The Andam 2023 award has found its deserving champion in Louis-Gabriel Nouchi, an artist who has woven the rich tapestry of his journey into contemporary design. He scored €300,000 EUR and a year-long mentorship with Chloé’s CEO, Riccardo Bellini.
An alumnus of École nationale supérieure des arts visuels de La Cambre (ENSAV La Cambre) in Brussels, Nouchi first dipped his creative brush into the infinite palette of fashion in 2014. His design journey was further honed by his experiences at Vogue Paris and Raf Simons, before the Paris-based designer took the bold step of establishing his own label LGN Louis-Gabriel Nouchi in 2017.
Renowned for bending gender norms, Nouchi draws inspiration from a rich diversity of literary and cinematic sources. Drawing inspiration from Christopher Isherwood’s iconic 1964 novel, ”A Single Man”, LGN Louis-Gabriel Nouchi’s Spring/Summer 2024 collection reflects the book’s influence in the fashion narrative he presents. His penchant for literary references is evident in the progressive designs and themes that are intricately incorporated into his forward-thinking silhouettes.
Louis-Gabriel Nouchi’s label is a testament to his commitment to the environment and his pursuit of sustainability, a vision that has resonated with his customers and led to an explosive growth in sales. In his words, “Now we have to manage the growth. But we’re ready and this prize will really help us to do that with serenity. It’s a real validation of my work“. Nouchi’s label has not only redefined men’s fashion, but has also crafted a trusted space for a diverse urban community to express their individuality.
During the same ceremony, the Andam Special Prize was awarded to Ester Manas and Durank Lantik as runners-up, a recognition complemented by a cash prize of €100,000 EUR and mentoring opportunities. Other distinguished finalists included Benjamin Huseby and Serhat Isik of GmbH, Gauchere’s Marie-Christine Statz and Andrea Adamo of Andreadamo.
As the event unfolded, Ukrainian hat designer Ruslan Baginskiy clinched the Accessories Prize while the Pierre Bergé Prize, designed to spotlight rising French labels, was conferred upon Arthur Avellano of Avellano. Both designers were also awarded a €100,000 EUR cash prize.
Eligibility for Andam’s grand prize necessitates that candidates either operate an existing French company or establish a new one within the year of award receipt. A panel of esteemed jury members, including high-profile figures like Francesca Bellettini from Saint Laurent, Cédric Charbit of Balenciaga, Eva Chen from Instagram, François-Henri Pinault of Kering, Sidney Toledano from LVMH and Bruno Pavlovsky of Chanel, among others, carefully assessed the work of the finalists.
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