ANDAM Prize 2014 goes to Iris Van Herpen

The 29-year-old designer has won the Grand Prix at the ANDAM Fashion Award, with a €250,000 boost to her business. 

Her second year on the shortlist, Van Herpen beat off competition from candidates including Etudes Studio and current Emmanuel Ungaro creative director Fausto Puglisi. 

Alongside the cash prize, she will also receive business support from Kering boss François-Henri Pinault, the chance to work with e-commerce site thecorner.com on an exclusive collection, €10,000 of crystals from Swarovski to use on her pieces, and will be stocked at Canadian department store Hudson’s Bay. The €75,000 First Collection prize was won by Coperni’s Sebastien Meyer and Arnaud Vaillant.

Last year’s winner Alexandre Mattiussi of AMI has gone on to expand his own line, as well as work with Swiss luxury brand Bally on men’s and women’s capsule collections set to appear later this year. Laureats in previous years include Belgian designer Anthony Vaccarello, Jeremy Scott and Viktor & Rolf.