There are many opportunities for young fashion designers that are just starting in the industry. There are many competitions for young designers in order to show their work and talent along with gaining experience and connections with other young designers and people known well in the fashion world. These competitions are highly competitive with fantastic prices for the winners.
LVMH Prize
LVMH, a French holding company for luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Sephora, Fenty and others, wanted to give back to the fashion industry and in doing so they’re helping emerging fashion designers. In 2014 they started a fashion design competition for young designers. The price is a 300,000 euro grant and professional help from companies in the LVMH group to develop their company over a 12 month period.
Guidance from LVMH isn’t only about fashion design but other factors involved in starting a fashion house/brand. This competition also awards 3 young designers the chance to work with a creative team a part of the luxury goods group, which includes many major couture fashion houses.
The group’s objective is to highlight the “talent of tomorrow” and discover young talent in the fashion industry.
The Hyères Festival
Another competition for young designers is the Hyeres festival, which has 3 competitions for designers and artists. The festival takes place at Villa Noailles and highlights 10 designers chosen in the competition, selected by a jury. These designers will then have their designs shown at the festival. This competition also highlights 10 photographers and 10 accessory designers.
This 4 day festival will allow the selected designers to show off their collections. Noteworthy people that have competed in the festival are Viktor and Rolf, Karine Arabian and others.
Influential designers like Martin Margiela, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Helmut Lang, Azzedine Alaia, among others have sat on the jury of this competition which gives contestants visibility to greats in the industry. For the 2023 competition the jury will award 4 grants to winners.
There are other fashion competitions in France and abroad that allow you to make a name for yourself in the industry. Competitions like, ANDAM, International Woolmark Prize and FASHION PRIZE OF TOKYO.
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