Xueling Chen Wins the First Pull&Bear Fashion Photography Prize at Hyères A prize of 20,000 euros and a project with the brand up for grabs

On Saturday, October 17, Villa Noailles hosted the closing ceremony of the 41st edition of the Festival d'Hyères – Fashion, Photography, Accessories. Among the highlights of this edition was the inaugural presentation of the Pull&Bear Fashion Photography Prize, awarded to artist Xueling Chen, born in China in 1995.

Recently introduced into the official competition, this prize marks a significant partnership between Pull&Bear and the Provençal festival. Conceived as a genuine launchpad, the programme supports the winner well beyond the ceremony itself. Xueling Chen receives a grant of €20,000 to fund her work, creates a bespoke photography project, and designs a limited-edition T-shirt as part of the Pull&Bear × The Photographer Project series. The programme also includes the publication of a dedicated fanzine, international distribution through the brand's networks, and a solo exhibition at Villa Noailles during the next edition of the Festival.

Xueling Chen and the poetry of the everyday

Holding a master's degree in Fashion Image from the prestigious Central Saint Martins and with a career as an independent photographer in Shanghai, Xueling Chen has developed an intimate body of work at the intersection of personal narrative, urban nomadism, and an exploration of female identity.

Since 2017, her visual signature has favoured wandering and the snapshot. Working primarily with consumer CCD cameras and film, she subverts traditional technical standards in fashion photography to compose raw, tactile images. Her multidisciplinary practice also extends to installations, digital art, and electronic music.

An expert jury and ten visions of contemporary fashion

Chaired by photographer Camille Vivier, herself a Grand Prix winner at Hyères 28 years ago, the jury brought together key figures from the creative world. Among them were Lili Doillon representing Éditions 7L, art director Laurent Fétis, Sylvie Lécallier from the Palais Galliera, Georg Rulffes of Concrete Rep, and visual artist Noémie Ninot.

At the starting line, ten international artists bore witness to the richness of contemporary perspectives: Honglin Cai, Xueling Chen, Giulia Frigieri, Lorane Hochstatter, Yun Ki Ng, Zacharie Lewertoff, Motoki Nakatani, Julien Rahmani, Sidonie Ronfard, and Valeria Sarto.

At the Festival d'Hyères, Pull&Bear becomes the new launchpad for emerging photography

Since 1986, under the general direction of Hugo Lucchino and the artistic direction of Magalie Guérin, the Festival d'Hyères has celebrated Robert Mallet-Stevens' architecture by bringing together established names and emerging talent.

For Pull&Bear, this partnership is a natural extension of its strong cultural commitments, from the NEWGEN programme of the British Fashion Council to its support of Offprint, the independent publishing platform championed by LUMA Arles. By launching this prize, the brand reaffirms its commitment to fostering connections between fashion, contemporary art, publishing, and emerging creative voices.