Bianca Saunders, Charles de Vilmorin, Christopher John Rogers, Conner Ives, KidSuper’s Colm Dillane, Kika Vargas, Lukhanyo Mdingi, Nensi Dojaka, and Rui’s Rui Zhou have been announced as the nine (not eight as in previous ) LVMH Prize finalists. The 2021 LVMH Prize is open to designers under 40 who have produced at least two ready-to-wear collections – men’s, women’s, or unisex.

This year, two genderless labels (Rui and Charles de Vilmorin) made the final cut, as did designers from Albania (Dojaka) and Colombia (Vargas). The finalists for the award’s first pandemic class showed their collections in digital showrooms from April 6 to 11. It's the first time the prize adopted the virtual format, and the first time voting was open to the public.

Delphine Arnault, executive vice president of Louis Vuitton and founder of the LVMH Prize declared "The all-digital semi-final this year, in the context of the health crisis, was a new opportunity to showcase the work of the designers. I would like to salute their creativity, optimism, and reactivity, and congratulate them all.”

The winner will receive a €300,000 prize and a year of mentorship from designers and executives within LVMH. Meanwhile, the winner of the Karl Lagerfeld special prize will receive a €150,000 sum and a year of mentorship. Check out our full roundup of all the semi-finalists and meet the finalists at the LVMH Prize website.