2024 Prix des Artisanes: LVMH and ELLE reveal the winners of the fourth edition of the Women in Craftsmanship Prize

The fourth edition of the Prix des Artisanes, co-created by LVMH and ELLE, ELLE Décoration and ELLE à Table magazines, breaks a new record with over 720 applications.

The fourth edition of the French Prix des Artisanes, co-created by LVMH and ELLE, ELLE Décoration and ELLE à Table magazines, breaks a new record with over 750 applications.

Following the jury's deliberations in October, the award ceremony, under the sponsorship of the French Minister of Culture, was held this Tuesday November 19th at LVMH’s headquarters in Paris, alongside magazine editors, journalists and content creators, as well as talents from the Maisons and friends of the Group. The winners were recognized for their inspiring careers in the fields of Fashion, Design and Tableware, Winemaking, Preservation of French Heritage and Jewellery and Watchmaking.

« It’s always a pleasure to discover, year after year, talents whose excellence, commitment and passion resonate with the values of LVMH. The Prix des Artisanes winners shape the future of craftsmanship and contribute to the development of women’s careers, echoing our teams’ work within the Group and its 75 Maisons. » Antoine Arnault, Image & Environment, LVMH.

Winners will benefit from mentoring by experts from the Institut pour les Savoir-Faire Français, exposure of their work in ELLE, ELLE Décoration and ELLE à Table magazines, as well as support from LVMH, including commissions of original pieces from the pool of prizewinners to decorate the LVMH Maison des Métiers d’Excellence. The prize-winners will also be invited to take part in several partner events.

On this occasion, Alexandre Boquel, LVMH Métiers d’Excellence Director and Emmanuelle Andrieux, master glassworker and former Prix des Artisanes nominee, took the stage to present the spectacular stained-glass project for the future LVMH Maison des Métiers d’Excellence. Emmanuelle Andrieux, distinguished by the French State with her nomination to the rank of Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite, will produce the design that will be selected through a competition organized with the apprentices and alumni of the Master Design program with l’Institut des Métiers d’Excellence LVMH, in partnership with la Sorbonne Nouvelle-Paris 3 and l’Ecole Duperré Paris. 

This year, LVMH and ELLE highlighted the work of the Group’s Maisons on the creative production for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Pauline Déroulède, LVMH and Dior ambassador athlete, three-time consecutive French Champion and Vice-Champion of France in Wheelchair Tennis, also member of the “ELLE Team” during the Games, took the floor to talk about her career. Three craftswomen joined her to share their own exceptional experiences:

·      Elena Ruyatkina, "première main" at the Dior workshop, reflected on the extraordinary production of the dresses worn by stars Lady Gaga, Aya Nakamura, and Juliette Armanet during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

·      Marie Meignotte, craftswoman at the Louis Vuitton Asnières atelier, shared her experience of making the legendary medal trunk.

·      Chloé Lopez, Berluti’s Aubervilliers Patine workshop manager, discussed her experience at the Olympic Village and the creation of the unique “patine” for the French Team's outfit for the Opening Ceremonies of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

The winners of the Prix des Artisanes 2024 are:

·      Diana Martinez (Fashion), Pattern maker and designer

Resume: Diana Martinez is a pattern maker and designer. She earned a bachelor's degree in fashion design at just 18 years old. After launching her made-to-measure dress workshop in Mexico, she honed her craft in France. Today, her expertise is sought after by major fashion houses like Loewe or Kevin Germanier.

Key Moment: In 2013, she decided to leave her native Mexico for Paris and pursue her dream of immersing herself in French craftsmanship. This choice paved the way for an international career.

Inspiration: From the age of 6, the young Diana Martinez was already fascinated by the pages of fashion magazines, the shapes and details of the creations. This childhood dream, that of understanding and mastering the art of sewing, still inspires each of the pieces she designs.

·      Chloé Valorso (Jewellery and Watchmaking), Bronze sculptor

Resume: A graduate of Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, with a master's degree in "Metal & Jewellery," Chloé Valorso is an artisan bronze sculptor. At 31 years old, she crafts hand-sculpted jewelry from natural and recycled materials.

Key Moment: Her first solo Parisian exhibition, entitled Parure Animale at Lou Woolworth. Her pieces were displayed alongside those of Claude Lalanne, Line Vautrin, Salvador Dalí, and other renowned names. A dream come true.

Inspiration: She describes her creative process as "a fusion of spirituality with materiality." A vision she cultivated during a trip to Indonesia, where she learned to integrate mindful breathing techniques into her art. Today, she continues to develop this unique fusion in her Parisian workshop.

·      Aline Houdé Diebolt (Design and Tableware), Artist and paper designer

Resume: Aline Houdé Diebolt—or Aline HD, her artist name—is a paper artisan and designer. Born in Alsace, she created her workshop in Paris in 2013.

Key Moment: It was in China that the Alsatian learned the technique of paper cutting, which became her preferred art and material. Initially trained in textile design, she enjoys playing with materials, colors, and patterns to transpose to paper the gestures and tools of other crafts such as jewelry making, watchmaking, leatherwork, and textiles.

Inspiration: Paper jewelry and sculptures, her works are treasures of precision. She draws her inspiration from the world of fairy tales and dreams, but also from the colors of the stalls in South American and Asian markets, or from architectural and textile patterns.

·      Elise Blouet-Ménard (Preservation of the French Heritage), Specialist in research and development of exceptional leathers

Resume: Élise Blouet-Ménard restores, develops, and conducts research on exceptional leather objects in the town of Mortagne-au-Perche, Normandy.

Key Moment: While she had chosen scientific studies because "the arts are not serious," illness—and a near-death experience—made her realize what she loved to do: work with her hands. She wanted to "live for the right reasons: the good, the beautiful, and the well-being," and changed her career path in 1996.

Inspiration: It was the leather from the wreck of the Catharina von Flensburg, a Russian ship that had spent more than 200 years at the bottom of the sea, that inspired her to pursue this profession. "This leather was in perfect condition, with a fascinating patina and gave off an unforgettable scent," she recalls. Today, after twenty years of work and hundreds of restored objects, she passes on her expertise and focuses on the research and development of exceptional leathers.

·      Cécile Giorza (Winemaking), Winemaker and vinegar maker

Resume: Originally from Agen, Cécile Giorza first took over the family business in the automotive sector before embarking on viticulture and vinegar making after meeting her husband, himself from a long line of winegrowers. Since 2015, she has managed the Domaine de l'Airial in Gascony, where she dedicates herself to the artisanal production of wine and balsamic vinegars.

Key Moment: Her passion for vinegar was born from a realization: turning over a bottle of industrial vinegar, she discovered the endless list of added ingredients. Determined to offer a pure and natural product, she devoted herself to traditional expertise.

Inspiration: The only winegrower and vinegar maker to master the entire production chain, from vine to bottle, she favors natural processes and long aging. All this to obtain quality products, influenced by the essences of wood: oak, acacia, or cherry.