He became the first Australian designer to win the Andam prize in June, chosen by a panel including Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault and Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello By any measure it’s been a big year for Christopher Esber. The Sydney-based designer, who launched his eponymous brand in 2010, was the first Australian designer to win the prestigious Andam prize, awarded in Paris in June. He was chosen by a panel that included Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault, stylist Emmanuelle Alt, and jury president and Saint Laurent creative director Anthony Vaccarello.
Part of the prize includes mentoring with Vaccarello. It was, says Esber, a surreal experience. Advertisement “It was quite daunting, but I felt somewhat at peace just before I entered the room, which was strange for an introverted person.
I was just like, ‘I’ve been doing this for a very long time – if I can’t talk about it, who can?’” he says with a laugh. {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Christopher Esber spring/summer 2025.
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jpg"} Christopher Esber spring/summer 2025. Photo: Handout One of the most memorable moments was seeing legendary French actress Catherine Deneuve, a guest judge, viewing his collection. “Just seeing Catherine Deneuve look through the col.