LVMH Prize 2023

On June 7, the winner of the award, as well as the winner of the Karl Lagerfeld award, will be chosen by an extensive committee of experts and jurors, which includes names such as Jonathan Anderson, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Marc Jacobs and Kim Jones. In the tenth edition of this competition, which celebrates the talent and innovation of young designers from around the world and gives them a platform to take their projects a step further, cultural diversity, the celebration of traditional crafts, and the creative audacity according to Delphine Arnault, CEO of Dior and heir of the LVMH empire, have been taken into account.

Here is the list of the nine finalists, who are competing for a prize consisting of a 300,000- euro endowment and tailored mentorship by LVMH teams, aside from the honour and media exposure that winning this recognition means. One only needs to look at the list of previous winners, which includes names such as Jacquemus, Marine Serre, and Nensi Dojaka, to understand the repercussions this recognition can have.

With a very fluid, delicate, and contemporary approach to men's wardrobe, the Central Saint Martins graduate Aaron Esh started his journey with his namesake brand not long ago, only in 2022, but in this short amount of time, he has already achieved a particular aesthetic that, when familiar with, is very recognisable and effective to remember. Elements more attached to womenswear, such as ruffles, knots, or simply the soft and wavy silhouettes, are translated into menswear pieces, widening the spectrum of how men can dress and simultaneously, giving the term ‘masculinity’ a new definition.

Bettter is a brand with a purpose and an ethic as strong and forward-looking as its founder, Julie Pelipas. Former fashion director of Vogue Ukraine, founder alongside designer Anna October of the Given Name Community aiming for help for Ukrainian creatives, and now creative director of her own brand, Pelipas defies the objectifying and restrictive connotation womenswear clothing may have and creates pieces that strive for a spiritual connection between the garments and the wearer, with the concepts of upcycling and sustainability as the most important factors.

With a very rich background coming not only from his Turkish descent but also from his various and wide experiences with the fashion world, starting at an early age thanks to his tailor father and developing over the years with brands as diverse as Dior and Balenciaga, Akyol puts all his focus on converting the usual into the exceptional. Outstanding in creating silhouettes that enhance the body, no matter the shape of it, and adding complexity with the plays of transparencies accompanied by his signature black satin framings, his brand has already been chosen by major celebrities for red carpets, no wonder why.

After many years of working at almost every level of the design process, Scott designs for 2019 Diotima with the purpose of presenting her own version of Jamaican culture, one that, while staying rooted in its origins and history, looks forward to the future and develops in a contemporary and nuanced way. The attention to the craft and the handmade offices that surround the creation of garments are key for the brand; just by looking at the artisanal and delicate techniques used in every design and also the very selected and fine materials, it is enough to understand the care and thought put behind every decision made.

Raul Lopez is a well-known name if you're familiar with the industry; he's the co-founder of Hood By Air (a brand that already won the LVMH Prize back in 2014) and has already been nominated for various awards for his work in Luar. His years of loving and working on fashion, starting back when he was 12 and doing his first designs, are evident in his interesting proposal. Inspired by two important places for him, New York and the Dominican Republic, Lopez's designs evoke power and confidence. The way silhouettes are constructed, the deconstruction plus transformation of proportions, and, of course, the already iconic bags, all add up to a brand that has fought for what it has.

Bologna is the birthplace of this project; the city’s subversive, libertarian, and underground background sets the tone for what Magliano as a brand represents. The brand Magliano transforms garments into pieces that blend with natural landscapes, ones that may belong to peripheral or remote areas where a comfortable, off-beat, and dishevelled attitude is necessary for channeling this personal and unique definition of elegance. The wide proportions, ethnic and natural prints, and the minimal yet chaotic design turn the pieces into a genderless Italian real dream.

The use of knitted garments is currently on the rise, and a brand like Paolina Russo completely justifies why. Russo and Guilmard have combined ways of living and points of view – a suburban upbringing in Canada and many French folklore references – to create and deliver pieces that breathe a kind of DIY feeling, which subsequently gives a nostalgic reminiscence about better times and, why not, a crafty spirit to their items. The clothes, the accessories, the big earrings we can see them rocking every time – it's undoubtedly that they managed to create a cohesive, attractive, and effective brand.

Her designs are as clear and sharp as she is. After working on various projects such as the creative direction of 2 Moncler 1952 and being present in Jil Sander or Céline (Phoebe Philo's era), Leoni's understanding of women and their shapes has been perfected into what is today known as Quira, her personal project. With geometric silhouettes that let the body shape as it fits best, solid and striking colours with some prints here and there, precise cuts and layerings, or delicate yet strong textures, her style is one that gives women a personal and playful elegance while managing to stay bold and even artistic.

With a very big cultural baggage full of the influences collected from living in Kyoto, Paris, Milan, London, and New York, Kuwata built his brand with the purpose of blending Japanese and Western cultures in a way that they mutually feed and enhance each other in unexpected but somehow familiar associations that construct Setchu’s DNA. With a very utilitarian and functional approach, his designs are thought for a lifestyle that develops outdoors, and the main concept behind them is the interchangeability between genders, resulting in unisex pieces that suit everyone in a natural way.