The 37th edition of the Hyères International Fashion, Fashion Accessories and Photography Festival came to a close on October 16th with a dazzling award ceremony at the Villa Noailles. This year’s competition highlighted the increasing importance that young designers are placing on sustainability, focusing on manual craftsmanship and innovative material research. The participants presented their unique approaches to fashion, but it was Finnish designer Jenny Hytönen who stole the show, taking home both the prestigious Grand Prix of the Première Vision jury and the Public Prize – City of Hyères.
Hytönen, who hails from Helsinki and is a graduate of Aalto University, presented a stunning collection that explored the striking contrast between armor and glamour. Her leather garments were adorned with metallic spikes and transparent mesh embellished with glass beads, exuding a bold BDSM aesthetic. The collection featured waistcoats with open backs and buckled belts, as well as translucent beaded skirts paired with black leather briefs and one-of-a-kind hedgehog trousers.
What set Hytönen’s collection apart was its powerful visual impact and conceptual strength. The collection effortlessly blended opposing elements, showcasing her incredible technical expertise. Hytönen even employed tools from a toolbox to create her recycled leather biker jackets and trousers, drilling holes and inserting large screws fixed with nuts. She meticulously threaded beads onto handmade mesh using nylon fishing line.
The festival, founded and directed by Jean-Pierre Blanc and chaired by Pascale Mussard, also recognized Valentin Lessner in the fashion category. Lessner, a 25-year-old German graduate of the Düsseldorf Academy of Fine Arts, received the “19M des Métiers d’Art” prize introduced by Chanel in 2019 and the 2022 Mercedes-Benz Sustainability Prize. His collection showcased a fusion of streetwear and tailoring, featuring oversized silhouettes and innovative combinations of materials.
Lessner drew inspiration from personal family memories, his grandparents, and his passion for hiking. He dedicated significant attention to constructing silhouettes and poured extensive efforts into the technical aspects and materials to bring his vision to life.
This year, the festival introduced the inaugural “Prix L’atelier des Matières,” a category devoted to sustainability. The award was bestowed upon Sini Saavala, a 30-year-old Finnish designer, for her creation of a silhouette using exclusively materials provided by the workshop. Saavala’s collection showcased long dresses made from repurposed white cotton T-shirts, collected bras, and panties accumulated over the years.
In the fashion accessories category, 23-year-old French designer Joshua Cannone secured the Grand Prize with his collection of unconventional and at times provocative pieces. His creations included bags shaped like silicone rats embedded with human hair, a plump human-shaped “Bonhomme” bag, and a fur-covered leather body bag. Cannone’s designs delve into contemporary societies, exploring the parallels between humans and animals.
Collaborators Lola Mossino from France and Indra Eudaric from Martinique were bestowed the Accessories People’s Choice Award for their joint project, which resulted in the creation of subtle, playful, and erotically-inspired jewelry. The duo also clinched the Hermès Fashion Accessories Prize for their brown calfskin belt design, “La Cavalière.”
In the photography category, Rala Choi from South Korea received both the Grand Prix and the Public Prize. Adeline Care from France was granted an honorable mention, while Chiron Duong from Vietnam secured the American Vintage Prize.
Overall, the 37th edition of the Hyères International Festival eloquently showcased the vibrancy of young creativity and underscored the significance of sustainability. Many collections were crafted from upcycled materials or designed with minimal environmental impact in mind. The event demonstrated the fashion industry’s increasing embrace of ecological responsibility. For example, Swiss-Chinese designer Louise Leï Wang created an entire jewelry collection from a simple silver square with a double arc cut-out, giving it various shapes. French designer Lora Sonney transformed an old garden hose into a colored leather-like rubber material for skirts and trench coats.
The Hyères International Festival continues to serve as a platform for emerging talent, pushing boundaries in the realms of fashion, fashion accessories, and photography. It offers a glimpse into the future of the industry, where creativity and sustainability go hand in hand.
Useful Links:
– Villa Noailles Official Website
– Première Vision Official Website
