Louis Vuitton cooperation enters its third round

For the third time in a row, the School of Design at Pforzheim University is the exclusive German partner of the Louis Vuitton Accessories Design Graduates Initiative. The high-caliber competition promotes young designers from various European universities. At the hybrid kick-off event, which was attended by project manager Baron Osuna from Paris, students from numerous degree programs came together to take a look behind the scenes of the luxury brand and learn more about the requirements of the competition.

The aim of the program is to discover young talent and prepare them for a career in the luxury segment. The participants' task: To design their own bag that corresponds to Louis Vuitton's design language and at the same time reveals their own style. The winners receive an 18-month internship at the Louis Vuitton headquarters in Paris, with six months in each of the Women's, Men's and Small Leather Goods departments. Accommodation, living costs and other expenses are covered by the luxury group.

(Semi-)finalists also have the chance to do an internship – not only at Louis Vuitton, but also at other LVMH Group brands. One example: Joelle Recktenwald, a design student at the faculty, was a finalist in 2025 and is currently in discussions with Louis Vuitton about a possible position.

More than 20 design schools from all over Europe were invited to take part in the Graduates Initiative. In Germany, Pforzheim was once again chosen exclusively - in particular due to the interdisciplinary profile of the faculty. Project manager Baron Osuna emphasizes: "We launched this competition to consciously combine product and fashion design and to promote the creative potential of both worlds. The strength of Pforzheim University lies in the close cooperation between its various design departments. Study programs such as Fashion, Accessory Design, Creative Direction, Industrial or Transportation Design interlock in a special way. Creative thinking, teamwork and working across disciplines are deeply rooted in the DNA of this university - and it is precisely these qualities that we expect from the winners."

Students can now submit their applications between December and February. The finalists will be announced at the end of March. And once again this year, Louis Vuitton is inviting the best talents to Paris to present their work in person.