PARIS — The LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers on Friday unveiled the nine finalists for this year’s award, spotlighting a group of pragmatic designers grappling with the major challenges facing society.

Reflecting the broad international reach of the competition, which marks its 10th anniversary this year, finalists come from the four corners of the globe but are mostly based in Europe and the U.S., with three working out of the U.K., three out of Italy, two in the U.S. and one in France.

The U.S.-based contingent consists of Luar by Raul Lopez and Diotima by Jamaican designer Rachel Scott. They are joined by London-based brands Aaron Esh; Bettter by Ukrainian designer Julie Pelipas, and Paolina Russo, headed by Canadian designer Paolina Russo and French designer Lucile Guilmard.

Rounding out the group are Paris-based designer Burç Akyol; Italian designer Luca Magliano’s Magliano label, Quira by Veronica Leoni and Setchu by Satoshi Kuwata, which is based in Milan.

Reflecting the new mood of realism at Paris Fashion Week, the finalists selected by a jury of experts and a public vote offered credible wardrobe choices that reflected concerns with gender identity, the environment and craftsmanship.

“The semi-final of the tenth edition of this prize has highlighted a great maturity in the approach and work of the designers,” said Delphine Arnault, the force behind the initiative and a key talent scout at family-controlled luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, parent of brands including Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Givenchy, Loewe and Dior, where she is chairman and CEO.

Several of the finalists worked in a variety of luxury and contemporary brands before striking out on their own, and have carefully considered every aspect of their label, from sourcing and production to marketing and image.

“Cultural diversity, celebration of traditional crafts and creative audacity define this selection. Naturally, the finalists are fully engaged in dealing with environmental issues and play with the boundaries between menswear and womenswear. Their expertise, their creativity, their uniqueness and their commitment have truly impressed me,” Arnault said.

The annual design prize has helped propel the careers of such talents as Marine Serre, Nensi Dojaka, Thebe Magugu, Simon Porte Jacquemus and Grace Wales Bonner. Last year’s winner was British designer Steven Stokey-Daley with his S.S. Daley menswear label, whose fans include Harry Styles.

The grand prize winner receives a 300,000-euro endowment and mentorship by LVMH teams in such areas as sustainability, communications, marketing, legal, production and finance. The winner of the Karl Lagerfeld Prize receives a 150,000-euro allocation plus one year of mentorship from LVMH experts.

To qualify, designers must be between the ages of 18 and 40 and have at least two commercialized womenswear, menswear or genderless collections under their belt. In addition, three fashion school graduates are to be awarded 10,000 euros each and a one-year placement in the design studio of an LVMH brand.

The 2023 edition of the prize drew a record of more than 2,400 applicants. A jury made up of LVMH’s famous creative directors will ultimately select the victors ahead of a prize ceremony on June 7 at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris.

“Ten years ago, when I had the idea for this prize, we could not have imagined this journey. Today, the LVMH Prize is an international and essential player in design. Each year, the number of entries increases: it is very difficult to choose between them, given the quality of the candidates and of their creations,” Arnault said.

Aaron Esh

Barely a year after launching his namesake brand, London-based designer Aaron Esh has made a name for himself with his romance-tinged menswear, which reflects his aesthetic influences as much as the realities of living in post-Brexit Britain.

Esh studied menswear at London College of Fashion before earning a scholarship from Alexander McQueen to complete his MA at Central Saint Martins. His designs contrast traditional tailoring with constructions and details borrowed from the womenswear lexicon. Examples include puff-skirt jeans, a halter-neck waistcoat and hoodies with tie fastenings.

“I look at subversion of the masculine archetype, showing there can be allure to menswear with softness and elegance – redefining what masculinity means within a wardrobe,” he said.

Bettter

Ukrainian designer Julie Pelipas launched her womenswear brand Bettter on the cusp of the coronavirus pandemic, and had barely overcome that hurdle when the Russian invasion threw her country into chaos. Since then, she has focused on keeping her team safe, in addition to creating a platform showcasing Ukrainian creatives in need of work.

The former fashion director of Vogue Ukraine conceived Bettter as an upcycling system that reworks secondhand garments and deadstock materials. Her first collection focused on the signature oversized suits she was often photographed wearing to fashion shows, and she’s since expanded to more casual pieces, including shirts made from vintage towels and reconstructed T-shirts. 

“I just wanted people to know that upcycling can be really sexy,” Pelipas told WWD. Now based in London, she’s looking to make connections that will allow the label to scale and become a solution for the stock currently clogging brands.

Burç Akyol

Having discovered fashion via his father, a tailor, Burç Akyol gave up a budding acting career to enroll at the École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. After stints at Christian Dior and Balenciaga, he worked alongside Esteban Cortázar at the Colombian designer’s namesake brand. In 2019, Akyol left to create his own unisex label.

Akyol is known for creations that marry sexiness with austerity. His signature metal hands bustier has been modelled for editorial shoots by celebrities including Cate Blanchett and Cardi B, while Kendall Jenner and Elizabeth Debicki have worn his designs on the red carpet.

For him, challenging rules through fashion is a way to trigger change. “I don’t want to gender clothing. It’s about you being comfortable with what you’re wearing. It has a gender: the one that you choose,” he told WWD.

Diotima

Rachel Scott launched her womenswear brand Diotima during the pandemic, after watching how the shutdown of the fashion industry impacted workers on the bottom rungs of the supply chain. Based in Brooklyn, New York, she saw an opportunity to provide work for women specializing in traditional crochet techniques in her home country Jamaica. 

Having studied fashion design at Istituto Marangoni in Italy, Scott began her career as an assistant designer at Costume National before moving to the U.S., where she worked with brands such as J. Mendel, Elizabeth & James and Rachel Comey. 

Named after Diotima of Mantinea, an ancient Greek character in Plato’s “Symposium,” her label balances artisanal, sensual styles with mannish, sophisticated tailoring, referencing dance hall and her Jamaican roots. “I seek to present a seductive and nuanced vision of Caribbean style, looking to the future while remaining grounded in history and my experience as a Jamaican,” she said. 

Luar

Raul Lopez is on a roll. The New York-based designer recently won the CFDA’s American Accessory Designer of the Year Award, and shopping search platform Lyst named Luar as the Brand to Watch in its “Year in Fashion 2022” report, citing a 106 percent increase in demand for its popular Ana bag.

Lopez, who also co-founded cult-favorite label Hood By Air with Shayne Oliver, channels his experience as the child of Dominican immigrants into his coed collections, which frequently reference his upbringing and his admiration for the opulence of Manhattan’s elite. 

Celebrities including Dua Lipa and Julia Fox are fans of his work. “As a Latino gay child born in Brooklyn to immigrant parents, my brand is part love letter to the child that I was, part love letter to those, who like me, are looking to see themselves in a world that often ignores them,” he said. 

Magliano

Luca Magliano’s label has been gaining heat on the Milan scene with its meticulous take on downbeat, vintage-looking menswear.

A fashion design graduate of Bologna’s Libera Università delle Arti, Magliano cut his teeth on Alessandro Dell’Acqua’s team in Milan prior to moving back to Bologna in 2013 to work with designer Manuela Arcari on the Ter et Bantine fashion line. Arcari, who is also the president of Arcari e Co., offered him the chance to launch his own collection under license in 2017.

Known for his tailoring and color sense, at times evoking grunge or vintage aesthetics, Magliano is positioned in the affordable luxury segment and is carried at around 60 retailers globally. In December, the company sold a minority stake to Underscore District, a newly established fashion business accelerator, to support the next stage of its growth. 

Paolina Russo

Founded by Canadian designer Paolina Russo in 2020, this knitwear-focused womenswear brand draws on her experiences of growing up in Ontario, where the two major pastimes were craft and team sports. 

French designer Lucile Guilmard, a fellow Central Saint Martins graduate, joined as co-designer last year, bringing her folklore references and contemporary cutting methods to the mix.

Known for its signature lenticular knitwear, the London-based brand is a finalist for the 2023 International Woolmark Prize and has several capsule collections with Adidas under its belt. Using upcycled and unconventional materials, Paolina Russo channels suburban nostalgia with items like its Warrior top, a knit corset inspired by “The Legend of Zelda.” 

Quira

Having cut her teeth with Jil Sander and Phoebe Philo, Veronica Leoni is ready to make her own statement with her womenswear label Quira. Its blend of strictness and sensuality mirrors the female-centric approach of her mentors. 

Named after her seamstress grandmother, Quirina, the brand made its debut at Milan Fashion Week in 2021 and has garnered more than 20 stockists, including Bergdorf Goodman, H.Lorenzo and Ssense, thanks to sparse and quiet fare cut from exquisite materials.

For her fall 2023 presentation in Paris, Leoni worked with a mostly black palette, focusing on shape with layered silhouettes that gave off a protective aura. “I feel in a way that it’s a very strong point of view on style, the black itself, and gives a very sharp point of view on modern womanhood. I think it’s quite necessary at the moment and I feel a responsibility there,” she told WWD. 

Setchu

Born in Kyoto, Japan, Satoshi Kuwata moved to London at the age of 21 to pursue his dream of becoming a fashion designer. During his studies at Central Saint Martins, he worked for Huntsman in Savile Row, where he learned to master his tailoring skills.

Kuwata went on to work with brands including Gareth Pugh in London; Kanye West and Givenchy in Paris; Edun in New York City and Golden Goose in Milan before launching his unisex label in 2020. The brand name Setchu represents the fusion of Japanese and Western concepts, with items like foldable jackets in origami-like constructions. 

A winner of Vogue Italia’s “Who Is on Next?” talent search last year, Kuwata grounds his designs in a deep knowledge and respect for different cultures and crafts. “I place all my efforts into a design process imbued with storytelling,” the globe-trotting designer said. 

FACE FORWARD: Yasmin Finney has been named YSL Beauté’s first U.K. local ambassador.

Finney is among the most influential actresses in the transgender community, and is known for her support of the LGBTQIA+ communities.

Finney’s breakout role was in Netflix’s rom-com hit series “Heartstopper,” and she was honored along with the rest of the show’s cast with the On-Screen Trailblazer Award at the Gay Times Honours 2022 event.

Finney will continue playing Elle Argent in the series’ second season and is to star in “Doctor Who,” for the show’s 60th anniversary this year.

In the U.K.’s House of Commons, Member of Parliament Luke Pollard said Finney’s visibility as a trans actor “has not only inspired me, it’s inspired young trans people across the world, and it has saved lives,” YSL Beauté recounted in a statement.

“To me, this partnership means hope,” said Finney in the statement. “It means all the younger Yasmins out there who’ve been told they don’t belong can finally see themselves represented by a monumental brand like YSL Beauté.

“It’s a real pinch-me moment,” she continued. “Not long ago, I was in Manchester, dreaming of better days. I’m so excited to be part of the YSL family because, to me, beauty comes from confidence. It all starts from within. You have to take that leap and tell yourself that you are beautiful, no matter what others think. Don’t try and fit in – stand out! That, to me, is true beauty.”

Finney will appear first as a YSL Beauté ambassador in the new Drop the Look campaign that is due out in April. — JENNIFER WEIL

ALL ACES: The Accessories Council will mark its 27th annual ACE Awards later this spring in New York City. The annual event, which marks excellence in accessories design, retail and influence, will take place on May 3 at Cipriani 42nd Street.

“The ACE Awards are a foundation event for the Accessories Council. The gala celebrates our industry stars, recognizes milestones and is an exceptional networking event. The AC is delighted to finally have the awards in the spring, a longtime goal that was a bit delayed due to the pandemic,” said Karen Giberson, president and chief executive officer of the Accessories Council.

In preparation, the council has revealed this year’s honorees. The Visionary Award will go to Mickey Drexler; Style Ambassador award to Julianne Hough; Emerging Designer to Dee Ocleppo; Hall of Fame to Judith Leiber Couture; Brand Innovation to Alexis Bittar; Brand of the Year to Wolverine (marking its 140th anniversary); Retailer of the Year to Von Maur; Retail Innovation to Fashionphile; Sustainability to House of LR&C, and the Legacy Award to Echo New York. “This year’s honorees are a powerful group of brands and individuals all with foundation roots in the United States,” Giberson said.

The ACE Awards were created in 1997 to celebrate those who have made great strides in raising awareness of the accessories industry. Over the past 27 years, the Accessories Council has honored and recognized global brands and pioneers, positioning them as trailblazers of the industry. Awards are presented to designers, brands, retailers, celebrities and media who have helped to enhance sales and promote all accessories.

Sponsors of the ACE Awards include Marchon Eyewear, FashionGo, Brosway Italia, Hammitt, Caleres, Informa — MAGIC, Project, Coterie, EssilorLuxottica, Judith Leiber Couture, Safilo Group, Signal Brands, Steve Madden and The Jewelry Group.

Tickets and table buyouts are now on sale and sponsorship opportunities are still available. — THOMAS WALLER

NEW IN L.A.: Westman Atelier is hosting its first West Coast pop-up in Los Angeles.

The beauty brand held an event inside Nordstrom’s flagship in New York in September as part of the retailer’s “New New York” initiative, but the L.A. presence marks its first stand-alone space.   

Located at the Grove shopping center, it’s open Thursday through April 20.

Why L.A.?

Firstly, when it comes to buying behavior, it’s Westman Atelier’s second-grossing city after New York, according to the brand. But it’s also personal.

“I have a special relationship with Los Angeles since I lived outside the city as a child and started my makeup career there,” Gucci Westman told WWD in an exclusive statement. Westman, a professional makeup artist, launched the brand with husband David Neville in 2018.

“I grew up in an ashram outside of Los Angeles until I was 10, and I always appreciated the health and wellness movement that is so unique to L.A.,” she added. “It has inspired the way I live and the fundamentals of Westman Atelier….I’ve been dreaming of doing in-person events for so long, and now that we have this space, it allows us to host these exclusive activations that will bring our customers together as a community.”

Shoppers can expect weekly events with activities and product giveaways, including a meet and greet with Westman, a happy hour with complimentary mocktails, 15-minute makeup appointments, shade matching assistance and custom engraving sessions with purchase. The entire collection will be available, including bestsellers, which are currently the Skin Activator (the brand’s first skin care launch); Lit Up Highlight Stick; Face Trace Contour Stick; Vital Skincare Complexion Drops; Vital Skin Foundation Stick, and Baby Cheeks.

The brand also looks to attract new customers, said Neville, adding, “Since we launched, we have been a digitally native brand, and we have been thinking of the best way to bring the world of Westman Atelier to life.”

The L.A. customer has aligned with the brand values, he went on: “They are beyond savvy when it comes to clean beauty, and they are always finding ways to incorporate wellness and clean skin care into their lifestyle. They are on top of trends, even before it becomes a trend. Their overall skin care and makeup approach is very much our aesthetic — effortless, glowing, natural beauty. They appreciate when there is still an element of discovery.”

The Grove — with its “visibility and traffic” — was a no-brainer as chosen location, said Neville, as one of the “top shopping destinations in the U.S.” — RYMA CHIKHOUNE

GETTING A MOVE ON: Will digital artist Sam Shea — prized for his disquieting, liquid-like figures sometimes comprised only of limbs — disrupt the, ahem, staid mannequin market?

“I’m basically going to start manufacturing all my 3D work in real life,” he said at an event Tuesday during Paris Blockchain Week, where he displayed a video clip of one of his human-like creatures, its flesh stretching out in the wind, riding a horse across a beach. “The cool thing is my dad worked his entire life at a natural history museum, and his best friend made the mannequins.”

Shea, better known as Nude Robot, said his “surreal mannequins, like lucid dreamers” would offer a new way for fashion brands to animate their designs — and offer gallery-goers something to gawk at besides a screen. “That’s what I’m working towards.”

He was among about a dozen digital artists assembled for the launch of Itak, a new consultancy that helps brands navigate the new digital landscape and create immersive experiences with the help of cutting-edge technology.

Mado Scott, chief creative officer at Itak and one of three cofounders, said the firm helps fashion and luxury companies step into the Web 3.0 world “while staying on brand, and while having the level of craft they deserve as luxury brands.”

According to her, the “touch of the artist” is key, noting most employ video game and special-effects technology, along with AI, to create intricate, sometimes otherworldly visuals.

Indeed, artists like Shea, who studied fashion at Maryland Institute College of Art, is able to produce such compellingly lifelike digital effects thanks to his knowledge of cloth and costume design. “The way you drape in 3D is exactly the way a tailor would,” he explained.

Unexplored Fields, a creative collective that has already done work for Lacoste and Dr. Martens, displayed a mesmerizing video still of a ruddy-faced young man in a mullet hugging the nose of a giant yak, the camera panning slowly over his clothes: a leather jacket inspired by a 1982 design by Massimo Osti for C.P. Company, needle-felted trousers based on the motorcycle pants Swedish police officers wore in the 1950s, and sneakers inspired by a Balenciaga X Vibram collab.

No surprise that one of the three cofounders of Unexplored Fields, Virgile Brosa, studied fashion also. He tweaked the original designs and experimented with various textures. “3D is a good opportunity to do that, because you can relatively quickly change the design and have the result instantly,” he said.

The other cofounders of Itak are Massimo Moretti, whose background is in crypto, and Mariem Farhat, a Web 3.0 expert and marketing guru. Mado Scott was a finalist for the 2021 Andam Innovation Prize with her firm Acid Rays, which creates virtual and digital identities for fashion labels. – MILES SOCHA