One of fashion’s most storied prizes is making a comeback in 2023. 

On Wednesday, the Neiman Marcus Group announced that the accolades colloquially known as the Neiman Marcus Fashion Awards will make their return during Paris Fashion Week in March. Now called the NMG Awards, the revived platform will also include the new Neiman Marcus Award for Creative Impact in the Field of Fashion, which will be given to recipients demonstrating exceptional innovation.

Originally known as the Neiman Marcus Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Fashion, the prestigious prize was created in 1938 by Carrie Marcus Neiman and Stanley Marcus, founders of the luxury department store group. It’s since been awarded to over 100 fashion designers, including icons like Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Coco Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld. Carolina Herrera was the last to win the award in 2016. After a seven-year hiatus, Brunello Cucinelli is now next in line for the esteemed prize.

“The NMG Awards are an embodiment of our relentless commitment to our brand partners, connecting them to our luxury customer in an entirely new way,” says Geoffroy van Raemdonck, CEO of NMG in a statement. “We are recognizing, and celebrating with the fashion industry, those who are inspiring our collective mind to shape the future of our field.” Cucinelli, whose namesake label is now Neiman Marcus’ largest client partner, is the winner of the 2023 edition of the award due to his community impact and commitment to humanistic capitalism. 

“Our long-standing relationship with Brunello Cucinelli over the last 20 years and his tremendous impact on the world of luxury fashion made him a clear choice as the first honoree for our new awards platform,” van Raemdonck says. “Like us, Brunello leads with love. His enduring commitments to humanistic values set Brunello apart as a designer, an entrepreneur, and a visionary for the future of luxury.” 

To mark the occasion, the Italian designer created the “Icon Collection” exclusively for Neiman Marcus. The drop is the first of its kind from the duo’s longstanding partnership, offering men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, shoes and bags that will be available at just 10 Neiman Marcus stores and online in April 2023. Each piece from the assortment will be labeled “Exclusively Designed for Neiman Marcus” and select styles will be uniquely numbered. 

“The prestigious acknowledgment that I am being awarded fills me with joy and makes me feel extraordinarily honored,” Cucinelli explains. “Especially because I believe it is not just a splendid gratification bestowed on the work of our fashion house, but also an exceptional confirmation of the great appreciation that the whole world nurtures for the value of craftsmanship of the highest quality, of Made in Italy and, I am certain, also for our way of living and working, what we here in Solomeo like to define as being ‘in harmony with Creation,’ a living form of universal attraction.” 

The NMG Awards will be celebrated at an exclusive Paris Fashion Week event in March 2023. Cucinelli and his contributions to the industry will be recognized during the program. The group will also announce the honorees for its Creative Impact Award, as well as pay tribute to past recipients of the Distinguished Service Award for their continued influence on luxury today.