Three designers with India connect shortlisted for 2020 LVMH Prize

Three Indian designers, Priya Ahluwalia, Kaushik Velendra and Supriya Lele are among 20 shortlisted for the LVMH prize for young fashion designers.

Priya Ahluwalia is an Indian-Nigerian menswear designer. She uses archival fabrics from Adidas for ready-to-wear pieces. Kaushik Velendra is a Chennai born men’s wear designer. He continues his vision of breaking the rigid moulds of men’s tailoring with his exaggerated silhouettes, which explore anatomy. Supriya Lele is a British-Indian designer. After graduating from the Royal College of Art in 2016, she launched her eponymous women’s wear label at LFW the following year. Her standalone debut was with spring/summer 2020, where Lele reworked saris into ultra-modern separates, and even incorporated her own vintage staples. The LVMH prize will enable her to continue this development by further honing her design process, gaining knowledge and exchanging ideas with some of the most respected people in the fashion industry.

Started in 2013 by the French luxury conglomerate, LVMH prize is an annual platform that helps launch upcoming talent on a global scale. The competition invites designers under 40 from all over the world, who have produced at least two women’s wear, men’s wear or unisex collections. This year’s winner will be finalised from the shortlist of 20 semi-finalists announced earlier this month.