Otsuki receives €400,000 and mentorship; Steve O Smith and Torishéju Dumi also awarded
Japanese designer Soshi Otsuki, founder of the label Soshiotsuki, has won the 2025 LVMH Prize for Young Designers. The award, presented by Indian actress and Louis Vuitton ambassador Deepika Padukone at a ceremony at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris, includes a €400,000 grant and a year-long mentorship from LVMH experts.
Otsuki triumphed over seven other finalists, adding his name to a list of past winners including Marine Serre, Nensi Dojaka, and Grace Wales Bonner. Last year’s prize was awarded to Swedish designer Ellen Hodakova Larsson, known for her sustainable design practice.
The Karl Lagerfeld Special Jury Prize, worth €200,000 and including one year of mentoring, was awarded to Steve O Smith, presented by Dior ambassador and actress Anna Sawai.
A third honor, the Savoir-Faire Prize, went to Torishéju Dumi. The award, created to support the transmission of craftsmanship skills, carries a €200,000 grant and mentorship. It was presented by French actress Camille Cottin.
This year’s jury featured a mix of designers and executives, including Jonathan Anderson, Nicolas Ghesquière, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Nigo, Phoebe Philo, Silvia Venturini Fendi, and Pharrell Williams, alongside LVMH executives Delphine Arnault, Sidney Toledano, and Jean-Paul Claverie. Jacobs participated remotely following the Venice Film Festival premiere of Sofia Coppola’s documentary Marc by Sofia.
The LVMH Prize, now in its 12th year, has become a launchpad for emerging designers, offering not only financial support but also guidance on sustainability, communications, legal, and brand strategy.