PARIS — The distinction between women’s wear and men’s wear may soon become obsolete: At least, you might be tempted to come to that conclusion from reading the list of 20 semifinalists for the fifth edition of the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers.
Among those competing for a grand prize of 300,000 euros, plus a year of coaching from experts at luxury giant LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, are no fewer than six labels making gender-neutral clothes, two that design for both men and women, eight women’s wear designers and four men’s wear designers.
Those are the official designations; in effect, half the labels are treading a unisex line with their designs.
“Gender-neutral fashion, already present in former editions, has gained considerable ground, thus proving that the prize echoes the recent evolutions in fashion,” said Delphine Arnault, the force behind the initiative and a key talent scout at family-controlled LVMH, the parent of brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior and Fendi.
“Naturally, LVMH is interested in celebrating creativity in fashion, regardless of the category it fits in. However, the gender-neutral brands we have selected must also demonstrate an ability to produce quality clothing. Some of our designers, such as J.W. Anderson, actually pioneered this
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