Louis Vuitton launches an accessories & leather goods competition

6 Dec 2023

With its Louis Vuitton Accessories Design Graduates Initiative, the Parisian fashion house aims to highlight the talents of tomorrow in one of the most strategic product categories for the luxury industry.

In search of the new generation of Louis Vuitton designers...

Providing visibility to emerging design talents while shaping the future vision of Louis Vuitton. Launched recently, the Louis Vuitton Accessories Design Graduates Initiative competition invites aspiring creators to respond to a brief focused on designing either a leather goods item or a fashion accessory. The condition? Applicants must be at least 18 years old and enrolled in one of the fashion, design, and/or art schools and universities affiliated with the project. Among the partner institutions located in France are the French Institute of Fashion, L'Ecole Duperré, ENSCI - Les Ateliers, Strate, and L'Ecole des Arts Décoratifs. In total, the competition involves 24 institutions, all based in Europe.

Innovation, craftsmanship, and sustainability

In March, an expert jury - including Johnny Coca, the creative director of women's accessories at Louis Vuitton - will select up to five winners based on various criteria such as the quality of flat and 3D drawings, expertise in luxury marketing, and understanding and interpretation of the codes specific to the Maison's universe.

With a particular emphasis on the use of artificial intelligence. While Louis Vuitton aims to prioritize "innovative ideas in design, craftsmanship, and sustainability" and allows AI as inspiration, the regulations prohibit inputting any information or content (texts, models, logos, etc.) owned by the Maison and therefore subject to intellectual property laws into the AI. The brand specifies, "Artificial intelligence cannot be used to generate deliverables, textual presentations, or graphic and visual renderings," emphasizing the creation of hand-drawn designs and/or using computer-assisted 3D graphics programs.