The Nigerian-Indian and London-based menswear designer, Priya Ahluwalia, won the prestigious LVMH Prize. Ahluwalia is the fourth recipient of the award for British design, which she received on London Fashion Week’s final day. The award was presented by the Queen’s daughter-in-law, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex on behalf of the Queen over Zoom during the closing of this week’s London Fashion Week.
Ahluwalia described winning the award as “surreal” because “it’s lovely to be recognized for doing something you love.” Ahluwalia joins the ranks of former winners and up-and-coming designers Richard Quinn, Bethany Williams, and Rosh Mahtani.
The Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design honors young designers who have made a positive impact through sustainable practices and community work. Ahluwalia said, about her sustainability efforts, “It’s always been a case of using what’s directly available to me. Many students are naturally resourceful because they ought to be; it’s more cost-effective than other routes. But if you’re a huge brand, you’ve got a culture that will take a lot of time to undo; you have to implement positive practice at every business level. They could start by looking at their stock and thinking who could (potentially) repurpose it. It could be a good opportunity to work with a younger designer, London is full of them so that they can take their pick.”
