On June 7, the Fondation Louis Vuitton hosted the grand finale of the prestigious LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers, marking its milestone tenth edition. The event witnessed the esteemed presence of eight artistic directors from LVMH Group’s renowned fashion houses, including Jonathan Anderson, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Nicolas Ghesquière, Marc Jacobs, Kim Jones, Stella McCartney, Nigo, and Silvia Venturini Fendi. Notable attendees also included Delphine Arnault, Jean-Paul Claverie, and Sidney Toledano.

Japanese designer Satoshi Kuwata, 39, emerged as the recipient of the coveted LVMH Prize among the nine finalists. Kuwata is the founder of Setchu, a pioneering genderless clothing brand. As the winner, he will be granted a 400,000-euro prize and will benefit from a year-long mentorship by a team of LVMH experts, spearheaded by Sophie Brocart, the driving force behind this initiative.

The name for the brand Setchu comes from the Japanese word “Wayo Setchu.” With “Wayo” denoting Japan and the West and “Setchu” meaning compromise, the brand represents the blending of Japanese and Western concepts – the compromise between the two cultures. With this blend in mind, Kuwata focuses on creating sophisticated and functional garments that are genderfluid and sustainable. 

In another remarkable decision, the Jury granted two Karl Lagerfeld Prizes this year. Julie Pelipas, 38, the Ukrainian designer and founder of Bettter, a womenswear brand, was honored with one prize. The other prize was awarded to Luca Magliano, 36, the Italian designer and founder of Magliano, a brand focusing on menswear and genderless fashion. Both winners will be rewarded with 200,000 euros and will be privileged with a one-year mentorship program provided by the LVMH Group.

This year, the endowment total reached an impressive 860,000 euros. Aligned with the LVMH Group’s global environmental strategy, the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers is committed to assisting the winners in incorporating environmental considerations into their design and production methods. To support this initiative, each winner will receive a tailored mentoring program and an allowance of 20,000 and 10,000 euros, respectively, on the Nona Source platform. This platform aims to repurpose leftover materials from the Group’s Fashion and Leather Goods brands, promoting sustainability. 

The eleventh edition of the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers will be held in 2024.