French fashion prize ANDAM is reshaping its 2020 edition in the wake of
the coronavirus crisis to support French independent brands as it looks to
“strengthen its support” of the industry.
2020 will be much more than a competition, explained organisers, instead
ANDAM will act as an “accelerator of new models” as it looks to send out a
“strong message” of support to the creative industry in response to the
challenge times faced by the Covid-19 pandemic, while also helping
“creative and innovative know-hows that will contribute to the current
transformation and reinvention of the fashion industry”.
ANDAM president Guillaume Houzé said in a statement: “Powerful catalyst
of the present time, ANDAM needs to be also a strong platform that will
help us anticipate and solve the major stakes raised by this crisis.
“We have to support and spread all the innovations that could facilitate
the emergence of new forms of expressions. Now is the time to reinvent our
industry: with the creative talents, the most innovative fashion startups,
the brands focusing on the common good which will make us proud. I am
convinced that Paris is the best place for this challenge.”
The “classic” ANDAM Fashion Prize will be moved to next year and in its
place, a special 500,000 euro endowment fund has been created to support
four French labels with the help of its consortium of sponsors including
Chanel, Chloé, Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent, Galeries
Lafayette, Hermès, Kering, Lacoste, Longchamp, LVMH, OBO, OTB, Premiere
Classe, Saint Laurent, Swarovski, and Tomorrow.
“In this unprecedented and uncertain environment, the independent and
integrated fashion brands, from all stages of development, will more than
ever need a financial support to go through the following months and to
maintain their structure alive,” explained organisers. “The ANDAM’s
commitment for this edition will be at all levels in order to send a
solidarity and encouragement to the entire industry.”
ANDAM creates 500,000 euro fund to support four French labels
The 500,000 euro fund will be divided among four winners, including
350,000 euros to support two former members of the ANDAM family, who have
been previous finalists or winners. 200,000 euros will be made available to
support an established brand generating a global turnover of more than 10
million euros, while 150,000 euros will be used to help a company with a
turnover between 1 and 10 million euros.
The rest of the fund will be used to provide 100,000 euros for the
Pierre Bergé Prize, which will remain for the 2020 edition, as at its core
it seeks to support new fashion talents. This grant will be presented to a
young French company that offers an “innovative creative vision and/or
business model” that has had at least one commercial season and has a
global turnover under 1 million euros in 2019.
The remaining 50,000 euros will be used to fund the Innovation Prize,
which will be presented to an entrepreneur or start-up, French and
international willing to develop their project in France, which offers
innovative and technological solutions in the fields of fashion design,
production and consumer experience that will contribute to the reinvention
of the fashion industry.
Fields of application includes biomaterial, “healthy-clothes”,
improvement of the carbon footprint of the supply chain, optimisation of
the production process, and tracking.
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In addition to providing financial contribution, the fellowship winners
will also benefit from a “global and coordinated support” to help the
transformation and longevity of their businesses, however, there will not
be any dedicated mentor, instead, each of the ANDAM partners will be given
access to a list of experts chosen to help in every field required
including finance, legal, sustainability, supply chain, production,
communication, digital, retail, and wholesale.
Nathalie Dufour, ANDAM’s executive director added: “By seeking the new
business models and innovative technologies, ANDAM commits itself and
mobilises itself to support the initiatives absolutely necessary to the
mutation of our industry. am very grateful and would like to thank the
French Ministry of Culture, DÉFI, and all our sponsors, which all accepted
to maintain their contribution this year to offer a committed and vital
support to the talents who will ensure the reinvention and continuity of
the fashion industry.”
Sticking with the original calendar, the jury, including Bruno
Pavlovsky, president of Chanel and François-Henri Pinault, chairman and
chief executive of Kering, will look over the questionnaires filled in by
applicants in May and June, and the awards will be made public on July 2.
The ANDAM Prize first awarded to Martin Margiela in 1989 has helped
elevate numerous designers including Johanna Senyk from Wanda Nylon,
Y/Project, Antonin Tron, Martin Margiela, Viktor and Rolf, Jeremy Scott and
British designer Gareth Pugh, as well as last year’s recipient, Christelle
Kocher, who founded luxury streetwear business, Koché.
Image: courtesy of ANDAM – 2019 winners