The fashion industry is, granted, not without its fair share of awards for emerging talents. In a notoriously gatekept industry, however, the processes involved in nominating talents — and, ultimately, choosing winners — often replicate the exclusionary systems at the industry’s heart, failing to acknowledge and celebrate talent beyond an obstinate Eurocentric scope. Enter Amiri, the LA-based, global, luxury brand, that debuted the Amiri Prize in 2021.
To start with its similarities to other major fashion competitions out there, the Amiri Prize was launched as a fashion award and talent incubator for independent creatives, offering one winner a handsome cash prize — $100,000, to be precise — as well as a year’s mentoring from brand founder Mike Amiri. Its distinguishing feature, however, has always been its commitment to looking beyond the purview of the industry establishment, and opening up to talent who might have pursued non-conventional career paths. To put it plainly, the prize was founded with the intention of “[spotlighting] the unique and varied voices shaping our future and [establishing] a support system outside the often-inaccessible establishment,” a release reads. “I think this is an extremely special award for a young designer,” Colm Dillane, founder and creative director of KidSuper, and Amiri Prize panellist, says. “It is extremely rare to be mentored and to speak with someone who has taken a brand from 0 to 100 in such a short amount of time.”
Mike’s experience of rapid yet sustainable growth with his own brand is another distinguishing factor here. Founded in 2014, the less-than-a-decade since has seen Amiri grow from an upstart emerging name to a leader in the global luxury sector — and all from its base in LA, beyond the industry’s traditional centres. This history is in large part why the Amiri Prize is “incredibly personal and important to me,” Mike shares. “Providing a platform for new talent is a core value of the brand and stems from my own dedication and unconventional path.”
For its first edition, the Amiri Prize focussed on discovering and fostering emerging American talents. Now, however, it opened up to the world. Selected from a pool of nearly 1000 applicants by a panel of industry leaders — including stylist Gabriela Karefa-Johnson, A-Cold-Wall* designer Samuel Ross and designer & creative director June Ambrose — this year’s finalists constituted a truly global impression of fashion’s future could look like, hailing from Italy, Canada, Nigeria, The US, China and South Africa.
So, who are they, you ask? Well, without further ado, please be introduced to this year’s finalists of the 2023 Amiri Prize: Abdel El Tayeb of El Tayeb Nation; Dorian Who of Dorian Who; Ekwerike Chukwuma of WUMAN; Grace Ling of Grace Ling; Keith Herron of Advisry; Li Gong of 8ON8; Lukhanyo Mdingi of Lukhanyo Mdingi; Luke Zhou & Maike Huang of LUKEWARMPEOPLE; and Maxwell Osborne of anOnlyChild.
“It’s been so refreshing to see all of the talent being considered within this incubator program,” says June Ambrose. “I love that Mike is dedicated to celebrating and empowering designers and I’m honoured to be able to contribute to that along with the rest of the jury. As someone who has taken a non-traditional career path, helping emerging designers in their journey is a responsibility and privilege that I hold in high regard. Not many get the kind of support the Amiri Prize offers so I’m excited to see this next generation of designers and the winner of this prize do great things.” Indeed, congratulations to all of this year’s nominees, and may the best designer win.
Credits
Images courtesy of Amiri