2026 LVMH Prize finalists announced: Why are these rising designer brands winning over the Dior and Loewe directors?
With the first-ever Kenyan designer in the lineup, you won’t want to miss Chinese label LII either!
Every fashion week, as we watch the dazzling runway shows, we may find ourselves wondering what the future of fashion will look like. Rather than keeping our eyes on today’s established heritage houses, the answer may lie with the emerging stars waiting to shine. And no conversation about discovering fashion’s next superstars would be complete without the LVMH Prize for Young Designers. After the top 20 were announced in February and a fierce round of competition, the official finalists for the 2026 LVMH Prize have finally been confirmed. This year’s lineup is perhaps the most geographically diverse in the prize’s history: alongside emerging talents from Europe and the United States, it includes the first designer from Kenya to make the finals.
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What makes the 2026 LVMH Prize so appealing?
LVMH PRIZE
Why are emerging designers around the world so eager to win this prize? The prize money and resources are certainly the most practical draw. The winner of the 2026 LVMH Prize will receive a generous €400,000 (about HK$ 3,360,000/NT$ 13,800,000), along with a yearlong, comprehensive mentoring program from LVMH’s in-house experts. In the fiercely competitive fashion industry, that funding is a timely boost for an independent brand just getting started.
Winners of the Karl Lagerfeld Prize and the Savoir-Faire Prize will each receive €200,000 (about HK$ 1,680,000/NT$ 6,900,000) and a year of mentoring. This isn’t just financial support; it’s also a direct ticket into fashion’s top business networks. Past winners such as Jacquemus, Marine Serre, and Grace Wales Bonner have all become major names in their own right, proving just how prestigious the prize is.
Who are the finalists for the 2026 LVMH Prize? 5 standout brands to know
Each of the 9 finalists selected from the top 20 brings a distinctly individual point of view. If remembering all 9 names at once feels like a lot, start with these 5 standout names generating the most buzz.
Colleen Allen (United States | Womenswear)
Images from Instagram / @colleenallen
Designer Colleen Allen is a former The Row designer, a background that already raises expectations for her tailoring. She’s already made a name for herself in New York fashion with her signature soft, sculptural skirt structures, which explore the softness and strength of contemporary women. Even singer Lily Allen is a fan of her designs; the pair appeared at the CFDA Awards wearing her work, generating plenty of buzz.
LII by Zane Li (China | Womenswear and Menswear)
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Chinese designer Zane Li is equally impressive. His label LII has made a splash at New York Fashion Week over the past two seasons, especially with its T-shirt dresses featuring unconventional cuts and its structured outerwear. He excels at blending the ease of streetwear with high-fashion silhouettes, creating pieces that are wearable without ever being boring.
Julie Kegels (Belgium | Womenswear)
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If you like a touch of avant-garde rebellion, you’ll love Belgian designer Julie Kegels. Her signature inside-out aesthetic thoroughly deconstructs and reconstructs garment structures for a powerful visual impact. Even superstar Rosalía is a devoted fan of these experimental designs.
Ponte by Harry Pontefract (United Kingdom | Womenswear and Menswear)
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British label Ponte is a perfect example of craftsmanship at its finest. Designer Harry is almost obsessively devoted to structure, and his work is filled with unique handmade techniques, from hand-polished suiting fabrics to patchwork knit sock embellishments. Every piece is like a work of art you can wear.
Yoshita 1967 by Anil Padia (Kenya | Womenswear)
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This is surely this year’s most historically significant finalist. Anil Padia is the first Kenyan designer to reach the LVMH Prize finals since the prize was founded. His label Yoshita 1967 combines traditional African craftsmanship with silhouettes tailored for modern women, bringing a distinctly different cultural perspective and vitality to the Paris fashion scene.
Also worth knowing: 4 more emerging forces in fashion
Beyond the 5 above, the list also includes France’s De Pino, led by Gabriel Figueiredo; Georgia’s Institution, led by Galib Gassanoff; Swedish designer Petra Fagerström; and Spain’s genderless label The Vxlley, led by Daniel del Valle Fernandez. Though the 9 designers have very different styles, all demonstrate a highly mature ability to interpret traditional craftsmanship, which is what Christian Dior Couture President Delphine Arnault finds so impressive.
Who will decide the final winner of the 2026 LVMH Prize? A star-studded jury
LVMH PRIZE
Anyone with a seat on the LVMH Prize jury is a major force in the industry. The panel already includes influential names such as Sarah Burton, Nicolas Ghesquière, Phoebe Philo, Marc Jacobs, and Dior’s Jonathan Anderson, and this year its lineup has received a major boost. The organizers announced 5 new jurors: Proenza Schouler duo Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, Camille Miceli, Michael Rider, and Louis Vuitton CEO Pietro Beccari. For these young designers, being personally reviewed and even recognized by such fashion heavyweights is an invaluable experience in itself.
When will the 2026 LVMH Prize for Young Designers final take place?
The 9 finalists are now making their final preparations. On September 4, 2026, they will bring the collections they are most proud of to the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, where they will present and explain them to the jury in person. For fashion fans, all that’s left is to await the final results in September.
What stands out most about this year’s list is the significant increase in genderless fashion and sustainable craftsmanship. Spain’s The Vxlley, for instance, completely breaks down the traditional boundaries between menswear and womenswear, while the other designers are also placing greater emphasis on craftsmanship. This shows that the future of fashion is no longer simply about glamorous looks; the cultural values and diversity behind a brand are what truly resonate with judges and consumers. No matter who takes home the top prize, these names are sure to appear often on future red carpets and in fashion-week street-style photos, so it’s well worth remembering them now.
Beyond this article, here are a few recent stories worth checking out:
- UNIQLO 2026 Fall/Winter collection is here, every Uniqlo U 10th-anniversary piece is so easy to style!
- Selling out the moment it drops: ALO teams up with ambassador Jisoo to launch the 2026 Fall collection, and the tennis dress is a must-watch
- Turning imagination into unfettered lines: Hermès “Drawn to Craft” touring event arrives in Hong Kong this August
