutting-edge creations, for which she habitually collaborates with artists and craftsmen in different disciplines.
After having taken part at various fashion fairs abroad, including the ZipZone Showroom in Paris during the Semaine des Créateurs de Mode de Paris, the Maya Hansen brand can now be found at shops throughout Spain, Poland, Brazil, the United States, Canada, Japan and Kuwait.
The stage designs she uses for her shows, together with dramatic make-up and the introduction of fashion films on the catwalk, are all characteristic features of Maya Hansen fashion shows.
She has dressed celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Nieves Álvarez, Rossy de Palma, Jessie J, Alaska, Paz Vega, Mónica Cruz and Pilar Rubio, among others.
Fashion editors of the stature of Edward Enninful, B Akerlund, Carine Roitfeld, Giovanna Battaglia and Jessica Diehl, together with photographers as prestigious as Mario Testino, Eugenio Recuenco, Paco Peregrín, Chino Moro, Norman Jean Roy and Mert and Marcus, have all requested Maya Hansen designs for their productions.
At the same time, Maya Hansen has worked on different design and exhibition projects, including the following: – Collaboration with Mercedes-Benz, ‘Mercedes-Benz Open Fashion’: Personalisation of a Tennis Ball for the Madrid Open in 2013. – A Footwear and Accessories Capsule Collection for FOSCO, Spring/Summer 2013.
– A Maya Hansen Home Textiles Collection
– The Exhibition entitled “Behind the Scenes: Art and Fashion” at IVAM (Institut Valencià d’Art Modern), 2013, Spain.
– The Exhibition entitled “Fashion Is a Dream: 25 Years of Spanish Talent”, at the Cerralbo Museum, 2012, Spain.
– The Exhibition “Cazadores de Tendencias” (“Coolhunters”) at Centro, 2012, Spain.
– The Exhibition “Lady Gaga Costumes” at Lane Crawford, 2012, Hong Kong. Nichola Formichetti, the Creative Director of House of Gaga, exhibited some of the looks that he has chosen for Lady Gaga. The singer has used Maya Hansen designs on various occasions. The designer created a coat and a corset that were shown at this exhibition. – Feria Vintage (Lorenzo Caprile and Yo Dona, 2010 and 2011)
– Wedding Fashion Night (2011)
– Vogue Fashion Night Out (2010, 2012)