PARIS — The LVMH Prize for Young Designers has revealed the 20 semifinalists of its 11th edition, which saw more than 2,500 applicants — a record number of entries — vying for a bumper 800,000 euros in prize money.
The chosen candidates hail from 18 countries, including for the first time Mexico, Moldavia and Togo. After a 2023 edition dominated by genderless designs, no fewer than nine of the 2024 semifinalists create womenswear, with another four designing for women and men.
“Once more this year, I’m delighted to welcome so many talented young designers, and I’d like to express my warmest gratitude to all the designers from all over the world who took part. This year’s edition is remarkable for the unique distinctive designs and for the return of sophisticated womenswear collections,” said Delphine Arnault, the force behind the prize and a key talent scout at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
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The semifinalists are to gather at a showroom on Feb. 29 and March 1 during Paris Fashion Week to present their collections to the press and to the prize’s committee of experts, who will vote to select eight finalists.
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“I am very grateful to all the experts who contribute each year to making the LVMH Prize a benchmark for young designers. All this promises an exceptional 2024 edition,” Arnault said.
Once again, the general public will be invited to discover the designers and vote for their favorite collection online.
The overall winner receives a grand prize of 400,000 euros and mentorship by LVMH teams in such areas as sustainable development, communication, copyright and corporate legal aspects, marketing, manufacturing and the financial management of a brand.
The winner of the runner-up Karl Lagerfeld Prize walks away with a 200,000-euro endowment and also enjoys a one-year mentorship.
A new award, the Savoir-Faire Prize, will come with a grant of 200,000 euros and a one-year mentorship. Aimed at promoting the transmission of skills, it will distinguish a young brand for excellence in craftmanship, innovation in design and production, and its commitment to sustainability, organizers said.
“Many of these brands place research and high aesthetic standards at the heart of their approach, values that are also championed by the new Savoir-Faire Prize. This prize underlines the importance of craftsmanship, innovation and sustainability, three topics at the heart of the fashion and luxury industry commitments today,” Arnault said.
The world’s largest luxury group announced last year it would open a dedicated space for craftsmanship in Paris. Set to open in 2025, the Maison des Métiers d’Excellence will allow visitors to discover some of the 280 skilled trades represented across its 75 brands, which range from Louis Vuitton to Tiffany & Co. and Sephora.
It will also provide a physical home for LVMH’s vocational training initiatives, in a move calculated to give the group a competitive edge amid a shortage of skilled workers.
The LVMH Prize is open to fashion designers from all over the world aged between 18 and 40 who have created at least two womenswear, menswear or genderless ready-to-wear collections.
The annual contest has helped propel the careers of such talents as Marine Serre, Nensi Dojaka, Thebe Magugu, Simon Porte Jacquemus and Grace Wales Bonner. Last year’s winner was Setchu by Satoshi Kuwata, a designer who has worked for everyone from a Savile Row tailor to luxury sneakers brand Golden Goose.
The 2024 LVMH Prize also distinguishes three fashion school graduates. Each will receive 10,000 euros and join the design studio of a house within LVMH, whose fashion brands also include Dior, Celine, Givenchy, Fendi, Loewe and Marc Jacobs. Online applications for the student prizes remain open until March 17.
Below is a complete list of the designer semifinalists for the LVMH Prize:
Womenswear and menswear
Agbobly by Jacques Agbobly, Togo
Duran Lantink, Netherlands (also genderless)
Paolo Carzana, U.K.
Who Decides War by Everard Best and Tela D’Amore Best, U.S.
Womenswear
Elena Velez, U.S.
Fidan Novruzova, Moldavia
Hodakova by Ellen Hodakova Larsson, Sweden
Karoline Vitto, Brazil
Marie Adam-Leenaerdt, Belgium
Pauline Dujancourt, France
Standing Ground by Michael Stewart, Ireland
Vautrait by Yonathan Carmel, Israel
Ya Yi by Yayi Chen Zhou, Spain
Menswear
Aubero by Julian Louie, U.S.
Campillo by Patricio Campillo, Mexico
Jiyongkim by Jiyong Kim, South Korea
Khoki by Koki Abe, Japan
Genderless
Chiahung Su by Chia Hung Su, Taiwan
Niccolò Pasqualetti, Italy
Ponder.er by Derek Cheng and Alex Po, China