Japanese Designer Doublet is Awarded the 2018 LVMH Prize

by Lauren Hazlewood

LVMH has announced their 2018 Grand Prize winner, Masayuki Ino of Doublet. This year marked the fifth edition of the competition, which aims to encourage and support young fashion designers breaking into the industry. The Tokyo-based designer beat out 1,300 applicants from more than 90 countries for the top prize — €300,000 and a year’s worth of mentoring from the LVMH team.

LVMH Group, which combines over 70 different fashion houses including Louis Vuitton, Céline and Marc Jacobs, has the capacity to launch the career of up-and coming-designers into the stratosphere. Last year’s winner Marine Serre has expanded her studio from two people to 16, and tripled the number of stores her pieces are sold at.

This year’s winner, Doublet, was established in 2012 and specializes in ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories. The brand’s gender neutral style is fun, graphic and bold. Delphine Arnault, executive vice-president of Louis Vuitton and founder of the prize, describes the pieces as having “an urban touch infused with fresh poetry.” Nicolas Ghesquière, creative director of Louis Vuitton, describes Doublet’s style as sportswear that doesn’t look like sportswear.

Congratulations to @__doublet__ the 2018 @lvmhprize winner ! ???

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“To be honest, I did not expect this so I’m a little shocked,” the 38-year-old designer told Vogue after his win, which was presented by Emma Stone.

Jayden Smith was also in attendance to hand out the Special Prize to designer Rok Hwang for Rokh. The South Korean designer also received a one-year mentoring programme and a grant of €150,000. “We were seduced by Rok Hwang’s designs, by his feminine, sensuous and empowering creations,” says Arnault.

The panel of judges included influential designers like Karl Lagerfeld of Fendi, Maria Grazia Chiuri of Dior, and Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy.

LMVH also awarded one-year internships to recent design-school graduates including Archie M. Alled-Martínez, a student from Central Saint Martins joining Givenchy; Maya Chantout, from the École de la Chamber Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne joining Céline; and Scylia Chevaux from Academia Costume Moda joining Louis Vuitton.

 

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