French designer wins at Hyères

(AFP PHOTO SEBASTIEN NOGIER)

Léa Peckre is following in the footsteps of the likes of Viktor & Rolf and Felipe Oliveira Baptista, winning the fashion design contest of the Hyères festival in Southern France and taking home the grand prize of €15,000.

Peckre's collection seemed to be inspired by nuns' fashion, which is currently a popular trend as recent collections by Yves Saint Laurent, Elie Tahari, or Jean-Charles de Castelbajac can attest. According to the AFP, the pieces also drew on "the universe of graveyards," featuring artful embroidery, copper, and faux wood elements.

It was a successful year for French fashion at the usually very international festival: Céline Méteil, who has worked for Balenciaga in the past, came in first in the public vote and bagged €10,000.

This year, the jury - who judged ten international candidates in each category - was presided over by Jil Sander's creative head, Belgian designer Raf Simons, who was joined by the New York-based design duo of Proenza Schouler and the UK's Christopher Kane as well as editorial royalty including Cathy Horyn and Carla Sozzani.

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