Fifty thousand euros worth of embroidery for an upcoming collection: this detail might go unnoticed in the list of winners for the 2026 LVMH Prize. Yet it speaks volumes about what’s at stake behind the awards. Awarded to Yoshita 1967, the label founded by Kenyan designer Anil Padia, this support from Vermont gives the prize immediate practical significance: the ability to bring a design to life in the workshop. The thirteenth edition, which honored Belgian designer Julie Kegels, can also be viewed from this perspective: how can public recognition be transformed into the means to create? Between grants, mentorship, and access to materials, the answer goes far beyond the check presented on stage.
Julie Kegels: A Victory and Twelve Months to Move Forward
At 27, Julie Kegels won first prize from a pool of 2,400 applicants. Originally from Antwerp, the Belgian designer succeeds Soshi Otsuki, the winner of the 2025 edition. Her victory, announced at the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, brings her 400,000 euros as well as a year of mentorship from a team of LVMH experts. Two distinct types of resources combined in a single award: available capital and mentors to help her grow her business.
The monetary amount naturally draws attention. But the twelve months of guidance add another dimension to this recognition. The prize does not merely honor a talent at the end of a selection process; it provides ongoing support after the ceremony. It is during this period—well after the trophy is presented—that the winner will be able to draw on the group’s expertise. The award thus marks the beginning of a period of work as much as it crowns a journey.
Julie Kegels also receives 20,000 euros’ worth of fabric provided by Nona Source. This platform recycles dormant inventory from LVMH’s fashion and leather goods houses. The financial support is thus complemented by direct access to materials. Without prejudging what the designer will do with it, this textile grant highlights a reality sometimes overshadowed by the prestige of competitions: a collection also begins with fabrics that must be procured.
In Kenya, craftsmanship takes on a collective dimension
With Anil Padia, the first Kenyan designer to participate in the competition, the Savoir-Faire Prize honors Yoshita 1967, a handmade fashion project in which the community aspect is central. This choice highlights an approach that encompasses not only the manufacturing process but also the people involved in that process. The value of the award lies in the specificity of the support it offers, which is directly linked to the crafts that this distinction aims to promote.
In addition to the 200,000-euro prize and a year of mentorship, the award includes support from LVMH’s Métiers d’Excellence program. This takes the form of a collaboration with Vermont, a house specializing in embroidery, which will provide Yoshita 1967 with embellishments worth 50,000 euros for its next collection. The partnership therefore already has a concrete focus. It is not limited to simply connecting the two parties: a contribution is planned for future pieces.
Anil Padia will also receive 10,000 euros’ worth of fabrics from Nona Source. In his case, several levels of support overlap: a grant for the label, consulting, materials, and specialized assistance with the collection’s development. This combination is what makes the Savoir-Faire Prize unique among the awards. Craftsmanship is supported here through means of production, not merely through words of praise.
At Lii, Time to Build the Brand
Another distinguished story is that of Zane Li, a 25-year-old Chinese designer and founder of Lii. The Karl Lagerfeld Prize awards her 200,000 euros, along with a year of consulting. Here, the mentorship program details what is involved in developing a brand: production and financial management, as well as communications, marketing, sustainability, copyright, and legal issues related to the business.
This list serves as a welcome reminder in an industry that is often portrayed solely through images. Behind a brand name, there is a business to run, a creation to protect, and production to make possible. By incorporating these topics into the award, the Karl Lagerfeld Prize acknowledges the less visible aspects of the profession. The support offered to Lii thus focuses on the conditions under which creativity can flourish, without reducing the young brand to mere media exposure.
Like Yoshita 1967, Lii will receive 10,000 euros’ worth of fabric from Nona Source. The use of this platform is a common feature of all three awards, with a larger allocation for Julie Kegels. The reintroduction of materials already in the houses’ inventories is therefore an integral part of the competition’s structure. It offers the winners a tangible resource that complements their respective prize money.
A Parisian Scene, Multiple Paths
Alongside the three winners, the final showcased a broad spectrum of emerging design talent. Swedish designer Petra Fagerström and American designer Colleen Allen were among the finalists, as was Gabriel Figueiredo, the French designer behind De Pino. Harry Pontefract from the UK represented Ponte; Daniel del Valle from Spain represented The Vxlley. Galib Gassanoff, originally from Georgia, was there with Institution. These six other finalists illustrate the breadth of the field from which the jury made its selection.
The selection was made primarily by twelve creative directors from the group’s fashion houses, who met with Delphine Arnault, Pietro Beccari, Jean-Paul Claverie, and Sidney Toledano. Thai actress and model Urassaya “Yaya” Sperbund, a Louis Vuitton ambassador, was also a member of the 2026 jury. She presented the Savoir-Faire Award to Anil Padia, linking his role in the competition to the recognition of Yoshita 1967 on stage.
The ceremony also featured its share of entertainment. Jennifer Lawrence, an Oscar-winning actress and longtime Dior ambassador, presented the Grand Prize to Julie Kegels. Her slip of the tongue—substituting “fascism” for “fashion” in her introduction—had the audience laughing. The Karl Lagerfeld Prize was presented by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, an Indian actress, producer, and singer who is the face of both Dior and Bulgari. A burst of laughter, familiar faces from the fashion houses: the trappings of luxury were very much in evidence, alongside stakes that are far more lasting for the winners.
For the graduates, a gateway to the fashion houses
The list of winners also marks another transition: from school to fashion house. Three recent graduates were honored: María Alborés, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp; Candice Morin, trained at the IFMJ in Paris; and Louis Presencer, a graduate of Central Saint Martins in London. Each will receive a scholarship of 10,000 euros, while their respective institutions will also receive a grant of the same amount.
Unlike the awards given to label founders, this program leads directly to the group’s creative teams. The three graduates will join the studios of Dior Women’s Wear, Celine Men’s Wear, and Louis Vuitton Men’s Accessories, respectively. For them, the path after winning the prize already has a professional destination and a specific field of work: women’s clothing, men’s wear, or accessories.