Meet the 2025 LVMH Prize finalists

By Temo Mpodi

2025 marks the 12th year of the LVMH Prize Awards – and the excitement is real! The fashion giant has just dropped its list of top 8 finalists, following the much-buzzed-about semi-finalist round at Paris Fashion Week.

The LVMH Prize has long been a celebration of top-tier global creativity, spotlighting a select few designers destined to shake up the industry. This year’s finalists are a seriously impressive bunch:

• Alainpaul by Alain Paul (France)
• All-In by Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø (United States & Norway)
• Francesco Murano by Francesco Murano (Italy)
• Soshiotsuki by Soshi Otsuki (Japan)
• Steve O Smith by Steve O Smith (United Kingdom)
• Tolu Coker by Tolu Coker (United Kingdom)
• Torishéju by Torishéju Dumi (United Kingdom)
• Zomer by Danial Aitouganov (Netherlands)

ICYMI, last year’s winners were:

• LVMH Prize – Hodakova
• Karl Lagerfeld Prize – Duran Lantink
• Savoir-Faire Prize – Standing Ground

The LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers

The winner of the LVMH Prize walks away with a €400 000 endowment and a bespoke mentorship programme from the LVMH team. It’s a golden ticket into the fashion big leagues with guidance on everything from sustainable development and legal matters to marketing, manufacturing, and managing the money side of things. Basically, a crash course in building a thriving fashion brand.

The Karl Lagerfeld Prize

This one’s all about celebrating vision and individuality. Awarded to a standout designer from the top 8, the Karl Lagerfeld Prize comes with a €200 000 endowment and a one-year mentorship by the LVMH crew. It’s for the designer whose eye for fashion can’t be ignored.

The Savoir-Faire Prize

Craftsmanship lovers, this one’s for you. The Savoir-Faire Prize champions technical brilliance, innovation, and sustainability. The winner gets a €200 000 endowment and, you guessed it, a year-long mentorship to help turn that meticulous magic into an even more powerful brand.

At the heart of it all? Collaboration. LVMH has been closing the gap between fresh talent and established fashion powerhouses for over a decade – often in partnership with top fashion schools. And for three lucky winners, things get even more exciting: they’ll join the creative studios of some of LVMH’s major Houses on a one-year fixed-term contract. Each will also receive a €10 000 allocation and a relocation grant to help them settle into their new life in Paris. Très chic!

Let the countdown to the big reveal begin…