Following the unveiling in November 2022 of the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives, the Maison introduces its Committee of Experts who will review submissions for the inaugural Prize. The Prize competition will be held on a biennial basis starting this year. As a key media of the watch industry, WorldTempus is proud to be represented by its editor-in-chief, Suzanne Wong, as a member of the Committee of Experts.
Established in the LVMH tradition of celebrating emerging talents and organized by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton (Geneva, Switzerland), the Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives is a philanthropic and independent initiative to encourage watchmaking innovation. Its mission is to reward bold visions and free-spirited thinking, technical mastery, and traditional savoir-faire.
Said Prize founder Jean Arnault, Director of Watches at Louis Vuitton: “Tomorrow’s watchmaking industry will be built upon the diversity of actors and their innovative power: independent watchmaking will be key to challenging the rules of the game and opening new frontiers.”
For this first edition, the Louis Vuitton Watchmaking Division has brought together a panel of Expert watch enthusiasts from all over the world. It includes artisans, specialists, journalists and collectors as well as creatives from the performing arts, fashion and gastronomy that all have in common the passion of watches.
The Experts will convene in September 2023 to review submissions for the Prize and establish a shortlist of 20 semi-finalists, which will be revealed online. In December 2023, the Experts will select five finalists based on the following criteria: Design, Creativity, Innovation, Craftmanship and Technical complexity. “They will decide on who has the best ideas both for design and for technical craftmanship” said Prize founder Jean Arnault.
They will also designate a five-member Jury from their ranks to perform the final round of judging. The winner of the first Louis Vuitton Watch Prize for Independent Creatives will be announced at a ceremony hosted by Louis Vuitton in Paris in January 2024 and offered a grant of 150,000 euros as well as a unique and valuable opportunity of a one-year mentorship by La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton, tailored to the needs of their creative project. A dedicated team will mentor the winner in numerous fields such as communication, copyright, and corporate legal aspects, as well as marketing, industrial strategy, and the financial management of a brand.
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