We first heard about the Dorchester Collection's Fashion Prize back in February and here's how it works: young, creative ready-to-wear and accessory designers were asked to send in examples of their work with the opportunity to win financial backing and support from the prestigious hotelier, Dorchester Collection. Since then a panel of fashion's elite - including Manolo Blahnik, Giles Deacon, Daphne Guinness, Stephen Jones and Yasmin Le Bon (we can't imagine a more qualified line-up) - has been judging the 69 entrants who applied to take part in this unique competition.
The grand prize winner will be announced in November. In the meantime, you can watch the video above of the team of judges drawing up their shortlist of five semi-finalists to go through to the next stage. The chosen designers, Chau Har Lee, Hermione de Paula, Louise Goldin, Mary Katrantzou and Thomas Salt are now competing for a £25,000 prize that will go towards the creation of their next collection. What's more, the overall winner will have the chance to hold a fashion event at a Dorchester Collection hotel of their choice, an opportunity that Stephen Jones admits would be "an extraordinary privilege and fantastic opportunity for a young designer".
Watch the video above to get a unique incite into the judges' deliberation process.
