It is every French fashion fan’s dream to attend the Festival d’Hyères – a plush celebration of fashion and photography in the South of France – and this year, we once again had the privilege of being there ourselves. After being welcomed to the Villa Noailles by a giant Glenn Martens inflatable, it straight into a schedule that brimmed with some of the industry’s brightest stars of both present and future – including our very own Editor-in-Chief Alastair McKimm, who was sat on the jury for the Grand Prix for Photography, chaired by Pierre Debuscherre.
Some of the most prestigious awards at the 37th edition of the event came courtesy of Chanel, who sponsored prizes in three categories: Fashion, Photography, and Accessories. The talents in this year’s fashion line-up demonstrated skills of the highest calibre, from Jenny Hytönen – the winner of this year’s Grand Prix – who presented delicate crystal-embroidered dresses and fetish-y studded leathers, to Valentin Lessner – the winner of both the LE19M Métiers d’Art and Mercedes-Benz Sustainability prizes – who applied their tailoring skills to repurposed vintage materials and garments. An honourable mention also goes to Juha Vehmaanperä, whose fun, daring knits brought the audience a jolt of joy and energy, captioned by the unforgettable statement: “craftiest bitch in town”.
That’s not all though! While we were in town, we managed to meet up with Ifeanyi Okwuadi, the winner of last year’s Grand Prix of the Jury Première Vision, and catch up on everything he’s been up to since his victory – in particular, his experiences working with Chanel’s esteemed métiers d’art, such as embroiderer Lesage and the milliner Maison Michel, at its 19M complex in northern Paris.
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For this year’s collection, Dust – Black Sunday, Ifeanyi drew inspiration from the story of a family travelling across the US during a sandstorm, as well as further tales of migrants that traversed America’s Dust Bowl during the 1930s. His felt hats are the product of a special collaboration with Maison Michel, featuring elegant twists and distortions that illustrate Ife’s ideas of how these migrants may have passed through these inclement climes.
His signature tailoring also returned, this time elevated by the incomparable attention to detail and craft found among Chanel’s métiers d’art. It was a perfect match, with both Ife and Chanel harbouring a deep mutual respect and appreciation for artisanal making and durability – features that lay at the core of Ifeanyi’s collection.
Awe-inspiring, forward-thinking and uplifting were words commonly shared among the attendees at this year’s Hyères Festival, which brings a welcome gust of artistry, innovation, and a bold punk spirit to the French Riviera town. The impact of the talents seen here will, however, make itself felt far beyond the four days of the festival – be sure to remember the names featured here, as you’ll no doubt be hearing them again.
