Thanks to Balenciaga’s recent sponsorship, ANDAM, the National Association for the Development of Fashion Arts, has significantly increased the funding for its awards. The Grand Prize for the ANDAM prize will now be 300,000 euros, which is a notable increase of 50,000 euros from previous years’ awards. This means that the total funding for ANDAM has now reached an impressive half a million euros.
Balenciaga’s participation as a sponsor, alongside other prominent fashion brands such as Chanel, Chloé, LVMH, Saint Laurent, and Kering, has made this significant increase possible. Cédric Charbit, CEO of Balenciaga and president of the jury for the 32nd edition of the ANDAM prize, emphasized the responsibility of the jury members to identify and support talented individuals from various backgrounds and allow them to flourish in the fashion industry. ANDAM has become renowned for its ability to discover and nurture emerging talent.
Since its establishment in 1989 by Nathalie Dufour, ANDAM has played a vital role in showcasing some of the most influential designers in the fashion industry. From Martin Margiela, the first-ever recipient of the prize, to renowned names like Christophe Lemaire, Viktor & Rolf, Jeremy Scott, Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Anthony Vaccarello, Alexandre Mattiussi, Iris Van Herpen, Ludovic De Saint Sernin, and Marine Serre, among others, the winners of the ANDAM prize have set trends and made a significant impact in the fashion world.
The Grand Prize not only includes a substantial cash reward but also offers the winner a one-year mentoring program with Cédric Charbit and personalized support in production and techniques from the Maison des Savoir-Faire et de la Création (House of Know-How and Creation). Additionally, the recipient of the Pierre Bergé Prize will be accompanied by Sophie Delafontaine, Artistic Director of Longchamp, and will have the opportunity to enroll in an 18-month course at the IFM (French Institute of Fashion) focusing on business development.
Aspiring designers have until April 27, 2021, to submit their applications, and the highly anticipated awards ceremony will take place in September.
Visual credits: ©ANDAM
For more information about ANDAM and the fashion industry, you can visit the official ANDAM website at https://www.andam.fr/. To learn more about Balenciaga and their contribution to the fashion world, visit their official website at https://www.balenciaga.com/.
