Just before Fashion Month, the 13th edition of the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers gathered the industry at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris to celebrate a new generation of talent. Bringing together fashion, innovation, craftsmanship, and design, this year’s awards recognized three emerging designers whose practices stretch from contemporary womenswear to couture-inflected sportswear and community-led craft.
The jury brought together twelve creative directors from across LVMH houses: Jonathan Anderson, Sarah Burton, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Nicolas Ghesquière, Stella McCartney, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, Camille Miceli, Nigo, Phoebe Philo, Michael Rider, and Pharrell Williams. Delphine Arnault, Pietro Beccari, Jean-Paul Claverie, and Sidney Toledano joined the jury, alongside Thai actress Urassaya Sperbund as a special guest for 2026.
“This year, the LVMH Prize was awarded to Julie Kegels for her multi-faceted, contemporary wardrobe that champions individuality,” said Delphine Arnault. “The Karl Lagerfeld Prize, meanwhile, was awarded to Lii, whose designs seamlessly blend sportswear with couture influences. The Savoir-Faire Prize went to Yoshita 1967 for his artisan- and community-led fashion project that champions handiwork.”
Julie Kegels Takes the LVMH Prize
Courtesy of LVMH.
Photo by François Goizé. Courtesy of LVMH.
Belgian designer Julie Kegels received the LVMH Prize for her namesake womenswear label. At 27, Kegels will receive a €400,000 endowment alongside a year of mentorship from LVMH experts. Dressed in a sharply tailored Dior Bar Jacket in black wool and silk with matching trousers from the Fall/Winter 2026–2027 collection, Jennifer Lawrence presented Kegels with the award. A row of delicate buttons punctuated the jacket’s sculpted silhouette, while a matching Dior Cigale bag completed the look.
Zane Li Receives the Karl Lagerfeld Prize
Photo by François Goizé. Courtesy of LVMH.
Courtesy of LVMH.
The Karl Lagerfeld Prize went to 25-year-old Chinese designer Zane Li, founder of Lii. Known for bridging sportswear with couture in menswear, Li receives a €200,000 endowment and a year of mentorship from the LVMH Group. Priyanka Chopra Jonas presented the award in a black-and-white pleated Dior tulle dress from Jonathan Anderson‘s Cruise 2027 collection, unveiled in Los Angeles at LACMA’s new David Geffen Galleries. The sheer, diaphanous layers softened the graphic contrast of black and white, while intricate pleating brought movement and dimension to the look. A Mini Dior Toujours Hobo Bag in hand completed the ensemble.
Anil Padia Wins the Savoir-Faire Prize
Courtesy of LVMH.
Photo by François Goizé. Courtesy of LVMH.
Kenyan designer Anil Padia, 35, received the Savoir-Faire Prize for Yoshita 1967, his womenswear project centered on artisanship, community, and handiwork. Presented by Urassaya Sperbund, dressed in a look from Louis Vuitton’s Fall/Winter 2026 collection with a Louis Vuitton Multipass Mini in hand. The award includes a €200,000 endowment and a year-long mentorship with LVMH experts.
The three winners will also receive material allowances through Nona Source, the platform that gives a second life to deadstock fabrics and materials from LVMH Fashion and Leather Goods houses. Kegels will receive a €20,000 allowance, while Li and Padia will each receive €10,000.
The Next Generation Enters the LVMH Studios
Photo by Mark Seliger. Courtesy of LVMH.
The ceremony also recognized the recipients of the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Graduates: María Alborés of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, Candice Morin of Institut Français de la Mode in Paris, and Louis Presencer of Central Saint Martins in London. Each graduate and their alma mater will receive a €10,000 grant.
The three designers will now take their first steps inside LVMH houses, with Alborés joining the Dior womenswear studio, Morin joining Celine menswear, and Presencer joining Louis Vuitton men’s accessories—extending the Prize beyond recognition into the next stage of their careers.
