LVMH Prize’s top gong scrapped for this year over COVID-19

The LVMH Prize will not be handed out this year as a consequence of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, disappointing many budding designers who could have benefited from the doors opened and attendant publicity of being anointed the winner.

The seventh edition of the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers, as it is properly called, was supposed to be held June 5 at the Fondation Louis Vuitton museum in Paris. Instead, Paris and the rest of France are on COVID-19 lockdown.

In a workaround, the LVMH Prize’s $329,000 award will be distributed equally to the eight finalists of the 2020 edition who were selected by a committee of experts during the semi-final Feb. 27-28.

Finalists
Twenty young fashion brands presented their collections Feb. 27-28 in Paris to the committee of experts during the semi-final of the LVMH Prize. Eight made the final round for a stab at the LVMH Prize and the Karl Lagerfeld Prize.

The eight finalists are:

Ahluwalia by Priya Ahluwalia (British designer based in London): Menswear presented in London

Casablanca by Charaf Tajer (French designer based in London): Menswear presented in Paris

Chopova Lowena by Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena (Bulgarian-American designer and British designer based in London): Womenswear presented in London

Nicholas Daley by Nicholas Daley (British designer based in London): Menswear presented in London

Peter Do by Peter Do (American designer based in New York): Womenswear presented in Paris

Sindiso Khumalo by Sindiso Khumalo (South African designer based in Cape Town): Womenswear presented in Milan

Surpriya Lele by Supriya Lele (British-Indian designer based in London): Womenswear presented in London

Tomo Koizumi by Tomotoka Koizumi (Japanese designer based in Tokyo): Womenswear presented in Tokyo

Five of the finalists design womenswear and the other three menswear.

A Bulgarian designer at this stage of the competition was a first for the prize.

Thebe Magugu from South Africa was the winner of the 2019 edition of the LVMH Prize. Another South African designer was among the finalists this time round as well.

This year, LVMH’s 24S ecommerce store and online retailer MatchesFashion were to showcase and sell the apparel and accessories of the finalists of the LVMH Prize to help them gain global exposure.

New fund
Meanwhile, in another gesture that will be appreciated by emerging talent threatened by the COVID-19 downturn, the LVMH Prize has established a fund to aid young fashion designers that will be supplemented by the 2020 Karl Lagerfeld Prize allocation.

The fund will help all winning designers and their brands awarded the LVMH Prize and the Karl Lagerfeld Prize over the six prior editions. Designers will have to apply, with more details on the program provided later.

“Since its launch, the LVMH Prize has promoted and nurtured young talent,” said Delphine Arnault, executive vice president at LVMH, in a statement. “Each year, it places the spotlight on young designers from all over the world and supports the development of their companies.

“In this challenging context, this fund in aid of young fashion designers highlights the main mission of the LVMH Prize by supporting our former winners,” she said.