The semi-final cocktail is a chance to meet and discover 20 fashion designers / houses. What stands about the 2026 cohort ?
What struck me immediately is the breadth — geographical, creative and generational. We received close to 2,400 applications from more than 110 countries and selecting 20 semi-finalists was no easy exercise. For the first time in the history of the Prize, we have semi-finalists from Kenya and Thailand alongside those from established fashion capitals. And six of these candidates are entirely self-taught: they built their own language without a formal fashion education. What unites them all, beyond the diversity of their backgrounds, is clarity. They know who they are and what they stand for.
Since the event takes place during Paris Fashion Week, there are more people from out of town than usual. How does this contribute to or shape the energy of the event ?
Holding the semi-finalists’ showroom during Paris Fashion Week supercharges the dynamic. The entire industry is here, and that energy carries into the room. People who have travelled from New York or Tokyo and elsewhere arrive with a real desire to discover something new. For the designers, presenting at La Samaritaine during such an important moment in the fashion calendar sends a message in itself. It’s a unique chance for the designers of the Prize to meet industry leaders who can be influential in their career.
What is the one piece of advice you would give the semi-finalists ahead of the next round ?
Be precise about who you are. Every semi-finalist has ten minutes in a room full of people who have seen it all. The temptation is to cover everything at once, but what tends to make the biggest impression is a point of view expressed with authenticity and conviction. Know what makes your brand unique and say it clearly. That is what separates a talented designer from one who is ready to build something that will last.
The LVMH 2026 Designer Shortlist
ACT N°1 by Luca Lin, Italy, genderless collections
COLLEEN ALLEN by Colleen Allen, United States, womenswear
DE PINO by Gabriel Figueiredo, France, womenswear
DERRICK by Luke Derrick, United Kingdom, menswear
GOLSHAAH by Golnar Ahmadian, Iran, womenswear
IAMISIGO by Bubu Ogisi, Nigeria, womenswear and menswear
INSTITUTION by Galib Gassanoff, Georgia, womenswear, menswear and genderless collections
JULIE KEGELS by Julie Kegels, Belgium, womenswear
KARTIK RESEARCH by Kartik Kumra, India, womenswear and menswear
KINYAN LAM by Kinyan Lam, China, genderless collections
LII by Zane Li, China, womenswear and menswear
MAZ MANUELA ÁLVAREZ by Manuela Álvarez, Colombia, womenswear
NONG RAK by Cherry W. Rain-Phuangfueang, United States, and Teerapat Phuangfueang, Thailand,
womenswear, menswear and genderless collections
PETRA FAGERSTRÖM by Petra Fagerström, Sweden, womenswear
PONTE by Harry Pontefract, United Kingdom, womenswear and menswear
SHINYAKOZUKA by Shinya Kozuka, Japan, menswear
SSSTEIN by Kiichiro Asakawa, Japan, menswear and genderless collections
THE VXLLEY by Daniel del Valle Fernandez, Spain, genderless collections
TÍSCAR ESPADAS by Tíscar Espadas, Spain, and Kevin Kohler, Switzerland, genderless collections
YOSHITA 1967 by Anil Padia, Kenya, womenswear
