The 20 semi-finalists for the 2026 LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers have been revealed ahead of the two-day showcase taking place on March 4 and 5 in Paris during Fashion Week, highlighting an exciting wave of emerging global talent. Now in its thirteenth edition, the Prize has established itself as one of the industry’s most influential platforms, providing not only substantial financial backing and mentorship but also unparalleled international exposure. Previous winners have gone on to leave a lasting mark on fashion, including Hodakova, Marine Serre, Nensi Dojaka, and Grace Wales Bonner, whose 2016 win propelled her career to new heights and who is set to make her debut as Hermès menswear creative director this year.
“I am delighted by the worldwide success of the LVMH Prize. Once again, I have the privilege of unveiling a shortlist of remarkable talents. Their collections span contemporary elegance, bold designs and even one of a kind pieces. Craftsmanship and research into materials lie at the heart of their creations. This year’s 20 semi-finalists come from major fashion capitals, as well as, for the first time, Georgia, Kenya and Thailand. I am also pleased to welcome back Kartik Research, a semi-finalist in 2023. I wish to congratulate all the semi-finalists and look forward to meeting them at our showroom, which will take place for the first time this year at La Samaritaine, an iconic landmark in the heart of Paris,” said Delphine Arnault.
The LVMH Prize awards its winner a €400,000 endowment alongside a year of bespoke mentorship from LVMH. The Karl Lagerfeld Prize recognises the creativity of an emerging brand with €200,000 and a year-long mentorship programme, while the Savoir Faire Prize celebrates exceptional craftsmanship, innovation and sustainability, granting €200,000 and dedicated mentoring focused on preserving and transmitting artisanal skills. The Prize also champions three recent fashion graduates, each receiving €10,000 matched for their school and the opportunity to join the design studio of one of the Group’s Houses for a year.
Womenswear takes centre stage among this year’s semi-finalists, with a strong lineup of designers. Standout names include COLLEEN ALLEN, DE PINO, JULIE KEGELS, MAZ MANUELA ÁLVAREZ, PETRA FAGERSTRÖM and YOSHITA 1967, alongside multidimensional labels such as IAMISIGO, INSTITUTION, KARTIK RESEARCH and LII that move fluidly between womenswear, menswear and genderless design. Public voting is now open, with audiences invited to select their eight favourite brands via the digital platform lvmhprize.com alongside the expert jury.
2026 LVMH PRIZE Semi-Finalists:
ACT N°1 by Luca Lin, Italy, genderless collections
COLLEEN ALLEN by Colleen Allen, United States, womenswear
DE PINO by Gabriel Figueiredo, France, womenswear
DERRICK by Luke Derrick, United Kingdom, menswear
GOLSHAAH by Golnar Ahmadian, Iran, womenswear
IAMISIGO by Bubu Ogisi, Nigeria, womenswear and menswear
INSTITUTION by Galib Gassanoff, Georgia, womenswear, menswear and genderless collections
JULIE KEGELS by Julie Kegels, Belgium, womenswear
KARTIK RESEARCH by Kartik Kumra, India, womenswear and menswear
KINYAN LAM by Kinyan Lam, China, genderless collections
LII by Zane Li, China, womenswear and menswear
MAZ MANUELA ÁLVAREZ by Manuela Álvarez, Colombia, womenswear
NONG RAK by Cherry W. Rain-Phuangfueang, United States, and Teerapat Phuangfueang, Thailand, womenswear, menswear and genderless collections
PETRA FAGERSTRÖM by Petra Fagerström, Sweden, womenswear
PONTE by Harry Pontefract, United Kingdom, womenswear and menswear
SHINYAKOZUKA by Shinya Kozuka, Japan, menswear
SSSTEIN by Kiichiro Asakawa, Japan, menswear and genderless collections
THE VXLLEY by Daniel del Valle Fernandez, Spain, genderless collections
TÍSCAR ESPADAS by Tíscar Espadas, Spain, and Kevin Kohler, Switzerland, genderless collections
YOSHITA 1967 by Anil Padia, Kenya, womenswear
