From over 2,300 global applications, designers from Ghana, Egypt, and the African diaspora are making history at the 12th edition of the LVMH Prize, further propelling African fashion onto the world stage.
The LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers is a prestigious annual award established in 2013 by the luxury conglomerate LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton). Its primary aim is to identify, support, and nurture emerging fashion talents from around the globe, providing them with both financial assistance and mentorship to help elevate their brands.
Since its inception, the LVMH Prize has been dedicated to fostering creativity and innovation in the fashion industry. Each year, designers aged 18 to 40 who have produced at least two collections are invited to apply. The selection process involves a panel of esteemed industry experts and LVMH artistic directors who evaluate the applicants based on their creativity, innovation, and potential for growth.
Over the years, the LVMH Prize has recognized several designers who have since made significant impacts on the fashion landscape:
- 2014: Thomas Tait
- 2015: Marques’Almeida
- 2016: Grace Wales Bonner
- 2017: Marine Serre
- 2018: Masayuki Ino for Doublet
- 2019: Thebe Magugu
- 2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the prize was exceptionally distributed equally among the eight finalists.
- 2021: Nensi Dojaka
- 2022: Satoshi Kuwata for Setchu
- 2023: S.S. Daley
- 2024: Ellen Hodakova Larsson for Hodakova
African designers have made remarkable strides in the LVMH Prize competition:
- Thebe Magugu (South Africa): In 2019, Magugu became the first African designer to win the LVMH Prize. His brand is celebrated for blending African heritage with contemporary fashion, offering a fresh perspective on South African culture. citeturn0search1
- Lukhanyo Mdingi (South Africa): Awarded the Karl Lagerfeld Prize in 2021, Mdingi is known for his commitment to ethical fashion and craftsmanship. His designs often reflect a deep connection to his South African roots, emphasizing sustainability and community collaboration. citeturn0search3
- Kenneth Ize (Nigeria): A finalist in 2019, Ize is renowned for his vibrant designs that celebrate Nigerian craft traditions. He collaborates closely with local artisans, bringing traditional West African fabrics to the global fashion stage. citeturn0search22
Prize Details
The laureate of the LVMH Prize receives:
- Financial Support: A grant of €300,000 to invest in their brand’s development.
- Mentorship: A year-long, tailored mentorship program from LVMH experts, covering areas such as sustainable development, marketing, intellectual property, and financial management. citeturn0search2
Additionally, the Karl Lagerfeld Prize awards €150,000 and a similar mentorship to another deserving designer.
2025
The 2025 shortlist is out and the fashion designers representing Africa and its diaspora in this prestigious competition are:
🇬🇭 Boyedoe (David Boye-Doe Kusi, Ghana)
🇪🇬 Yasmin Mansour (Egypt)
🇬🇧 Tolu Coker (UK/Nigeria)
🇬🇧 Torishéju (UK/Nigeria)
On March 5-6, 2025, these designers will present their collections in Paris, marking a significant moment for innovation, heritage, and new narratives in global fashion. Let’s take a closer look at the designers representing Africa and the diaspora.
Boyedoe (David Boye-Doe Kusi, Ghana)
Founded in 2020 by David Kusi Boye-Doe, Boyedoe is an emerging African fashion label dedicated to sharing the continent’s creativity with the world. Rooted in themes of deconstruction and reconstruction, the brand takes inspiration from the mythical Ghanaian Sankofa bird, embodying a socially responsible and environmentally conscious approach to fashion.
Boyedoe made its international debut in 2020 as a finalist in the ARISE 30 Under 30 New Stars competition in Lagos, Nigeria. Since then, it has released four collections, each characterized by vibrant colors, rich textures, eclectic patterns, and cultural storytelling. Through its designs, the brand reimagines African heritage with a sustainable and forward-thinking vision.
📍 LVMH Prize 2025 Semi-Finalist
Yasmin Mansour (Egypt)
Egyptian designer Yasmin Mansour, who recently won the 2024 Fashion Trust Arabia Prize, is known for her refined, sculptural elegance that merges timelessness with experimentation. Her designs fuse art and fashion, embodying a quiet sophistication that weaves powerful narratives into each garment.
“My designs aim to empower and celebrate femininity,” she explains. “Fashion is not just about clothes; it’s about telling a story.”
Founded in 2014, her eponymous brand is based in Qatar, where it explores architectural silhouettes, intricate pleating, and traditional craftsmanship. Every piece reflects artisanal excellence, merging contemporary art with luxury fashion while maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability.
📍 LVMH Prize 2025 Semi-Finalist
Tolu Coker (UK/Nigeria)
British-Nigerian designer Tolu Coker is a multidisciplinary artist whose work blends fashion, textiles, illustration, and social activism. Since launching her namesake brand in 2018 after graduating from Central Saint Martins, she has redefined luxury through sustainability, inclusivity, and cultural preservation.
Deeply inspired by her heritage and family’s history of activism, Coker’s brand merges quality tailoring with traditional techniques such as batik, loom weaving, and hand embroidery. Her collections honor craftsmanship while integrating innovative technologies that connect the past with the future.
Beyond fashion, she has worked across multiple disciplines, including exhibitions, films, and global initiatives that challenge industry norms. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Dazed, Hunger, Another, WWD, Sky News, and The Evening Standard.
Her multidisciplinary talents extend beyond clothing—her illustrations, documentaries, and fashion films have been commissioned by brands like Teen Vogue, Vogue Italia, Diesel, Swatch, Illy Caffè, Vice Media, American Express, and Dr. Martens.
Coker has received numerous accolades, including:
✔ Finalist, ASOS Fashion Discovery 2018
✔ Triple award-winner at ITS 2018 (Diesel Award, Vogue Talents Award, ITS Time For Coffee Award)
✔ Recognized in Teen Vogue’s “Generation Next”
✔ Named Woman of the Year 2020
✔ Listed in Drapers 30 Under 30 (2021)
📍 LVMH Prize 2025 Semi-Finalist
Torishéju Dumi (Torishéju, UK/Nigeria)
Born in Harlesden, London, and raised in Hertfordshire and Milton Keynes, Torishéju Dumi took an unconventional path into fashion. Coming from a family of doctors and lawyers, an artistic career seemed risky—but with encouragement from her mother, she pursued her passion for garment-making and design.
Torishéju launched her eponymous brand to challenge the boundaries of contemporary fashion. Heavily influenced by her Nigerian-Brazilian Catholic upbringing, her work explores themes of religion, tradition, and spirituality. Her mother’s passion for 19th-century design and art further shaped her aesthetic.
A graduate of Central Saint Martins’ MA Fashion program, she is also an alumna of the Sarabande Foundation. Her experience includes working under Phoebe Philo at Céline, as well as at Ann Demeulemeester, Giles Deacon, and Sibling London.
Through her work, Torishéju aims to expand prevailing notions of Black artistry, incorporating folklore and traditions from her heritage into deeply personal collections.
