Founded in 1998, the Prix de la Jeune Photographie de Mode is organized by the Laboratoire Picto. The prize aims to highlight the work of young fashion photographers. For the 2012 edition, nine figures from the world of photography met to select the winner: Hélène B. (Photography agent), Youn Chong Bak (Creative Director of SMALTO), Sophie Delaporte (Photographer), Thierry Lasry (Glasses designer), Séverine Morel (Art buyer at Havas Paris and author of the ‘Trends’ column for Le Journal de la Photographie), Isabelle Peyrut (Fashion editor at Be magazine), Fabrice Rohan de Chabot (Editor of Technikart), Cécile Schall d’Aram (Founder and Director of Fotofever) and Valérie Theveniaud-Violette (Head of syndication for Figaro). The top prize was awarded to Oliver Fritze, while Alexandra Taupiac received a special mention.
Today we are going to present their work, along with the nine finalists, whose portfolios were selected from forty submissions. Jury member and Le Journal contributor Sévérine Morel explains how the jury arrived at its decision:
“Choosing the winner of the Prix Picto was difficult this year. The jury had to decide between two candidates with very different backgrounds and styles.
The work of Oliver Fritze, the eventual winner, immediately charmed the jury. Almost everyone had given his portfolio three pluses on their grids. The series was simple but fresh. There was emotion, feeling and a light touch. The photographs were unpretentious, straightforward and free, telling an intimate and seductive story. The model and the clothing appear in a simple and touching world.
Alexandra Topiak was another jury favorite. The work is beautiful, the style and the world its creates are powerful and personal, captivating and radiant, and very well composed. We were all very impressed by the way her series pushes the limits of fashion photography without overshadowing the clothing. Topiak works at the frontier between visual arts and fashion photography.
Two other favorites were Charlotte Moulard and Julie Cerise.”
Séverine Morel
