ANDAM announces the 12 finalists of the 35th edition

A crucial platform for emerging talent and a major force in the international fashion scene, the esteemed ANDAM (National Association for the Development of the Fashion Arts) competition has honored more than a hundred designers since its inception in 1989. Among them are Louis Gabriel Nouchi, the winner of the 34th edition, and Martin Margiela, his first laureate. The 32 jury members of 2024 have just announced the names of the 12 finalists for this 35th edition.

For this special anniversary selection, ANDAM put together a glamorous and cinephile jury, including prominent film actresses Béatrice Dalle, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Rossy de Palma; Guillaume Houzé, director of image and communications for Galeries Lafayette Group and president of ANDAM; Bruno Pavlovsky, chairman of Chanel’s fashion operations; Sidney Toledano, advisor to the president of LVMH Group; Frédéric Maus, CEO of WSN; and Michael Kliger, CEO of Mytheresa.

After two months of assessing the applications, the 32 jury members have chosen 12 finalists for the 2024 edition, an exceptional and international selection.

“On the occasion of this anniversary edition, I would like to express my gratitude to all the personalities and bosses who have supported ANDAM and contributed to the dynamism of the competition over the past 35 years,” said Nathalie Dufour, founder and general manager of this fashion competition. “I congratulate the finalists who impressed this prestigious jury with their distinct creative visions and strategic ambitions.”

From chic streetwear to minimalist silhouettes and transgressive jewelry

Six candidates compete for the Main Prize of 300,000 euros and the Special Prize of 100,000 euros: the French-Canadian label 3.Paradis led by Emeric Tchatchoua, Scottish designer Charles Jeffrey of the streetwear brand Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, the eponymous brand of the Australian designer Christopher Esber, the young Brussels designer Marie Adam-Leenaerdt known for her minimalist silhouettes, the Belgian designer Meryll Rogge, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Antwerp, and the Chinese designer Ruohan Nie, an alumna of Central Saint Martins who runs the Ruohan brand.

The three finalists for the Pierre Bergé Prize, with a grant of 100,000 euros, are the Parisian brand Boyarovskaya founded by Maria Boyarovskaya, known for her deconstructed cuts; the chic streetwear label Pieces Uniques led by Edmond Luu; and Vaillant, a lace-loving brand founded by Alice Vaillant in 2020 during lockdown.

Parisian brand Hugo Kreit, with its neo-Gothic, slightly transgressive jewelry collection, is among the three finalists for the Fashion Accessories Prize, endowed with 100,000 euros; the minimalist bag brand Maeden from the Netherlands, directed by Christian Heikoop; and the eponymous label of designer Sarah Levy, an architect and ‘accessory sociologist’ who received the Audience Award at the Hyères Festival in 2019.

“I am very pleased with the finalists selected by the jury this year,” said Anthony Vaccarello, artistic director of Saint Laurent and mentor of the 2024 ANDAM Grand Prize, in a statement. “Through the ANDAM competition, we are proud to support these designers and look forward to meeting them on June 27.”

At the end of June, the 12 finalists will have the opportunity to present their projects to the jury members to impress them with their creative proposals and unique business approaches.

The five winners will receive a Swarovski trophy, designed by Anthony Vaccarello, along with extensive support to support their development. In addition to financial grants, they will benefit from mentorship from the prize’s partners, privileged access to fabric stocks from the ‘Powered by Balenciaga’ initiative and dormant leather stocks from Longchamp, coaching from Google’s ‘Ateliers Numériques’ team, and exposure to the WSN and Première Classe fairs during Paris Fashion Week.