WHO WILL BE THE NEXT RECIPIENT OF LVMH PRIZE?

words by EMMANUELLE PLANTIER
editor MAREK BARTEK

The 11th edition of the LVMH Prize is bringing a sense of excitement to the fashion world. The finale will take  place at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris on September 10th, and will reward the most creative designers of this past year. This year we are presented with eight finalists instead of last year’s nine, and some known faces will be returning to present their latest work. This edition brings yet another twist in the form of a new prize called the “Savoir-Faire Prize,” rewarding the apogee of artisanry, sustainability, and technicality. This newly created category will stand next to the renowned Grand Prize and Karl Lagerfeld Prize. The panel of judges is as spotless as it is intimidating, including Jonathan Anderson, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Nicolas Ghesquière, Marc Jacobs, Kim Jones, Stella McCartney, Nigo, Silvia Venturini Fendi, Pharell Williams and Phoebe Philo. The 2024 competition presents the most gender diverse set of finalists, with the presence of four men, three women and one non-binary person.

AUBERO BY JULIAN LOUIE (United States)

Aubero is a menswear streetwear label founded in 2022 by Julian Louie, former architecture student at the Cooper Union. His use of upcycled materials juxtaposed with classical silhouettes cater to an aesthetic close to the 70’s, of old within the new. The label evokes a sense of authenticity, far from mass-production brands. His approach offers reflections on the fragmentation of fashion, as he often uses small pieces of discarded fabric to create a patchwork effect on the garments. The collection he produced opens new horizons for menswear, one that is less preoccupied by showcasing a gendered vision of the masculine, but a softer, freer and more creative side of it. 

DURAN LANTINK (Netherlands)

As a returning figure of the competition, and after his loud start at the Paris Fashion Week in March 2023, a lot is resting on Lantink’ shoulders for the 2024 round. Known for his inflated pieces, he is the fashionista’s favourite, with Billie Eilish, Lizzo and Beyoncé wearing his collections as a validation mark. His play with shapes is unique. Everything that comes between his hands has to be cut, deconstructed, rethought and uniquely paired to create greatly creative outfits. With dresses showcasing an open back (the WHOLE back), shorts the length of a belt and tops extremely cropped, the body is celebrated in a direct and amusing way, reminding us that fashion is fun, and dressing up should be a laugh instead of a serious process. 

HODAKOVA BY ELLEN HODAKOVA LARSSON (Sweden)

Ellen Hodakova Larsson is the creator of Hodakova, a Swedish brand embodying a powerful femininity jumping creatively into the fashion world. Making use of upcycled material like vintage leather, her pieces hold this vintage aesthetic crazily desired by the public. Her mixing of hard materials (leather, wood, metal) with the softer ones creates an interesting contrast to the garments – a wearable paradox. The reworking of objects into wearable pieces is part of her signature, like the suitcase-dress of her Fall 2024 runway. She is a fierce defender of sustainability, which could make her a favourite for the “Savoir-Faire Prize”. 

MARIE ADAM-LEENAERDT (Belgium)

Marie Adam-Leenaerdt is a young designer from the Belgian capital who has presented three collections to this day. Her focus on volumes and lines, as well as her use of sober tones could be seen as a nod to the legacy of Belgian designers such as Ann Demeulesteer and Martin Margiela. Nonetheless, she creates her own universe by playing with prints, maximalism and rethinking daily objects with an abstract twist (the pool dress from her Fall-Winter 24 runway). Everything is an inspiration for the Brusselleer designer, who uses Vinted as a source of inspiration for her moodboards. 

NICCOLÒ PASQUALETTI(Italy)

The highly expected return of the 2022 semi-finalist Niccolò Pasqualetti is turning heads everywhere. His signature style, where softness is found within the odd, creates futuristic projections where a new self is formed, one that breaks free from the dogmas of class and gender. The Italian designer rethinks the clothes again and again with a notion of assemblage and enhances their function with high volumes and mastered pleats. 

PAOLO CARZANA (United Kingdom)

Endowed with a highly recognisable style, Paolo Carzana is a former classmate of 2022 winner Steven Stokey-Daley. His entire universe is built around tearing garments apart and layering pieces to give life to a post-apocalyptic meets trashcore aesthetic. His graduate show “The Boy you stole” presented in London in 2018, was a way to channel past trauma (which the designer never directly addressed) and was unique for using vegan and organically sourced materials as well as plant-based dyes. 

PAULINE DUJANCOURT (France)

The French designer currently based in London is an alumni of the famous Central St Martins, where she graduated in 2022. She is a knitwear expert and her mastering of it allows her to explore the boundaries of this craft. Her pieces exude poetry thanks to the combination of tulle alongside her favourite technique. The fusion of knitted drapes with distressed tailoring brings an edginess to her work, creating a very special aesthetic between fragility and explosion. This reappropriation of the feminine codes is a way to empower women in many ways, Dujancourt says herself that she wants to evoke a time where women would knit their own clothes.

STANDING GROUND BY MICHAEL STEWART (Ireland)

Representing the Emerald Island, Michael Stewart studied in the UK, at the Royal College of Art, where he got his diploma in 2017. Standing Ground saw the light in 2021 and made its fashion week debut at the London Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2023. Showcasing gowns and evening wear on the runway, Michael Stewart never designs but rather drapes directly onto bodies to bring the garments to life. Taking inspiration from nature, some of his designs are reminiscent of sea creatures, with tentacles wrapped around the waist, creating an exquisite movement. His creations have already been worn at the Met Gala 2023 by Imaan Hammam, a big step in the fashion game.

cover image via lvmhprize.com