Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize Grand Final

Following a judging session at Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris, the panel of the 2012 Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize has selected the following designers as shortlisted finalists: 

Calla; website: http://www.calla.fr/
IRM Design; website: http://irmdesign.fr/
Les Garcons Paris; website: http://lesgarcons.com/
Augustin Teboul; website: http://www.augustin-teboul.com/
Quentin Veron; website: http://www.quentinveron.com/ 

The esteemed judging panel includes: Elizabeth Saltzman, contributing editor to Vanity Fair;Kenzo Takada, acclaimed Japanese designer; Bruno Frisoni, artistic director for luxury French shoe designer Roger Vivier; Lorenz Baumer, renowned designer of Louis Vuitton jewellery; Alexandra Golovanoff, French journalist and TV host; Nathalie Rykiel, CEO of Sonia Rykiel; Chantal Thomass, CEO of Chantal Thomass lingerie; Harumi Klossowska de Rola, jewellery designer and daughter of painter Balthus, and Jean-Jacques Picart, leading fashion and luxury consultant. 

The 2012 Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize was open to designers of ready-to-wear and accessories based in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg who have operated their brand for at least two years.

The shortlisted designers are now invited to showcase their designs on October 16 at a catwalk final to be held at Hôtel Plaza Athénée in front of the judges and a VIP audience including fashion influencers and press. The judges will seek to award one of the five designers who best demonstrates an original aesthetic flair, a capability for future critical distinction and commercial success. The winner's work must also evoke the spirit of Dorchester Collection's iconic hotels and therefore, project a sense of individuality, luxury, style and craftsmanship.  

The winner of the 2012 Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize will be awarded a prize of €30,000 plus a stay during spring Fashion Week 2013 at a Dorchester Collection property in either Paris or Milan. 

Previous recipients of this prestigious prize include designer Thomas Tait in 2010 and jewellery and accessories designers Anndra Neen in 2011, both of whom have gained critical acclaim since the award. 

Elizabeth Saltzman states: "I feel honoured to have been part of the Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize since it began and I'm immensely proud of its important role in helping emerging talent reach new heights. This year's finalists have shown tremendous creativity and together I believe they represent the very best of the fashion industry's forward-thinking and innovative nature."

As the chosen location for the 2012 Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize, Hôtel Plaza Athénée is ideally located in the heart of the Paris Haute Couture District and steeped in fashion history. Inspired by its elegance, Christian Dior, who set up his couture house nearby, named several designs after the hotel, including the ‘Plaza' and the ‘Athénée' suits. Dior's groundbreaking couture collections were often photographed at Hôtel Plaza Athénée, which he considered his ‘second home.'