Every young designer probably dreams of receiving a huge
check from sponsors to boost a fledgling clothing or jewelry line. This month the dream came through for designing duo Annelie Augustin and Odély Teboul
(known as Augustin Teboul), who won the second Dorchester Collection Fashion
Prize and a check of 30,000 euros in Paris.
The Dorchester Collection is a group of hotels that includes
the iconic Plaza Athénée on avenue Montaigne in the French capital, the Hotel
Principe de Savoia in Milan, and The Dorchester in London. As the hotels are
located in three of the fashion centers of the world, their managers decided
that sponsoring fashion would be a good fit for the group.
“We’re very much aware that young designers sometimes
struggle at the beginning of their business, and those first years are very
important, so we’ve been looking to help these designers, particularly with
their first collection,” said Julia Record, director of communications for the
Dorchester Collection.
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| A design by Quentin Veron during the 2012 Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize Competition in Paris |
“Hopefully that 30,000-euro check will allow them to take
that next step forward and help to provide a global platform,” she added.
Dorchester Collection’s chief executive officer Christopher
Cowdray added that the group was “inspired by the creativity coming to the
fore.” He said the group was confident that the winners would have a “thriving
career.”
The contestants for the prize had to meet certain criteria,
the organizers said. They had to have managed their brand for at least two
years, they had to be based in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, or
Switzerland, and they had to show “original flair, a possibility for commercial
distinction as well as reflecting the values of the Dorchester Collection - heritage, craftsmanship, individuality, creativity, and innovation,” Record
said.
The five finalists displayed their creations at a catwalk
show on prize night, which took place this year at the Plaza Athénée. The
luxury hotel dates from 1913 and boasts of having been the favorite hangout of
luminaries such as Josephine Baker, Maurice Chevalier, and Christian Dior. The
young designers did their best to channel this history.
The loudest applause went to Quentin Veron, a thin, tattooed
designer who drew on his fascination with fur, the gangster era, and the Middle
Ages to present a striking collection, with models in stockings, hats, and fur
vests.
He seemed the front-runner, but after a deliberation period, the judges
agreed that the collection displayed by Augustin Teboul best evoked the spirit
of “individuality, luxury, style, and craftsmanship, which characterizes
Dorchester Collection’s iconic hotels.” The duo’s work also demonstrated
critical distinction and the potential for future commercial success, the
organizers said.
“It’s been a really great competition,” Veron said. “The
other designers were really good too, so it has been very interesting. Even
though I didn’t win, I’m of course going to continue my work.”
As well as receiving an engraved Baccarat crystal trophy,
the winners will be able to stay at a Dorchester Collection property in either
Paris or Milan during spring Fashion Week 2013.
Ranging from classic outfits to an edgy gangster look, the
collections delighted spectators and the panel of judges that included
Elizabeth Saltzman, contributing editor to Vanity Fair; Kenzo Takada, founder
of Kenzo; and Nathalie Rykiel, CEO of Sonia Rykiel.
