Two Parsons Alumni Are Finalists for LVMH Prize
On Thursday, LVMH released its shortlist for the 30 designers in the running for their Young Fashion Designer Prize. The winner will receive a €300,000 grant and a year of mentoring.
We are thrilled to announce that Parsons alumni Chris Gelinas and Erin Beatty are finalists for the prize!
Daphne Arnault, who spearheaded the competition, told Women’s Wear Daily: “I can’t wait to meet them and get to know them,” Arnault said of the designers vying for the prize, praising their gumption in the face of a competitive industry fueled by creativity. It’s really an adventure. You have to be really audacious.”
Fashionista reports:
LVMH received 1,221 applications from all over the world, and aside from finalists hailing from the fashion capitals of London, New York, Paris and Milan, designers from Russia, Ukraine, Nigeria, Korea and the Netherlands also made the cut. A few of the designers on the list were previously considered for the similar CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund program, with Tim Coppens and Suno making the final round and Creatures of the Wind taking home the runner-up prize in 2011.
The next step in the process takes place during Paris Fashion Week, when LVMH will fly all 30 semifinalists to the city to present eight pieces from their newest collections to a group of 40 expert judges (which include the likes of Linda Fargo, Katie Grand, Natalie Massenet and Carine Roitfeld). The judges will then vote and narrow the pool down to 10 remaining contestants. In May, the top 10 will make final presentations to the jury — which includes Phoebe Philo, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Marc Jacobs and Karl Lagerfeld — after which a winner will be announced.
Check out the full-list and more information about the competition here.