LVMH Prize一向是年輕設計師百家爭嗚之地,一直被視為雲集時裝界未來新星的平台。時下大熱的設計師如Jacquemus、Marine Serre、Craig Green等等也曾參與這項盛事,甚至獲得LVMH Prize冠軍的美譽。2019年的賽果終在昨日公佈,來自南非的Thebe Magugu勝出,獲得高達30萬歐元和一年的LVMH Mentoring。以往的勝出者需要在巴黎留守一年作實習,唯獨是次將會破例,Thebe Magugu讓他不會長期留在巴黎進行培訓。

為甚麼這位初出茅廬的設計師會拒絕在巴黎長期工作呢?原因與他設計的理想相關。

SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 03: Model wears Thebe Magugu during the Thebe Magugu Show on Day One of South Africa Fashion Week 2019 Luxury Collection at Sandton City on April 03, 2019 in Sandton, South Africa. (Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images)
SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 03: A model wears Thebe Magugu during the Thebe Magugu Show on Day One of South Africa Fashion Week 2019 Luxury Collection at Sandton City on April 03, 2019 in Sandton, South Africa. (Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images)
SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 03: A model wears Thebe Magugu during the Thebe Magugu Show on Day One of South Africa Fashion Week 2019 Luxury Collection at Sandton City on April 03, 2019 in Sandton, South Africa. (Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images)
SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 03: A model wears Thebe Magugu during the Thebe Magugu Show on Day One of South Africa Fashion Week 2019 Luxury Collection at Sandton City on April 03, 2019 in Sandton, South Africa. (Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images)
SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 03: A model wears Thebe Magugu during the Thebe Magugu Show on Day One of South Africa Fashion Week 2019 Luxury Collection at Sandton City on April 03, 2019 in Sandton, South Africa. (Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images)
SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 23: (SOUTH AFRICA OUT) Solo show by THEBE MAGUGU for WOOLWORTHS STYLE BY SA show during Day 1 of the SA Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2019 Collection (SAFW AW19) at Sandton City Rooftop on October 23, 2018 in Sandton, South Africa. SAFW AW19, opening its doors to 56 designers showing their Autumn/Winter Collections, is the only business-to-business platform that markets and promotes designers throughout Africa and the authoritative voice on the business of fashion. (Photo by Alet Pretorius/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 03: Model wears Thebe Magugu during the Thebe Magugu Show on Day One of South Africa Fashion Week 2019 Luxury Collection at Sandton City on April 03, 2019 in Sandton, South Africa. (Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images)
SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 03: A model wears Thebe Magugu during the Thebe Magugu Show on Day One of South Africa Fashion Week 2019 Luxury Collection at Sandton City on April 03, 2019 in Sandton, South Africa. (Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images)
SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 03: A model wears Thebe Magugu during the Thebe Magugu Show on Day One of South Africa Fashion Week 2019 Luxury Collection at Sandton City on April 03, 2019 in Sandton, South Africa. (Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images)
SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 03: A model wears Thebe Magugu during the Thebe Magugu Show on Day One of South Africa Fashion Week 2019 Luxury Collection at Sandton City on April 03, 2019 in Sandton, South Africa. (Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images)
SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA - APRIL 03: A model wears Thebe Magugu during the Thebe Magugu Show on Day One of South Africa Fashion Week 2019 Luxury Collection at Sandton City on April 03, 2019 in Sandton, South Africa. (Photo by J. Countess/Getty Images)
SANDTON, SOUTH AFRICA - OCTOBER 23: (SOUTH AFRICA OUT) Solo show by THEBE MAGUGU for WOOLWORTHS STYLE BY SA show during Day 1 of the SA Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2019 Collection (SAFW AW19) at Sandton City Rooftop on October 23, 2018 in Sandton, South Africa. SAFW AW19, opening its doors to 56 designers showing their Autumn/Winter Collections, is the only business-to-business platform that markets and promotes designers throughout Africa and the authoritative voice on the business of fashion. (Photo by Alet Pretorius/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
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作為設計師,我希望能夠向世人展示當代的南非面貌。南非並不是像別人所想般陳腔濫調般的。我真的很想改變大家對它的刻版印象,尤其現時很多南非的創作人已創造了不可思議的作品。即使我也期待到處遊覽,但是我真的很想留在這裏,因為南非能夠充分發揮了我的創造力。

Thebe Magugu

是次LVMH的得獎者在賽果公佈後,設計會被立即上載至 24S 發售。24S 是法國巴黎LeBonMarché百貨公司的電子商店,這個平台讓得獎設計師獲得迅速而且直接的曝光率。作為得獎者Thebe Magugu對自己的設計被時尚界大師認同而感到高興。「作為一個設計師,你總會時常質疑自己的能力。但是,周圍的人也告訴我,多作嘗試是沒有害的。所以,我就像小孩一樣進入了這個產業,並有機會與我的偶像Clare Waight Keller(Givenchy創作總監)和NicolasGhesquière(Louis Vuitton女裝創作總監)交談。所以不管結果如何,我已經覺得自己贏得了很多東西。」他對着獎盃點頭,補充說「這個獎是錦上添花。」

除了是最年輕的得獎者,Thebe Magugu也是首位來自非洲的得獎設計師。時裝界一直在面對Diversity的議題,時裝品牌向非洲文化致敬,卻不認同當地的設計人材。未知是次LVMH Prize的賽果能否改善時尚界小圈子的弊病?