Founded by Nathalie Dufour in 1989, ANDAM (Association Nationale pour le Développement des Arts de la Mode, National Association for the Development of the Fashion Arts) was conceived from the beginning as a structure for recognizing and assisting promising young designers on the French and international fashion scene.
At the time, its founding constituted a decisive step forward in the promotion of young talents in a field that had few such mechanisms, especially in comparison with other disciplines such as contemporary art. Awarding a sizeable endowment each year in cooperation with a panel of judges made up of private partners and fashion professionals, ANDAM pursues its goal of bringing together the institutional and private players in this cultural industry, and using their financial backing to promote young fashion designers and their labels.