Photo: LVMH Prize

This morning, the LVMH Prize announced its 2026 class of semifinalists. The prestigious award, which supports emerging designers, has previously honored talents like Simon Porte Jacquemus, Grace Wales Bonner, and Duran Lantink.

The list includes several notable names, such as New York-based designer Colleen Allen, a nominee for the CFDA’s 2025 Emerging Designer of the Year; Tíscar Espadas, who won the 2024 Spanish Vogue Fashion Fund; and Kartik Research, a returning 2023 LVMH Prize semifinalist who recently designed an outfit for Zohran Mamdani at the New York City mayoral inauguration. (Last year’s winner, Soshiotsuki, had also been a semifinalist in 2016.) The 20 nominees come from 17 countries, with Georgia, Kenya, and Thailand represented for the first time.

“I am delighted by the worldwide success of the LVMH Prize,” said Delphine Arnault, Chairman and CEO of Christian Dior Couture and founder of the award. “Once again, I have the privilege of unveiling a shortlist of remarkable talents. Their collections range from contemporary elegance to bold designs and unique pieces, with craftsmanship and material innovation at their core.”

The 2026 LVMH Prize winner will receive €400,000 and a year of mentorship from LVMH experts. The Karl Lagerfeld Prize and the Savoir-Faire Prize will each award €200,000 along with a year of mentorship.

On March 4 and 5, 2026, the 20 semifinalists will present their collections in Paris to the LVMH Prize Committee of Experts, a group of over 80 industry specialists. From March 4 to 8, the public can also explore the designers’ work and vote alongside the experts on LVMH’s digital platform, lvmhprize.com. Eight designers will advance to the finals.

Here is the full list of 2026 LVMH Prize semifinalists:

– 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
– Golsaah 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-Phuanfueang, 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
– Thevxlley 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

Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the 2026 LVMH Prize semifinalists designed to sound like questions from a real person

Beginner General Questions

1 What is the LVMH Prize
Its a major international fashion award for young designers sponsored by the luxury group LVMH It aims to discover and support emerging talent

2 Whats the big news
Twenty designers from seventeen different countries have just been announced as semifinalists for the 2026 edition of the prize

3 Who are the semifinalists Where can I see the list
The official list is published on the LVMH Prize website and announced through major fashion news outlets like Vogue WWD and Business of Fashion It includes names their brands and their home countries

4 What do the semifinalists win
At this stage they win major exposure and a chance to present their work to a jury of top LVMH creative directors The eventual winner gets a 400000 grant and a year of mentorship Theres also a Karl Lagerfeld Prize and other special awards

5 Why does it matter that theyre from 17 different countries
It shows the prize is becoming more globally diverse looking beyond traditional fashion capitals like Paris London Milan and New York It highlights unique perspectives and talent from all over the world

Advanced IndustryFocused Questions

6 What are the common themes or aesthetics among this years semifinalists
While it varies yearly look for press analyses highlighting trends like innovative sustainability cultural heritage reinterpretation technical fabric development or genderfluid design The selection often signals upcoming industry directions

7 How does a designer become a semifinalist
Designers apply online or are scouted A committee of experts reviews hundreds of applications based on criteria like creativity originality and the potential of their collections

8 What happens next in the competition
The semifinalists will present their collections to the expert committee in Paris at a special event From there a smaller group will be selected as finalists to present to the full jury of LVMH creative directors