Congratulations Iris Van Herpen! After losing the reputed ANDAM Prize to her fellow designer Alexandre Mattiussi (AMI) in 2013, Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen finally won the French fashion prize this year.

In addition to the 250,000 euros worth support, Iris Van Herpen will receive a year-long business mentorship by Kering’s CEO, François-Henri Pinault, an exclusive collaboration with the luxury online boutique thecorner.com, an order from the Hudson’s Bay Company, and 10,000 euros worth of Swarovski-crystals. The 'First Collections' prize (second prize attributed to a newcomer brand) of 75,000 euros went to the French designer-duo behind the womenswear brand Coperni Femme, who will receive commercial mentorship by Tomorrow showroom, and a show-space at the Parisian Galeries Lafayette store.

Iris Van Herpen launched her namesake brand in 2007, after graduating from the ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in Arnhem. The young designer has made a name for herself by showcasing a boundary-breaking approach to Haute Couture, which fuses both, traditional craftsmanship and technical innovation—and earned her comparisons to the iconic fashion designer Alexander McQueen. She has been on the official Paris Haute Couture calendar since 2011, however, she won’t showcase her Fall/Winter 2014/15 Couture collection this season. It has been said that Van Herpen is currently focusing on developing her ready-to-wear line, which was launched in 2013.

Elisabeta Tudor @ MODEMONLINE

Picture courtesy of Iris Van Herpen.