Alain Paul: Fashion visionary on his way to the LVMH Prize

Alain Paul is currently the only French designer still in the running for the LVMH Prize , a prestigious competition that recognizes young fashion talent. Selected from 2,300 applicants and now in the semifinals alongside 19 other brands, he could win an exceptional prize that includes a financial prize and a year of mentoring.

Born in Hong Kong in 1989 to a French father and a Danish-Brazilian mother, Alain Paul's childhood was steeped in rigorous discipline. He moved to France in 1997 and enrolled at the Opéra Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Danse de Marseille , where he developed a deep understanding of movement and the body. Seeking a new way to express his creativity, he turned to fashion at the age of 18 and began his studies in Paris.

His career took off quickly: after having cut his teeth at Vetements alongside Demna from 2014 to 2017, he then joined Louis Vuitton , working under the direction of Virgil Abloh from 2018 to 2022. In 2023, he co-founded his own house, ALAINPAUL , with his husband Luis Philippe .

The DNA of Maison ALAINPAUL is based on a fusion of fashion and choreography. Inspired by his years of dance training, Alain Paul designs his clothes as an extension of the body and movement . He thus develops a genderless wardrobe , reinventing classic silhouettes with a contemporary approach and an avant-garde touch.

His third collection, "Impro" , is directly inspired by the work of choreographer Merce Cunningham , a pioneer of contemporary dance. It incorporates pieces in crepe, mesh and stretch, designed to accompany the natural movement of the body . Alain Paul's goal? To bring the dancer's wardrobe to the street.

Parades in immersive performances

True to his background as a dancer, Alain Paul does not conceive his fashion shows as simple collection presentations, but as real stage performances . His shows take place on the stage of the Théâtre du Châtelet , where the audience is placed directly in the performance space , immersed in the designer's universe.

Far from fleeting trends, ALAINPAUL advocates sustainable luxury, focused on technical excellence and respect for the environment . The brand uses materials from NONA Source , the resale platform for exceptional fabrics from the LVMH group's Maisons , and refuses synthetic blends that are difficult to recycle.

If Alain Paul stands out today among the candidates for the LVMH Prize , it is above all thanks to his exceptional career and his unique vision. His meteoric rise shows that he is much more than a simple designer: he is an artist of movement, a visionary who pushes the boundaries between fashion and performance .

As the LVMH Prize final approaches, all eyes are on him. Will the French designer succeed in inscribing his name among the winners of this legendary competition? The answer will be revealed in a few weeks.