Charlotte Gainsbourg, Catherine Deneuve, Virginie Efira, Anja Rubik, Gaspar Noé, Béatrice Dalle… This list evokes a fashion clan: friends of the Saint Laurent house, muses or loyal collaborators. On June 27, in Paris, it is not for yet another fashion show that these personalities will gather, but for the deliberations of the National Association for the Development of Fashion Arts (Andam), which has rewarded young people since 1989. creators and of which they were designated “guest jurors”.
Which suggests that this competition, in which the major luxury players are associated – LVMH, Kering, Richemont, Chanel, Hermès, but also Meta, Galeries Lafayette or the Mytheresa site –, as well as the Ministry of Culture, will take this year of “Prix Saint Laurent” tunes… “It has already been three years since we made the decision to add to the [vingt-deux] usual jurors an invited jury which enriches the discussions and which a brand composes as it wishes, nuance Nathalie Dufour, general director of Andam. It was Balenciaga in 2021, Chanel in 2022, Chloé in 2023… Today, it’s Saint Laurent’s turn. »
In previous years, however, the composition of the said jury mixed with figures associated with the house more neutral observers, fashion critics, bloggers, museum directors or activists. “A way to diversify the group so as not to taint the legitimacy of the price”, summarizes Benjamin Simmenauer, director of research at the French Fashion Institute.
“Birthday Wink”
This time, the fourteen invited jurors are “connoted” by Saint Laurent, maintaining affinity or financial ties with the brand, up to the stylist Emmanuelle Alt, who signs their latest advertising campaign, and the host Augustin Trapenard, who produces “ Talks”, new in-house podcast. In addition, an unprecedented development with Saint Laurent, it is the artistic director – and not the CEO – who takes the reins. Thus, Anthony Vaccarello (also winner of the 2011 edition of the Andam) will design the Grand Prix trophy and will personally supervise the year of mentoring awarded to the winner, in a more omnipotent and star-driven approach than usual. .
“Don’t see it as vampirization but as homage, retorts Nathalie Dufour. The Andam Prize was launched under the aegis of Pierre Bergé, the founder of the Yves Saint Laurent house: for our thirty-fifth edition, it is a nice anniversary nod. » Cynthia Illouz, doctor of management sciences and author of a thesis on sponsorship of luxury companies, wants to believe that this takeover “is not an advertising operation”. “And even if a brand makes a small profit” to put themselves forward, “so much the better, maybe that will encourage him to give more the following year”, she believes.
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