Nensi Dojaka Feels the Intensity of Her 2021 LVMH Prize Win
The Albanian womenswear designer speaks with L'OFFICIEL about her strategically sexy approach to womenswear and cinching the prestigious award.
Designer Nensi Dojaka hasn't got time to bask in the glory. The day after winning the 2021 LMVH Prize for Young Designers—which awards a 300,000-euro endowment and a year of mentorship—she was back in her London studio, busy prepping for her official London Fashion Week debut on September 17. "It's been intense like this for a while, the three days getting ready for the prize, now the show," she tells L’OFFICIEL in a phone interview. For the 27-year-old, the journey to the win has actually been a three-year whirlwind.
It was her layered, sheer bodystocking dress-centric collection, heavy on intricate cut-outs and strings, that earned rave reviews and ignited her career. She attributes the aesthetic to her subconscious mind coupled with a love for painting and drawing. "Weirdly, I've been analyzing it a lot lately, and inspiration starts from childhood; things you saw or experienced that you do not remember," she says.
The look is also attributed to the approach. "I don't see the final picture on the body. I start it as a painting, putting the cut-outs and strings together in harmony like a collage without the body being there," she explains of the process. The result reveals a fair amount of skin. Dojaka, who studied lingerie design at London College of Fashion for her bachelor's degree, manages to combine sultry and tantalizing with cool and edgy, not an easy feat. "It's sexy because of the cut-outs, but I control the sexiness by where I place them. I like to focus on the collarbone and back. I choose black and neutral colors pairing them with minimal and casual accessories for the day. If it were an evening look with heels, it would remove the coolness."
Credence is given to perfect timing since post-COVID confinement life proves that be-and-be-seen clothing to party in is top of mind. But Dojaka reveals her Spring 2022 collection will expand its offering. "I'm going back to what I like to wear personally; the new collection is more mixed with more tailoring and separates."
Winner Bound
"I was just happy to make it to the finals; my pride pushed me to get there at least," Dojaka says. The path to the Prize began months before this point—the 20 semi-finalists were announced on March 30, and Dojaka was in the throes of the application process well in advance of the February 28 due date.
Meeting the other eight finalists in Paris was like a mini-fashion camp held at the Fondation Louis Vuitton where she formed new bonds with peers such as Conner Ives. The final stage of competition involved a 10-minute Q&A slash audition with the judges. "It was an intense 2 ½ days where the designers were together to prepare for this interview," says Dojaka.
Personally, it was the most challenging step. "I was stressed; my legs were shaking so much I could have fallen down," she says of being quizzed by the experienced judges. Eventually she relaxed and confidently spoke about her designs.The grilling process proved humbling and informative. "You are thinking about the answer, so it teaches you something." Speaking to the judges who she admired afterward was the highlight. "They voted for me unanimously and were so human and gentle with me."
"I didn't expect to win, and at that moment, I was in my headspace thinking about something else,” she continues, “And then I looked up to where my father and boyfriend were watching when they called my name." It was endearing to observe Dojaka's emotional response to the win. Even the panel of LVMH designer judges—Virgil Abloh, Jonathan Anderson, Maria Grazia Chiuri, Marc Jacobs, Kim Jones, and Stella McCartney, along with LVMH brass Delphine Arnault, Jean-Paul Claverie, and Sidney Toledano—got caught up in the emotion. "Maybe because I was working so hard it felt extra intense," she muses of the adrenaline-releasing moment.
In its eighth year and edition, the LVMH Prize has helped launch Simon Porte Jacquemus, Marine Serre, Thebe Magugu, and NYFW breakout star Peter Do. (In conjunction, the award ceremony offers a second award, The Karl Lagerfeld Prize, which this year chose three designers, Brooklyn-based Colm Dillane of KidSuper, South African designer Lukhanyo Mdingi, and Shanghai-based Rui Zhou.)
Continuing Education
Dojaka's graduation collection from Central Saint Martins’ MA program in 2019 immediately resulted in a capsule collection at Ssense. While figuring out her next move—getting a job would prove complicated due to necessary paperwork for the Albanian native to work in the United Kingdom—the progressive Canadian retailer placed the order. "I was still learning and too young, so it was a good push to have the support from the beginning," she says. She could get a talent visa, though, so starting her namesake brand was an inevitable way to stay in London and work.
"I am a completely different person now, especially concerning the business side. They didn't teach us this." She recalls getting started was easy, but it got more complicated as she grew; thus, Dojaka learned on the job. Exhibiting at the pivotal Fashion East showroom in February 2020 was another step, raising her expectations. Then the pandemic hit. "Like that, it was over," says the designer. But she got over that hump quickly and, by September of 2020, debuted another collection. A mentorship with Alessandro Dell'Acqua X Tomorrow showroom boosted her sales, and soon she claimed 23 retailers carrying her namesake brand.
It's this group she wants to nurture next, continuing to focus on wholesale. "I want to make sure I have a good relationship with the retailers who have supported me from the start," she says. For now, the ever-popular direct-to-consumer model will have to wait until she feels her production and deliveries are on point.
It's the striving to get it right she attributes to her Albanian upbringing and culture. She was studious, reacting to the pressure to do well. "I am used to pushing myself to the next level; it made me stronger and gave me the drive to succeed," she maintains. She admits to constantly questioning her designs.
"There is not much of a fashion scene in Albania, so my parents put a lot of faith in me even if they couldn't process that their child wanted to be a fashion designer. It's an unusual choice," she explains of her decision to leave the country to study fashion. She hopes the win will help shine an international light on her homeland. "I'm proud and happy because maybe it will push more Albanian people to pursue creative arts."
Next Steps
As Dojaka ponders how to use prize winnings and looks to the future, she has a clear vision of where it's heading. For starters, she is replacing some of her georgette and organza fabrics—staples of the collection—with sustainable options. "I use it a lot in my production, so I think this can make a difference. I don't want to compromise how it looks, but it's a good start," she reasons. She will use part of her earnings to hire a production manager to help her round out the brand offerings, something the mentorship will surely guide. Rick Owens' success, with its distinct aesthetic and brand DNA, serves to galvanize the designer. "You always know it's Rick Owens no matter what he does, from clothes to furniture to store design. This is something I would like to achieve."
