“Don’t forget,” notes Delphine Arnault, “that the 20 designers here today have been selected from the more than 2,000 applicants who approached us this year. So theirs is already an amazing achievement, one that brings wonderful opportunities.”
Arnault was speaking to Vogue Business this afternoon at the semi-finals of the LVMH Prize, which she founded in 2014. Those 20 semi-finalists in this year’s 12th edition of the prize – the hyper-talented 1 per cent that made it this far – were in the room alongside us presenting their rails to a non-stop flow of industry experts who make up the judging panel at this stage. The role of those experts is to whittle down today’s 20 to eight names who will go forward to the final, which typically takes place in the Fondation Louis Vuitton during the summer and is judged by a cadre of LVMH designers (plus Arnault herself).
The LVMH Prize comes with a €400,000 endowment plus a one-year mentorship. Also up for grabs is the Karl Lagerfeld Prize and the Savoir-Faire Prize, both of which come with €200,000 prize pots and further one year mentorships. Past winners include Hodakova, Setchu and SS Daley.
“I’m really impressed by them,” continues Arnault, who is the CEO of Christian Dior, of this year’s cohort of talents. She adds: “Now, during the next two days, they get the chance to meet so many people who can be important for their careers, be it editors-in-chief, journalists, buyers, photographers, make-up artists, models and more. This is the chance for these young designers to make connections with key people in the industry, and to be able to talk about their brand and their vision.”
One group that every semi-finalist has already forged a connection with is the team from Vogue Business. We were on hand to ask each designer for a rundown of their brand as well as to share their opinions about the challenges and opportunities that emerging talents must work to negotiate today in order to break through.
Having made it this far, 12 of today’s group of 20 will end their part in 2025’s LVMH Prize and not move forward to the final. For them, Arnault has some advice: “Even if they don’t make it to the finals, they should remember that in the past there have been some other super-talented designers who also didn’t get there the first time round. But they came back in later editions, and made it. At this stage, I think you should always look at it as a glass half full.”
So with no further ado, read on to meet this year’s LVMH Prize 1 per cent: the semi-finalists in alphabetical order.
Alainpaul by Alain Paul, France
Collections: Womenswear, menswear and genderless
How would you describe the unique selling point of your brand?
Recontextualising the dancer’s wardrobe within an urban context, I try to create pieces that transcend traditional tailoring through minimalist sharp lines, experimental cuts, unexpected proportions and unconventional materials.
What do you think the biggest challenge facing emerging designers is today?
Production costs, show locations, high minimums in factories and the dominance of established houses are among the constraints that make it difficult to grow and maintain independence. I believe the industry needs to slow down and support sustainability, artistic freedom and long-term identity growth rather than seasonal trends. Mentorship programmes, funding opportunities, ateliers and platforms dedicated to showcasing emerging creatives would help and allow designers to focus on their creative visions.
What does being in the LVMH Prize mean to you?
Being part of the LVMH Prize exactly 10 years after Vetements — where I held my first job — brings me to a full circle moment. The LVMH Prize is an incredible honour and a milestone. It represents not only recognition from one of the most respectable institutions in fashion, but also an opportunity to share my vision on a global stage.
What will you do with the grant if you win the prize?
I would use it to develop an e-commerce website and launch handbags.
All-In by Benjamin Barron, US, and Bror August Vestbø, Norway
Collections: Womenswear and genderless
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your brand in a few words?
Benjamin: All-In started as a magazine in 2015 and we made our first collection in 2018, just for a photo shoot. We showed it to some friends including Maryam Nassir Zadeh, who decided to sell it in her store. We did our first runway show in the store in 2019. We were encouraged by the response to these small collections of one-of-a-kind, upcycled pieces so we decided to continue. We presented a collection of one-of-a-kind pieces in Paris for the first time in 2021. That was the first time we met people that said we should produce it. So we did. We design everything working with existing garments that we deconstruct and reconstruct, but now we also use this design method to produce things that are scalable.
What do you think the biggest challenges facing emerging designers are today?
Bror: There are so many. But an overarching thing that is difficult is that you have to put on so many different hats. One day you’re a designer, a merchandiser, a salesperson, your own PR; you kind of have to know how to do everything, often things that you don’t have experience with so you have to learn on the go. As you grow, those things also get more serious and real and kind of harder to handle without expertise. But it’s very nice for us that we are two people, so we are able to lean on each other.
What does the LVMH Prize mean to you?
Benjamin: All-In started by looking at fashion from the outside. Maybe things have changed slightly more recently. But for a long time, we felt like it was a bit of an outsider brand to the industry. And we kept some distance, too. So it’s been very exciting to be recognised in this way by the industry. It’s such a benchmark. The weirdest thing is that some of the people you admire most are actually going to look at what you make.
What will you do with the prize if you win?
Benjamin: We’ve talked about investing in infrastructure to support the production and development of [upcycling] more vintage clothing. That was the basis of the brand in the beginning. But I think as we’ve grown, it’s been challenging in some ways to also scale that portion of the business. It’s very time consuming. So that’s the first thing we’d invest in.
Boyedoe by David Boye-Doe Kusi, Ghana
Collections: Genderless
How would you describe the USP of your brand?
We have set out to be a socially responsible and environmentally conscious brand that uses fashion as a conduit to envision a new Africa; an Africa of boldness, bravery and beauty.
What do you think the biggest challenge facing emerging designers is today?
Funding! Emerging designers face a serious lack of funding. It affects production, marketing and distribution and generally slows down the growth of the business. One solution would be the opportunity to access funding through local grants and partnerships — as the banks seem averse to supporting emerging businesses in general. As an African designer, these opportunities are few and far between. The result is that emerging designers have to rely on international grants or prizes, such as the LVMH Prize, to get the chance at guaranteeing the sustainability of their businesses.
What does being in the LVMH Prize mean to you?
It is both humbling and something that fills me with immense pride. What also matters to me is the responsibility it places on me to hold myself to higher and higher standards and to serve as an inspiration to fellow designers in my country and those on the continent. The LVMH Prize also allows me the distinguished platform to continue to give back to our community. The value of being in the LVMH Prize is a gift that will keep on giving.
If you had to describe your brand with a slogan, what would it be?
Blending Afro luxurious heritage with ethical elegance.
Francesco Murano by Francesco Murano, Italy
Collections: Womenswear
How would you describe the USP of your brand?
I’m from the south of Italy, near Naples. For this reason, my brand is deeply connected with my homeland, deeply influenced by Greek and Roman influences. Sculpture, architecture and philosophy are the central part in my design process. When [I] talk about balance, my rational part, my Apollonian part, that is reflected in the tailoring, the structure, the study of the pattern. That’s combined with my irrational Dionysian part, passion and creativity. So the aim is to bring out the balance by the inner point of view and translate it in my clothes.
How do you describe your style?
Silhouette and cut are very important to me. The palette colour is always neutral, because I want people’s focus on the cut, the texture of the jersey, that is the main material of my collection. For me, it’s very important how the fabric works on the body.
What will you do if you win the Prize?
I started in 2020 offering made to measure clothing, and I built my brand step by step. I started really young, at 22 years old. If I win this prize, I need real structure. That is the first thing I will do.
Josh Tafoya by Josh Tafoya, US
Collections: Genderless
How would you describe the USP of your brand?
A different point of view from the American Southwest brought through authentic storytelling, craft and tradition.
How do you describe your style?
My style is grungy, angsty, campy. I play with the tropes of ‘Western’ style, keeping its rebellious spirit but also leaning into the flamboyancy.
What do you think the biggest challenge facing emerging designers is today?
One of the biggest challenges for young designers is the lack of support. I’ve seen a lot of young designers tackle their brands solo and struggle. Collaboration and building a supportive environment are key. I’ve had the benefit of building my brand in my home of New Mexico where I have had the support of my community to help me grow and flourish.
What does the LVMH Prize mean to you?
It’s a huge honour to be sharing my family’s craft of Rio Grande Valley, Texas, weaving to a global audience, representing my community and being recognised by LVMH for our craftsmanship.
If you had to sum up the brand in two words, what would it be?
Rebellious and rowdy.
KML by Ahmed Hassan, Saudi Arabia
Collections: Menswear and genderless
How do you describe your brand?
We do conceptual wear inspired by traditional culture, and we do menswear. But because we’re inspired by tradition, we don’t have that strong definition between the genders. We’re living in a very interesting time in Saudi Arabia. We’re saying, ‘Look, we can do something this is a continuation of our culture and tradition, but it needs to be of the time.’ It can look hip, new and sexy and still be relevant to our tradition.
How did you get into fashion design?
I think certain things you were just born with. It’s difficult to pinpoint a time in history where I started to design or be interested in design. It’s been there since the beginning. But I can tell you why I started KML. KML is our quest to show a perspective of what culturally relevant fashion could look like.
What is the biggest challenge facing you as a designer today?
Finding a bright team, finding bright people who do the quality that we are demanding is quite challenging. Not only in Saudi, I think worldwide.
What does the LVMH Prize mean to you?
It means a lot. Recognition is major. It is everything to see your ideas and the things that you thought were great, be relevant, people liking it and getting it. So this is very useful networking and connecting to people.
Meruert Tolegen by Meruert Planul-Tolegen, US
Collections: Womenswear
How would you describe the USP of your brand?
I believe the brand strives on creative shapes and fabrications, and brings forth an intellectual perspective on prints.
What do you think the biggest challenges facing emerging designers are today?
There is an amount of uncertainty that is around today that wasn’t quite there 20 or even 10 years ago. The consumer has changed, the market is different — there’s a lot of instability. It’s difficult for a new emerging brand to strive and stay afloat, when working hard to create a vision, brand identity and bring something new and creative to the fashion market.
What does being in the LVMH Prize mean to you?
For me, the LVMH Prize feels validating of the hard work we’ve put into the brand. It gives a sense of support that we often lack as new designers. It’s great to be a part of a group of new talent, and to discover others who have worked towards the same or similar goals of creating not only a brand, but an art.
If you had to sum up the brand in one slogan, what would it be?
Green and fluid.
Mfpen by Sigurd Bank, Denmark
Collections: Womenswear and menswear
Tell us a bit about yourself and your brand.
Mfpen is a Copenhagen-based co-ed brand focusing on utilising existing materials, such as deadstock and residual fabrics and recycled fibers. Inspired by classic European tailoring, drawing on counter-cultural notions, we work with recontextualising stereotypes in fashion. Nearly a decade ago, while freelancing for various companies, I became aware of the vast amounts of deadstock fabrics sitting unused at factories and mills. Intrigued by the opportunity, I began exploring ways to purchase these materials for my own projects. This discovery ultimately inspired the creation of Mfpen.
How would you describe the USP of Mfpen?
Craftsmanship and responsibility. Classic European tailoring with counter-cultural notions.
Why did you get into fashion design?
Through skateboarding and music culture.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing smaller brands today?
Besides the geopolitical tensions everyone is facing, there is the challenge of working with big unstable retailers and slow payments.
How can the fashion industry help designers overcome this challenge?
I can only answer for myself, but we luckily have a good amount of direct sales. Besides that, we are focused on limiting overproduction and are lucky to have retailers — both big and small — who align with this concept.
What will you do with the prize if you win?
First and foremost, bring awareness to Mfpen and our concept. The mentorship is, of course, an amazing opportunity to get knowledge from industry experts. The prize money would help us expand our universe via our own platform, opening another store in one or two other major cities. At the same time, we can purchase even more deadstock, which we usually buy a season before using it.
Nicklas Skovgaard by Nicklas Skovgaard, Denmark
Collections: Womenswear
Tell us a bit about yourself and your brand.
My name is Nicklas Skovgaard, I’m 30 years old and I’m based in Copenhagen. I founded my namesake womenswear brand back in 2020 after discovering an old table loom at a flea market during a summer vacation. I started weaving my own woolen textiles that I would be combining with contradictory fabrications such as stretch jersey or leather that I would then be cutting and sewing into unexpected silhouettes. I would describe my brand as being deeply rooted in personal memories, sources and perspectives and being cultivated on the edge of romanticism and realism.
What do you think the biggest challenge is facing smaller brands today?
One is scaling the brand in a responsible and healthy way. There’s so many different aspects of growing the brand such as economics, production and retailers, where you really need to trust that it takes more than one season to build a long-lasting brand. I think it’s all about keeping the focus and trust in the smaller brands throughout the seasons as they develop.
How can the fashion industry help designers overcome this challenge?
I think the overall topic of this interview being the LVMH Prize is one good example of how to overcome this challenge. By highlighting smaller brands’ work, trusting them in the work they do and by giving them a voice within the industry.
What will you do with the prize if you win?
First of all, I’m very thankful to have my brand shortlisted as one of the 20 selected brands. Already being in the prize is such an honour and a big step. If I won the prize, I think it would be an invaluable part of growing my brand. Both in terms of developing and refining the coming collections, as well as looking into new product categories, new ways of producing and scaling the brand in the years to come. Also, the mentorship would be of a great value to a brand like mine, taking all of the craftsmanship, heritage and know-how of the mentors into mind. An emerging brand like mine could take away so many important learnings.
Penultimate by Xiang Gao, China
Collections: Genderless
Tell us a bit about yourself and your brand.
I am a girl from Wenzhou, China, who studied painting from a young age: I didn’t overthink, but followed the path of my family’s legacy in fashion design. I started Penultimate in 2018 after two years working at Calvin Klein 205W39NYC. Now, I want to make fashion like art and make people wear a piece of art like everyday clothes.
How would you describe the USP of your brand in two sentences?
This is the time I hear the world USP, and I haven’t thought much about it. So I have collected some feedback from my customers: you can never anticipate what will happen in the next season for Penultimate. There’s always surprises. You can feel the sense of wonder, passion, humour and dedication that it takes to make a Penultimate garment.
What do you think the biggest challenge facing emerging designers is today?
I wish that more people dared to enjoy fashion.
What will you do with the prize if you win?
I would walk around this inspirational world more, keep making fantastic things and sell in my own shop.
Pillings by Ryota Murakami, Japan
Collections: Womenswear
How do you describe your brand’s USP?
The most important thing about the brand is craftsmanship and hand knits. I want to create the circumstances to grow skilled hand knitters in Japan, because there is a rich background there. But due to the aging population, it’s fading.
What does the LVMH Prize mean to you?
This has been such a good environment to meet a lot of people, a lot of different buyers. It’s been a great opportunity.
Renaissance Renaissance by Cynthia Merhej, Lebanon
Collections: Womenswear
Tell us a bit about yourself and your brand.
Renaissance Renaissance is a brand based in Beirut, Lebanon, focused on craftsmanship, experimentation, playfulness and heritage. Essentially, it’s a story of duality between my maternal traditions that have been passed down to me, from my great grandmother and my mother, and my own point of view, which is more experimental and rebellious. I’m most proud to say that everything is based in Beirut. So on our production or our sampling. That’s something really important and dear to my heart and to my process.
What’s the biggest challenge emerging brands are facing right now?
I can only talk from my perspective. I started making wholesale collections around 2018/2019. Then, Covid hit. We had a financial collapse in Lebanon. And then we had an explosion in the port of Beirut. It was a very challenging and turbulent last few years, trying to keep rebuilding over and over. And as you know more recently, we had the war in Lebanon and in Gaza. So of course, this was like a whole new setback. It’s really incredible to see the evolution of the brand regardless, and it’s growing from strength to strength every season.
What does the LVMH Prize mean to you?
It’s major. It’s huge first of all to see that what we’re doing is being recognised, because we work really, really hard. We’re not a lot of people. It’s literally like me, my mom and a seamstress in the atelier, and then I have a wonderful team. No one is full time, but they treat the job like they are. So it’s really nice, I think, for everyone to get that validation.
What would you do if you won the prize?
Number one would be securing full-time employees. Then, we can finally start expanding on our communications and marketing. We could also finally open e-commerce, which would be really important for us, because we need to diversify from wholesale.
Sinéad O’Dwyer by Sinéad O’Dwyer, Ireland
Collections: Womenswear
Tell us a bit about yourself and your brand.
I’m from Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland. I started my brand officially in 2021. I started the brand as I am really interested in subverting the sort of clothes all women can wear — and working on the structural issues of how the industry can shift in that direction. I’m deeply inspired by craft, and the connection between embellishment and construction.
Why did you get into fashion design?
I went to the Isabella Blow x Philip Treacy exhibit when I was 13 with my dad, and fell in love with the drama and emotion of the work. I started making my own pieces almost instantaneously.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing smaller brands today?
For me, it’s always production. I face challenges working with factories as I have multiple sample sizes per style, and this is not the norm for the industry.
How can the fashion industry help designers overcome this challenge?
I think it’s an issue that can only be tackled together. We need collective action across the whole industry, from design to production to retail.
What will you do with the prize if you win?
I can’t wait to make my pieces more available for the women and community I love, and design for… so this would be my laser focus if I won!
Soshiotsuki by Soshi Otsuki, Japan
Collections: Menswear
Tell us a bit about yourself and your brand.
I am from Chiba, Japan, and I founded my brand in 2015.
How would you describe the USP of your brand?
Japanese spirits and tailoring technique.
What do you think the biggest challenges facing emerging designers are today?
In Japan, the shortage of skilled artisans due to an aging workforce is becoming a serious issue. As a result, emerging designers with limited production volumes are finding it increasingly difficult to create high-quality garments.
What will you do with the prize if you win?
Currently, I run my brand alone, so I would like to hire staff and nurture the next generation of designers. Additionally, given the declining number of artisans, I aim to establish my own factory to ensure a stable production environment.
Steve O Smith by Steve O Smith, UK
Collections: Womenswear and menswear
Tell us a bit about yourself and your brand.
I’m Steve O Smith, a London-based designer exploring the idea of making my drawings on paper into wearable garments. I developed this practice while studying on the MA at Central Saint Martins in 2020
How would you describe the USP of your brand?
We make drawings. That idea is reflected both in the way we approach our creative process and also in how we interact with our customers, which is on a made-to-order basis.
What is your favourite piece in this collection and why?
My favourite piece is a striped tunic we made using tulle and crepe de chine appliqué on organza to recreate the mark making of a tonal wet ink drawing.
What do you think the biggest challenges facing emerging designers are today?
I think trying to find the balance between creative innovation and commercial viability is still the major challenge faced by emerging designers. We’ve found that working made-to-order has really helped us be able to grow our business at a pace that feels sustainable and also allows the time needed for creative development.
What will you do with the prize if you win?
Winning would allow me to expand my atelier, invest in research and development for new fabric techniques, and collaborate with skilled artisans to push my process further. My ultimate dream is to make couture, and I believe winning this prize would help bring me closer to achieving that goal.
Tolu Coker by Tolu Coker, UK
Collections: Womenswear
Tell us a bit about yourself and your brand.
I m British, and my collection is really looking at this notion of British heritage, but through the lens of migration. So the stories of people who, like my parents, immigrated from Nigeria to Britain, and what the notion of heritage looks like.
What would you pull out as a really significant piece, maybe your favourite piece in the collection?
I think definitely the printed pieces, because there s a real archival quality to them. And there s a real notion of how clothing isn t just a commercial commodity. It’s also about the intangible parts of how clothes hold memory, how they hold sentiment and the things that give them value. And I think that s a really significant thing in luxury and in storytelling.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing emerging designers today?
The market in London, generally, is challenging, especially for emerging designers. I think about my community as not just people in London. It s quite global. It’s really about the diaspora. And considering that our audience is global, it s also about tapping into the attention of the global market. So in this time I think it’s important to continue to innovate and that is hard in a challenging market. Collaborative approaches are super important in a time like this.
What will you do with the prize if you win?
My first priority is to build infrastructure. One of the key things that is a challenge to creativity, is scaling the business, so I think having that infrastructure at the root is absolutely critical. And being able to develop your product and diversify your range so that you can speak to different markets and different customers. Those are also the things that strategically allow me to generate revenue, to put that into the business. It’s important to be strategic with money, and this prize is a stepping stone.
Torishéju by Torishéju Dumi, UK
Collections: Womenswear and menswear
Tell us a bit about yourself and your brand.
I’m based in London, and I launched the brand in 2023.
How would you describe the USP of your brand?
Torishéju’s USP lies in its unique blend of heritage, tradition and avant-garde design. The brand challenges modern conventions with dynamic, thought-provoking reinterpretations of structure, shape and fabric.
What is your favourite piece in this collection and why?
I don’t have a singular favourite, but one piece that truly encapsulates the brand’s identity and personality is the Horned blazer from Look 1 in Spring/Summer 2024.
What are some of the changes you would like to see in the fashion industry?
I’d love to see more vivid storytelling, where designers can truly build immersive worlds that inspire people’s imaginations and push creative boundaries.
What does the LVMH Prize mean to you?
To me, the LVMH Prize represents recognition. Being seen by those who have long been a source of inspiration for me. All in all, it’s a wonderful opportunity and experience and I’m just beyond grateful to be in this position.
Yasmin Mansour by Yasmin Mansour, Egypte
Collections: Womenswear
Tell us a bit about yourself and your brand.
My name is Yasmin Mansour, I am the founder and creative director of my namesake label, which I started in Qatar in 2014.
How would you describe the USP of your brand?
Blending sculptural elegance with artistic expression, our label redefines luxury through architectural silhouettes and intricate pleating rooted in traditional craftsmanship. Every piece reflects a dedication to sustainability and offers a modern interpretation of timeless sophistication.
What do you think the biggest challenges facing emerging designers are today?
I think one of the biggest challenges, especially in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region, is the resourcing of materials locally, more specifically sustainable materials. This causes many to outsource their materials from foreign suppliers. However, this challenge also forces designers to think outside of the box in using what they have directly accessible to them, and what they can do with it.
What will you do with the prize if you win?
I will put the money into research and development for my production, and work on expanding and breaking into the global market.
Young N Sang by Sang Lim Lee et Youngshin Hong, South Korea
Collections: Menswear
Tell us a bit about your brand.
We started the brand about seven years ago. There is a population decline crisis in Korea. In five years, half of the Korean population is going to be older than 50. So this is a big issue, but it means that generation has great spending power. So the thinking behind the brand is that we should adjust to the market. Our stockists include Ssense in Canada, and some Korean department stores. We are about to open our first physical store in Seoul too. You should visit!
How would you describe the USP of your brand?
There is no age limit, we want all the generations of one family to share our clothes over a long period of time.
How do you go about finding out what the customers you are targeting want?
Our store is located in an area where people from older generations also live. So they come to our store and we talk about the clothes. They often think the brand is for younger people, but then they try it on and it’s beautiful.
What does the LVMH prize mean to you?
The main message we are trying to send is one of sustainability. But we also want to say that aging can be a big trend.
Zomer by Danial Aitouganov, the Netherlands
Collections: Womenswear
Tell us a bit about your brand.
We like to think of Zomer’s style as a blend of playful creativity and sophistication, offering bold and unconventional designs that celebrate a certain quirkiness. There’s always a touch of sense in what we do, but without losing a sense of sophistication.
What do you think the biggest challenge facing emerging designers is today ?
As a small team without formal training in production, we rely on past experience, but timely delivery remains difficult. It delays cash flow, as we need to get products to stores on time to receive payments and sustain our work. Another challenge is converting Instagram engagement into actual sales. Digital presence is crucial, of course, but translating visibility into revenue requires stronger e-commerce strategies and customer conversion tactics. Industry-wide, more accessible production support and mentorship for young brands would help lessen these challenges.
What does being in the LVMH Prize mean to you?
Being part of the LVMH Prize has been a goal since we started, gaining exposure on this platform is actually incredible. The recognition from the industry is both humbling and motivating, pushing us to work even harder. We are deeply proud and grateful at the same time.
If you had to sum up the brand in one slogan, what would it be?
Just kids.
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