The thirtieth edition of the International Festival of Fashion and Photography in Hyères, France, has just finished after three days and as many fashion shows. The competition between the ten selected designers was tough, and the jury, led by Chanel’s studio director Virginie Viard and including names such as Caroline de Maigret and Carine Roitfeld, thought every designer to be great in their own, unique way, which made it hard to compare them. Nevertheless, the final decision for the Première Vision Grand Prize fell on the Franco-German designer Annelie Schubert, based on the opinion that she has presented strong and elegant pieces with beautiful materials and colours. Besides international recognition and prestige, the top prize includes the possibility to create pieces in collaboration with Chanel’s specialized Métiers d’Art houses, including Massaro, Maison Michel, Lemarié, and Lesage and a collaboration with Petit Bateau. Therefore, Schubert will be given the tools to build her own brand and develop her design skills, and, judging from her showcase in Hyères, the results might be extremely interesting.
The other prize awarded in the fashion category is the Chloé Prize which was awarded to the German designer Anna Bornhold, for her innovative materials which she had created by threading scraps over a stiff cotton base, resulting in a weightless material and an easy look which the Chloé president Geoffroy de la Bourdonnaye thought was right in line with the brand’s aesthetic.
This year’s festival was a great and special edition, not only because of Chanel being this year’s guest of honour or because Karl Lagerfeld was this year’s Artistic Director or because of the fact that it was the festivals 30th anniversary; instead it was a special edition because it truly celebrated the most central aspect of the festival – the young talents.
Hanna Cronsjö
