The LVMH Prize for Young Designers is back in the fold as a live event during Paris Fashion Week, where a who’s who of the fashion establishment mingles with tomorrow’s most promising talents.
A showroom event on March 4 and 5 will bring together the 20 semifinalists for the ninth edition of the annual design competition, a diverse group of talents that share a zest for sustainably minded production, and a reticence to tether their designs to a designated gender.
Many of the contenders are already runway regulars in various fashion capitals, including Bluemarble by Anthony Alvarez, Weinsanto by Victor Weinsanto, S.S. Daley by Steven Stokey Daley, and Palomo Spain by Alejandro Gòmez Palomo, who was a semifinalist in the 2017 edition of the LVMH Prize.
Also vying for this year’s honor are Airei by Drew Curry; Amesh by Amesh Wijeskera, the first Sri Lankan designer on the roster; Ashlyn by Ashlynn Park; Chenpeng by Peng Chen; ERL by Eli Russell Linnetz, one of the brands grandfathered by Dover Street Market Paris; Goomheo by Goom Heo; Knwls by Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault; Meryll Rogge; Niccolò Pasqualetti; Paula Canova del Vas; Róisín Pierce; Ryunosukeokazaki by Ryunosuke Okazaki; Tokyo James by Iniye Tokyo James; Winnie New York by Idris Balogun, and Yueqi Qi.
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“They all combine such a fabulous diversity of creative talent, artisanal knowhow and technological audacity,” said Delphine Arnault, the force behind the initiative and a key talent scout at family-controlled luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. “I was also impressed by their commitment on many issues relating to the future of our planet and our industry: they take into account environmental, local, social, ethical aspects….They are all very committed to making the world a better place and to helping our industry find solutions to these crucial questions.”
Arnault noted their widespread use of recycled materials, penchant for upcycling and preference for traditional and local knowhow, adding up to a heightened “eco responsibility.”
She also highlighted the “fluidity” of womenswear and menswear these days.
“In the past, womenswear designers made up the bulk of the selection. This year, we have seen a lot of menswear or genderless collections, and fewer collections exclusively for women. Many of the candidates this year are also developing several lines: menswear and genderless collections, womenswear and genderless collections, and sometimes even all three.”
She was referring to Linnetz, whose ERL brand is steeped in California cool, and also comes in children’s sizes.
“It’s exciting to see how the boundaries of fashion are constantly blurred: young designers are keen to bring together menswear and womenswear, to push back the boundaries between genders and to embrace a more inclusive wardrobe,” Arnault continued. “Gender, diversity, identity and equality are debates that drive society and the LVMH Prize places the spotlight on these questions.”
The executive detected savvy communications skills among the contenders.
“In addition to their creativity, all the semifinalists are very much aware of their image, have thought about their communication and know how to highlight their individuality: In this respect, Instagram has been a major actor in the change,” she explained. “The pandemic may have accelerated this, but I believe that the maturity of the semifinalists plays a big role in the way they express a personal, optimistic and committed vision.”
The LVMH Prize had largely pivoted to digital and remote formats during the pandemic. The 2022 edition will also be held digitally at LVMHprize.com and involve the general public. “From March 4 to 9, everyone will be able to discover the designers and vote for their favorite candidate,” LVMH said.
While a diverse bunch in terms of nationality, most of semifinalists for the 2022 edition are based in Europe, with four working out of Asia, four in North America and one in Africa. They hail from Belgium, Canada, China, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Nigeria, South Korea, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S.
The collections are split roughly equally between menswear, womenswear and genderless, while the aesthetics range from the familiar to the otherworldly.
Arnault also revealed a roster of new members of its committee experts, headlined by artist Cindy Sherman, famed for her disquieting self-portraits. Most of the other experts come from the content space, including magazine editors Ben Cobb of ES Magazine, Pierre M’Pele of GQ France, Mel Ottenberg of Interview Magazine, Eugénie Trochu of Vogue France, Instagram’s Eva Chen, podcaster Camille Charrière and stylist Julia Sarr-Jamois.
The 20 semifinalists are vying for a grand prize of 300,000 euros, plus a year of coaching from experts at LVMH, parent of brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Givenchy, Loewe and Kenzo.
The Karl Lagerfeld Prize comes with 150,000 euros and a year of mentoring, while three students graduating in 2022 are to be awarded 10,000 euros each and a one-year placement in the design studio of an LVMH brand. Applications for the student prizes are open until March 15 on the prize website.
The LVMH Prize is open to designers under age 40 who have presented and sold at least two collections of women’s, men’s or genderless ready-to-wear.
It has previously been awarded to Nensi Dojaka, who won the 2021 edition; Thebe Magugu; Doublet; Marine Serre; Grace Wales Bonner; Marques’ Almeida, and Thomas Tait. It has also boosted the careers of its runner-up special-prize winners, which include Rokh, Jacquemus and Hood by Air.
A jury made up of LVMH’s famous creative directors will ultimately select the victors ahead of a prize ceremony later this year.
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