The esteemed Hyères international festival for fashion, photography, and accessories returns for its 38th edition, but this year with a unique twist – it’s taking place in October instead of its traditional April schedule. From Thursday, October 12, to Sunday, October 15, this prestigious event will showcase emerging talent in these creative fields. Hosted at the historic Villa Noailles, which is celebrating its centenary this year, this festival is a convergence of tradition and innovation.
Founded by Jean-Pierre Blanc and presided over by Pascale Mussard, the Hyères Festival will feature 30 finalists competing in three distinct categories. The fashion category, won by Jenny Hytönen last year, includes ten finalists from eight countries, among them Fengyuan Dai and Norman Mabire-Larguier from France. These talented individuals will contend for coveted awards, including the Grand Prix Première Vision, the 19M prize for craftsmanship excellence, the Mercedes-Benz prize for sustainability, and the Atelier des matières prize sponsored by Chanel. This year, Sterling International, a specialized recruitment agency in fashion, retail, and luxury, joins as a sponsor, offering coaching to the finalists and mentoring the Grand Prix winner.
The accessories category has shortlisted eleven designers from seven countries, including Mathilde Hiron, Thomas Manil, Victor Salinier, and the French-Spanish duo Marcel Mariotte & Jovien Panné. They will compete for the Accessories Grand Prize and the Hermès prize for fashion accessories. Notably, some finalists, such as Petra Fagerstrom from Sweden in the fashion category and Victor Salinier from France in accessories, were shortlisted in the 2022 ITS emerging designer competition based in Trieste, Italy.
In the photography category, ten finalists from various backgrounds, including Clara Chichin and Quentin Lacombe from France, are in the running. The prestigious 7L Photography Jury Grand Prix, a new award, is sponsored by the 7L Bookshop, founded by Karl Lagerfeld in 1999 and acquired by Chanel in 2021. Additional photography prizes are supported by French label American Vintage, Sheriff Projects, and Kitten, two production companies.
On Sunday, October 15, the festival will conclude with the announcement of winners in the fashion, photography, and accessories categories. The judging panels, chaired by notable figures like French designer Charles de Vilmorin, jewelry designer Alan Crocetti, and Dominican-American artist Luis Alberto Rodriguez, will also conduct masterclasses during the festival. The event’s extensive program includes exhibitions running until January 14, 2024, along with concerts, film screenings, creative workshops, and the 22nd edition of the ‘Rencontres internationales de la mode’ (international fashion meetings) organized by the French Fashion and Haute Couture Federation. This year, three round-table debates on generative AI will tackle essential topics, including new tools, ethical considerations, social and legal challenges, and the creative potential of AI.
One of the exhibitions is dedicated to the festival’s history, titled ‘Hyères, 1986: The Fashion Festival’s Origins.’ Hosted at Villa Romaine, it will showcase an exclusive selection of archival materials from the early days of the event. Additionally, in celebration of the centenary of Villa Noailles, there will be an exhibition and documentary honoring the viscountess de Noailles, a pioneering philanthropist whose modernist villa played a significant role in 20th-century European cultural history by supporting artists and intellectuals.