“I’m speechless,” said Belgian designer Julie Kegels, after being presented with the 2026 LVMH Prize by Jennifer Lawrence at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris on Friday. The Belgian designer, who went on to thank her team members and collaborators by name, is known for her varied explorations of feminine identity. She will receive a €400,000 cash grant and a year of customized mentorship from a team of LVMH experts.
That morning in Paris, the nine finalists presented their collections to a megawatt jury, featuring industry titans including Jonathan Anderson, Phoebe Philo, Nicolas Ghesquière, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pharrell Williams, alongside LVMH Prize founder and Dior CEO Delphine Arnault.
Despite the judges praising Kegels’s deep understanding of her client and clear design vision, she was pretty surprised by the win. “I didn’t expect it at all. It was a total shock but I am very moved,” Kegels said following the announcement. “I have found this whole experience motivating.”
When questioned backstage about why Kegels stood out in such a strong group of finalists, it came down to how she was able to confidently present her vision to the jury, Arnault said in an interview following the ceremony. This year’s jury, with new additions like Celine’s Michael Rider and Louis Vuitton CEO Pietro Beccari, was the biggest the LVMH Prize has seen. “The jury this time around was very focused on where people produce, where they distribute, and who the final client is,” said Arnault. “They were interested in designers who [could talk about] who their [customers] are.”
Kegels will use the prize money to better the infrastructure of her growing brand and build out her currently small team, the designer said backstage post-announcement. As for the mentorship, she is hoping it will support her financial management and assist her hunt for manufacturers who respect emerging designers. “Sometimes, it’s hard to get manufacturers to make more complex pieces,” Kegels says. “It would be great to be put in contact with some high-quality [suppliers].”
An Antwerp academy graduate, Kegels launched her eponymous label in 2024, and made her official runway debut in Paris last September. Each collection tells a story of womanhood, including Quick Change for Spring/Summer 2026, where the designer used magic tricks to create a series of transformable looks, responding to a busy woman’s need for multiple outfits in a day. Her aura-inspired FW26 show created illusions on clothes with shadow, revealing how small tricks can change how a woman’s outfit is perceived. Kegels’s upcoming Paris show is in 24 days, so after a small celebration and a glass of champagne, it’s straight back to Antwerp to finalize the collection, she says — “There’s a lot to do, but I’m excited.”
