LVMH Prize creator and past winner on the award’s value to young fashion designers in a tough industry

It has been five years since the first LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers took place in Paris during the city’s fashion week and ever since the event has been one of the hottest tickets at the annual March shows.

The group behind brands such as Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Dior and Bulgari, LVMH is a powerhouse in the luxury industry and as such, the company came to the realisation that it had a role to play in supporting young talent. 

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The prize is the brainchild of Delphine Arnault, director and vice-president of Louis Vuitton. Arnault is known for her eye for talent and has been instrumental in the hiring of key figures at the group, such as Nicolas Ghesquière at Louis Vuitton and Jonathan Anderson at Loewe (she is also the daughter of LVMH owner Bernard Arnault, the richest person in France).

“I always wanted to start the prize but I’ve never had the time – although I still don’t,” laughs Arnault when I meet her at the two-day presentation of the 20 brands shortlisted for the 2018 edition of the prize. “But I think it’s really important to support young people. This prize is really just to help them. They don’t have to do anything for us.” 

One of the key features of the prize is its accessibility. Unlike fashion awards which involve lengthy application processes by designers who have been selected by panels of experts, Arnault explains that you just have to apply online. 

“We don’t approach them [designers] ourselves so anyone who has access to a computer can apply. You have to be between 18 and 30 and have done at least two collections. We had over 1,300 applicants this year and we selected 20, so to see them today is very exciting.”