Louis Vuitton Launches Second Edition of Accessories Design Initiative

OPEN CALL: Louis Vuitton is partnering with 32 European and American schools for the second edition of its annual Accessories Design Graduates Initiative, which offers recent graduates the opportunity to join its teams.

“Louis Vuitton seeks the next generation of accessory designers — pioneers with innovative ideas in design, craftsmanship, and sustainability, creators committed to crafting the future of Louis Vuitton accessories with passion and dedication,” the French luxury goods giant said in a statement.

The company is looking for people to design leather goods, small leather goods, trunks, sunglasses, belts, hats, jewelry, travel and gifting objects, it added.

Students from partner universities have until Feb. 2 to file their applications on the company’s dedicated website. The winners will be selected by a jury comprised of internal experts who are looking for “a passion for innovation and audacious creativity,” the brand said.

The competition is open exclusively to final-year bachelor and master students from the designated institutions specializing in fashion, design and art.

They include Finland’s Aalto University; the Institut Français de la Mode, École Duperré and Ensaama in France; Central Saint Martins, the London College of Fashion and the Royal College of Art in the U.K.; Belgium’s La Cambre; Istituto Marangoni in Italy; HEAD Geneva, and the Fashion Institute of Technology, the Parsons School of Design and the Savannah College of Art & Design in the U.S., among others.

Three winners were named for the inaugural edition last year.

Kao Onishi, a Japanese-American designer with a background in architecture, joined the women fashion leather goods, accessories and gifting team led by Johnny Coca. She graduated from ÉCAL University of Art and Design Lausanne with a master of advanced studies in design for luxury and craftsmanship.

John Stagaman, a U.S. native with a background in industrial design, was selected to work with Darren Spaziani in the men and women leather goods and travel division. He worked in San Francisco for five years before joining ÉCAL, where he also graduated with a master of advanced studies in design for luxury & craftsmanship.

French designer Nassim Semlali Yacoubi was chosen to join the hard-sided and gifting team led by Sigrid Daubmeier. He graduated from Strate School of Design in product design and from Grenoble Graduate School of Business in management.