LVMH Prize a springboard and support for winners

The 2024 edition of the LVMH Prize, a celebration of emerging designers, has been awarded to Ellen Hodakova Larsson of Sweden. The Karl Lagerfeld Prize went to Duran Lantink, and the new Savoir-Faire Prize went to Michael Stewart.

The award ceremony, impeccably staged at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, put creativity centre-stage, a focus reflected in the opening words of actress and producer Natalie Portman, who presented the award, in her speech to the eight finalists: “Today, it’s clear that your individual work is a commitment. You are the future of fashion! Thanks to my relationship with Christian Dior and the LVMH group, I’ve had the privilege of meeting many top creatives and designers. And it takes plenty of hard work, resilience and willingness to take risks to reach this level. Because fashion is more than a garment, it’s an art form, a statement, a mirror of our times and culture. As young designers, you are at the forefront of change. You bring new perspectives, you aren’t bound by conventions, and you want to push existing boundaries and find new ones.”

Portman also highlighted the economic frailty of emerging designers today: “The journey of young designers isn’t always easy, it’s not just all down to creativity. They need financial, professional and emotional support. They need mentors, support platforms, and our collective encouragement to thrive. By supporting these designers, we are not only supporting individual talents, but innovation, diversity and progress in the fashion industry.”

A statement that resonated powerfully with the designers present. Hodakova Larsson, awarded the LVMH Prize for her work with her label Hodakova, with which she reinterprets everyday items such as spoons, old handbags and belts to make high-end clothes and accessories, was extremely emotional when receiving her prize from Portman.

“In reality, we’re working so hard in a very challenging industry. To advance, we put all our energy and passion into this adventure. Of course it’s emotional. Having the opportunity of being recognised by major names, I feel it’s a step towards a big change for us,” said Hodakova Larsson, a determined young woman, adding that the staff at her Stockholm atelier followed the ceremony live online.

She founded Hodakova in 2021, and the attention garnered with the prize will undoubtedly prompt further interest in the label’s upcycled fashion (commercialised in 18 countries, and notably worn by actress Cate Blanchett) and its forthcoming Parisian runway show, on September 24 at 1:30pm CET. For Hodakova Larsson, the prize’s €400,000 purse is also extremely welcome.

“My [design] process is based on the notion of always aiming for a surprise effect. On having positive emotions, and generating a wow feeling in customers. That is the first very important point for me. The second is to integrate all this into a genuine entrepreneurial project. To make sure it works, creating an infrastructure capable of supporting the project. It hasn’t been easy for several seasons, but our prospects are encouraging,” said Hodakova Larsson. Her goal is to boost her label’s business operations and increase its profitability while perfecting its recycling concept. According to her, this requires expanding into different markets, and investment in technology. “The prize money will also enable us to invest in the AI solutions we’re developing to improve sourcing of second-hand items. We receive bales of products, our aim is to find the right material for the right use. [AI] technology is crucial to optimise our model,” she said.

Resources for creative exploration

Also Lantink and Stewart, both in their thirties like Hodakova Larsson, are looking forward to renewed interest in their upcoming shows, respectively scheduled on Sunday September 29 in Paris and on September 14 at 4:00 pm BST in London. The €200,000 prize money is clearly a boost to their projects.

“I think the jury has recognised the evolution in my work, having been a semi-finalist in the prize two years ago,” said Dutch designer Lantink. He divides his time between Amsterdam and Paris, and has caught the eye with his work on body shapes, and his ability to blend skintight lines with exaggerated volumes. “After focusing on upcycling, I started concentrating on new materials. The award will clearly give me the opportunity to continue in this direction. The creative process is always a learning process. You might take one step forward then two steps backward, before making progress again. The real challenge right now is that there isn’t much funding available for emerging fashion designers. It’s a constant effort to be as creative as possible while exploiting very scarce resources,” said Lantink. For his next show (his third on the Parisian calendar), Lantink has worked on t-shirts, striving to create new variations on the theme. 

Irish designer Michael Stewart is equally concerned with the optimal use of materials with his Standing Ground label. He draws his inspiration from epic sci-fi tales and the myths of his native land, designing evening dresses that are fashioned directly on the models. He expects the prize to enable him to go further in his creative explorations. “My desire has always been to develop techniques and know-how that bolster creativity. I have to move forward on a limited budget, and the last two years have been tough, with Standing Ground in its infancy. I create my draped looks on real models, and this makes all the difference, because you see what you’re working on. I think what interested the jury was the craftsmanship I’ve developed in my work,” said Stewart, impossible to miss with his flowing red beard.

Most of Stewart’s creations are tailor-made using the know-how he has developed, and he has a direct relationship with his customers. An approach that inevitably positions him in the luxury segment. “Craftsmanship and expertise are today’s luxury. Consumers are increasingly expecting both, and understand a product’s exclusivity and specificity. This award [will be useful] for my atelier work, not for marketing initiatives. It will allow me to focus on projects I’ve wanted to develop for a long time, and start using new materials. I’ll enjoy a little freedom to have fun and experiment. But I’m very aware that if I want to produce something, I will exploit resources. So I make sure that what I do is really good,” said Stewart. Besides the prize money, Standing Ground will benefit from the support of embroidery specialist Maison Vermont. In the coming seasons, Stewart will therefore be able to introduce lace in his collections, adding even more sensuality to his looks.