Julie Kegels Wins 2026 LVMH Prize, Lii Wins Karl Lagerfeld and Yoshita 1967 Wins Savoir-Faire
“I’m speechless,” said Belgian designer Julie Kegels, after being presented with the 2026 LVMH Prize by Jennifer Lawrence at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris on Friday. The Belgian designer, who went on to thank her team members and collaborators by name, is known for her varied explorations of feminine identity. She will receive a €400,000 cash grant and a year of customized mentorship from a team of LVMH experts.
That morning in Paris, the nine finalists presented their collections to a megawatt jury, featuring industry titans including Jonathan Anderson, Phoebe Philo, Nicolas Ghesquière, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pharrell Williams, alongside LVMH Prize founder and Dior CEO Delphine Arnault. Despite the judges praising Kegels’s deep understanding of her client and clear design vision, she was pretty surprised by the win.
“I didn’t expect it at all. It was a total shock but I am very moved,” Kegels said following the announcement. “I have found this whole experience motivating.”
When questioned backstage about why Kegels stood out in such a strong group of finalists, it came down to how she was able to confidently present her vision to the jury, Arnault said in an interview following the ceremony.
This year’s jury, with new additions like Celine’s
This year’s jury, with new additions like Celine’s Michael Rider and Louis Vuitton CEO Pietro Beccari, was the biggest the LVMH Prize has seen. “The jury this time around was very focused on where people produce, where they distribute, and who the final client is,” said Arnault. “They were interested in designers who [could talk about] who their [customers] are.”
Kegels will use the prize money to better the infrastructure of her growing brand and build out her currently small team, the designer said backstage post-announcement.
As for the mentorship, she is hoping it will support her financial management and assist her hunt for manufacturers who respect emerging designers. “Sometimes, it’s hard to get manufacturers to make more complex pieces,” Kegels says. “It would be great to be put in contact with some high-quality [suppliers].”
An Antwerp academy graduate, Kegels launched her eponymous label in 2024, and made her official runway debut in Paris last September.
Each collection tells a story of womanhood, including Quick Change for Spring/Summer 2026, where the designer used magic tricks to create a series of transformable looks, responding to a busy woman’s need for multiple outfits in a day. Her aura-inspired FW26 show created illusions on clothes with shadow, revealing how small tricks can change how a woman’s outfit is perceived.
Kegels’s upcoming Paris show is in 24 days,
Kegels’s upcoming Paris show is in 24 days, so after a small celebration and a glass of champagne, it’s straight back to Antwerp to finalize the collection, she says — “There’s a lot to do, but I’m excited.”
The Karl Lagerfeld Prize for Innovation was awarded to New York-based designer Zane Li of Lii by Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Born in Chongqing, China, the FIT graduate is known for his blending of sportswear and couture, and will receive €200,000 as well as a year of mentorship from LVMH experts.
“This is really motivation after the past few years of hard work,” Li said post-win. “To be recognized by the people you admire is a really solid feeling. It’s all quite surreal.” Currently a team of one, with the help of his stylist partner, Li is looking to build out his business and invest in its production and direct-to-consumer (DTC) capabilities. The designer was set to return to New York on Saturday to continue prepping for his upcoming show on September 14, but has since decided to stick around in the City of Light a little longer and soak it all in.
The Savoir-Faire Prize, presented by Thai actor and model Urassaya Sperbund, went to Yoshita 1967 by Anil Padia, the first Kenyan finalist in the prize’s history. The award was introduced in 2024 to celebrate artisanship, in a luxury industry that’s increasingly placing emphasis on craft and heritage to underscore its value. “I am completely lost for words. This has been such a collective effort from everybody in our team in Nairobi and I’m extremely honored,” Padia said in his acceptance speech.
The brand, built between Nairobi and Paris through
The brand, built between Nairobi and Paris through the lens of the designer’s Kenyan-Indian heritage, focuses on slow production and long-term collaboration with women-led craft communities in Kenya. Winning the Savoir-Faire Prize, in particular, means a lot to him, because he believes Africa is not celebrated enough for its rich craft. “I feel a lot of gratitude and a real sense of hope,” Padia added backstage.
“It’s been really hard getting to this point. The prize and the potential of winning means a lot, and so working in that limbo is difficult. This is extremely validating.”
As the prize progresses, LVMH Prize designers express different values and explore different aesthetics, reflective of the time. “When we started in 2013, [collections] were separated between men’s and women’s.
Later, we saw the rise of genderless fashion, and then the rise of sportswear — brought by figures like Virgil [Abloh] and other American designers,” Arnault said. “Then, it was about upcycling garments. Now, I’ve noticed quite a few pieces being created as one-offs, incorporating distinctive details. [That] involves a lot of work, especially with custom orders.” It checks out, as designers explore new business models and aim for top-spending customers who will invest in special pieces.
Of course, as Arnault acknowledged, it’s a challenging
Of course, as Arnault acknowledged, it’s a challenging time to launch or scale a luxury label. Many of the finalists in this edition spoke about the cashflow challenges associated with paying for collections and production upfront. With the prizes, LVMH will help to aller teams, and work with highly skilled consultants, Arnault explained
But even with the helping hand, she admitted, to be a designer today “takes courage”.
Source: www.vogue.com
