Creativity and glamour. On September 10, Ellen Hodakova Larsson was named winner of the LVMH prize in the amphitheatre of the Fondation Louis Vuitton in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. She was presented her trophy by American actress and Francophile Nathalie Portman.

Ellen Hodakova Larsson’s was up against the silhouettes and creative worlds of seven other young designers who were finalists in this eleventh edition of the show. The designer stole the spotlight and a prize of 400,000 euros. The Swedish designer, who was very emotional as she thanked her team and family at the prize-giving ceremony, reinterprets everyday objects such as leather belts and silver spoons to give them a new life in dresses and accessories, with a luxurious approach to reuse. She founded her brand in 2021 in Stockholm.

For once, the competition featured a large majority of Europeans, including Duran Lantink, who won the Andam special prize last year, as well as Niccolò Pasqualetti, who had already competed in a previous edition of the LVMH prize, Belgium’s Marie Adam-Leenaerdt, France’s Pauline Dujancourt, England’s Paolo Carzana and Ireland’s Michael Stewart (Standing Ground). The American touch was provided by Californian Julian Louie with his Aubero label.

It was Duran Lantink who won this year’s Karl Lagerfeld prize, worth €200,000. Duran Lantink dresses pop stars such as Beyonce, Billie Eilish and Janelle Monae, and already won the special prize at the latest Andam awards. The Dutchman, who has already been an LVMH prize semi-finalist, finally won over the jury. His brand, through which he expresses his poetic and quirky universe and for which he is a master in the use of dormant stocks and upcycling, has been showing at Paris Fashion Week since last year.

The jury, chaired by Delphine Arnaud, the CEO of Christian Dior, who launched the prize eleven years ago to make it one of the most sought-after competitions for young designers, began by analysing the work of the twelve finalists.

In the run-up to the ceremony, the finalists exhibited two of their creations, in an atmosphere mixed with excitement and apprehension. Some of the most prestigious creative directors, including Phoebe Philo and Pharrell Williams, as well as Jonathan Anderson, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Nicolas Ghesquière, Marc Jacobs, Kim Jones, Nigo, Stella McCartney and Silvia Venturini Fendi, were involved in choosing the winners, as were the LVMH group’s key executives Jean-Paul Claverie and Sidney Toledano.

The two winners succeed Satoshi Kuwata, with his Setchu label, and the Bettter and Magliano brands, who shared the Karl Lagerfeld prize in 2023.

New this year, Delphine Arnaud announced “the creation of the Savoir-Faire prize,” which aims to promote “the recognition of know-how,” and comes with a 200,000 euro reward. The prize was awarded by Cuban-Spanish actress Ana de Armas to Michael Stewart, with his Standing Ground label and its sumptuous evening wear.