AMI x IFM Entrepreneurship Prize announces winners

The Ami x IFM Entrepreneurship Prize announced Guillaume Hiriat Carriat, founder of ATXI, a leather goods brand developed at the Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) and Leopolda Contaux-Bellina, creator of the leather goods label Sed Nove Studio, which is experimenting with an innovative method of assembling leather (IFM incubator), as the winners of its first competition, awarded on June 29 at the IFM campus.

Arita Krasniqi and Maria Kopytko (Master in Accessory Design students) were awarded for their ATXI X Sed Nove Studio project, which offers an eco-friendly collection. They will benefit from one year of mentorship, provided in turn by the members of the jury who appointed them.

A prestigious jury, bringing together the worlds of art and creation, music, cinema and fashion, judged the candidates. The jury included Nicolas Santi-Weil, the general manager of Ami; Alexandre Mattiussi, the founder and creative director of the Parisian brand; Sarah Andelman, founder of Just an Idea; Leila Slimani, a writer; Elisha Karmitz, CEO of the MK2 group; Max Sokolinski, author and composer; Pierre-Alexandre M'Pelé, director of editorial content for GQ France; Deborah Papiernik, senior vice president of new business and strategic alliances at Ubisoft; Delphine Plisson, founder of Maison Plisson and singer-songwriter Irma Pany.

Encouraging entrepreneurship in fashion

At the end of 2021, IFM and Ami decided to collaborate to encourage entrepreneurship in fashion. The Fashion Entrepreneurship Center of IFM launched a call for projects for this cross-cutting prize, encompassing all of the fields and training courses offered at the institute. Ten projects were initially pre-selected, including seven collaborative projects (between entrepreneurs and students) and three projects carried out exclusively by students. These ten groups were challenged for six months to bring out their best while refining their concept, digital strategy and economic model. These collaborations have resulted in ethical, innovative and sustainable projects.

This prize underlines Ami’s commitment to students and its desire to transmit information reflecting the founding values ​​of the house, friendship, sharing and inclusion. This new competition intends to become an annual event that aims to bring out a new generation of fashion entrepreneurs by involving students with experts and professionals in the sector to help them "give birth" to their projects.

“With IFM, we are committed to involving young professionals and encouraging them to begin the decision-making process by raising their awareness of the unlimited opportunities they can generate as entrepreneurs. Initiating this project, giving free rein to the entrepreneurial spirit of the next generation of leaders, brings me immense pride,” declared Santi-Weil during the presentation of the prize to the winners. Xavier Romatet, the managing director of IFM, was pleased to "support entrepreneurs in fashion" as this is "at the heart of IFM's mission.”

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.fr, and it was translated into English by Andrea Byrne.