The LVMH Prize has announced the finalists of the 2025 edition. They are: Alainpaul by Alain Paul, All-In by Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø, Francesco Murano by Francesco Murano, Soshiotsuki by Soshi Otsuki, Steve O Smith by Steve O Smith, Tolu Coker by Tolu Coker, Torishéju by Torishéju Dumi, and Zomer by Danial Aitouganov.
The shortlisted brands will take part in the final to be held on September 3 at the Fondation Louis Vuitton. On this occasion, the selected designers will present their creations to the LVMH Prize Jury. The Jury will then choose among the finalists the winner of the LVMH Prize, the winner of the Karl Lagerfeld Prize, and the winner of the Savoir-Faire Prize, a distinction that rewards excellence in craftsmanship, technical innovation, and the sustainable approach of the selected brands.
Alainpaul by Alain Paul
Alain Paul was born in Hong Kong in 1989. In 1997, his family relocated to France, where he enrolled in the École Nationale de Danse de Marseille. His upbringing was shaped by the rigour and discipline of contemporary ballet. At 18, he sought a new creative outlet for the self-expression he had experienced through ballet and studied fashion in Paris. He joined Vetements from 2014 to 2017. Between 2018 and 2022, he served on Virgil Abloh’s design team at Louis Vuitton. Alain Paul co-founded his eponymous label, Alainpaul, with his husband, Luis Philippe, in 2023.
All-In by Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø
All–In is a fashion brand and magazine founded by Benjamin Barron and Bror August Vestbø. All–In was established as a magazine in 2015, and the first collection was presented in 2019. All–In’s collections center around recontextualizing existing garments, depicting familiar yet unplaceable characters. Their work draws inspiration from heightened constructions of femininity, a beauty pageant queen, a pop star, a debutante, and the successes and failures of creating these images. The publication and collections continuously resonate with each other, exploring parallel themes across both platforms.
Francesco Murano by Francesco Murano
Francesco Murano, born in 1997, graduated in fashion design from IED in Milan in 2019, winning the Camera Moda Italiana fashion award. In 2020, he won “Who is On Next?” by Vogue Italia. His brand, launched in 2021, merges classical and baroque art with modern contradictions, balancing rational and irrational elements. In 2024, Murano received a Grant from the Italian Fashion Trust.
Soshiotsuki by Soshi Otsuki
Soshi Otsuki was born in Chiba, Japan, in 1990. He graduated from the Bunka Fashion College in menswear. He also attended Coconogacco fashion school while he was in Bunka. Soshi launched the menswear label Soshiotsuki in 2015. After his second collection, he was shortlisted for the 2016 LVMH Prize. He received the 2019 Tokyo New Designer Award. The design philosophy of Soshiotsuki comes from a personal interest in Japanese classical performing arts. The designer transforms the idea of Japanese traditions into fashion through detailed craftsmanship and expert tailoring.
Steve O Smith by Steve O Smith
Steve O Smith is a London-based designer whose work explores the intersection between drawing and garment construction. During his MA at Central Saint Martins, he developed a distinctive process that uses fabric appliqué and precise pattern cutting to translate drawn lines into wearable forms. The result is a collection of garments that convey a sense of fluidity and movement, echoing the gestural qualities of hand-drawn marks.
Tolu Coker by Tolu Coker
Tolu Coker, a British-Nigerian designer and multi-disciplinary artist, founded her eponymous brand in 2021 to redefine luxury through sustainability, inclusivity, and cultural preservation. Rooted in her heritage and inspired by a family history of social activism, the brand embodies reformative luxury, merging quality tailoring, craftsmanship, and cultural storytelling. Tolu Coker blends traditional techniques with innovative technologies, creating collections that bridge past and future.
Torishéju by Torishéju Dumi
Torishéju Dumi launched Torishéju to redefine the boundaries of contemporary fashion. Her mother’s passion for 19th-century design and art exposed her early to fashion, while her Nigerian-Brazilian, Catholic upbringing plays a pivotal role in her work, with religion, tradition, and spirituality serving as enduring themes. A Central Saint Martins MA Fashion graduate, Torishéju is also an alumna of the Sarabande Foundation. Moreover, she gained invaluable experience at Céline under Phoebe Philo, as well as at Ann Demeulemeester, Giles Deacon, and Sibling London.
Zomer by Danial Aitouganov
Danial Aitouganov is a Dutch fashion designer raised in Amsterdam, originally from Tatarstan. After graduating from the Amsterdam Fashion Institute, he worked in prominent design roles at fashion houses such as Alexander Wang, Chloé, Burberry and Louis Vuitton. In 2023, he launched his own brand, Zomer, with his best friend, the stylist Imruh Asha. Zomer draws inspiration from contemporary art and culture, featuring vibrant colors, unique textures, and bold shapes, merging fun with sophisticated, innovative designs.
