Chanel and Women’s Prize Trust Launch Originators for Unpublished Writers
Chanel unveiled a new initiative called Originators on October 15, 2026, in collaboration with the Women’s Prize Trust, a UK charity overseeing the Women’s Prize for Fiction. This program is designed to support five aspiring writers through mentorship and financial assistance. The launch event was held at The Twenty Two, an upscale private venue in Manhattan's Union Square. Notable literary and fashion personalities including A.M. Homes, Virginia Evans, and Tayari Jones were present, along with several other guests. Applications for the program will be accepted until November 30, 2026, at 10 AM EST, via the Women’s Prize website.
Key facts
- Chanel and the Women’s Prize Trust launched Originators, a new initiative for unpublished writers.
- Originators offers five emerging writers mentorship and funding.
- The launch event was held at the Twenty Two in Union Square, downtown Manhattan, on October 15, 2026.
- The selection panel includes writers A.M. Homes, Virginia Evans, V.V. Ganeshananthan, Tayari Jones, and Nicole Krauss.
- Claire Shanahan, executive director of the Women’s Prize Trust, addressed the attendees.
- Chanel also supports the Literary Rendezvous at Rue Cambon series and the Nouvel Obs Literary Prize.
- Submissions for Originators close on November 30, 2026, at 10 AM EST.
- The event was photographed by Jamie McCarthy and WireImage, with images courtesy of Chanel.
Entities
Artists
- A.M. Homes
- Virginia Evans
- V.V. Ganeshananthan
- Tayari Jones
- Nicole Krauss
- Brit Bennett
- Coco Mellors
- Megan Nolan
- Safiya Sinclair
- Athena Calderone
- Sophie Elgort
- Leandra Medine Cohen
- Naomi Fry
- Claire Shanahan
- Katie Kitamura
- Chantal Thomas
- Jamie McCarthy
- Laura Reilly
- Rajni Jacques
- Jalil Johnson
- Anna Derkacz
- Aliceson Robinson
- Anna Rafferty
- Sophie Rochester
- Rebekah McCabe
- A. M. Homes
- Alice Winn
- Catherine Shannon
- Aube Rey Lescure
- Faran Krentcil
- Sarah Harrelson
- Raffi Donatich
- Sophie Auster
- Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel
Institutions
- Chanel
- Women’s Prize Trust
- Women’s Prize for Fiction
- Twenty Two
- Literary Rendezvous at Rue Cambon
- Nouvel Obs Literary Prize
- WireImage
- CULTURED
- Women's Prize Trust
- Princeton University
- Vogue
- The Twenty Two
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Manhattan
- Union Square
- Rue Cambon
- France
- London
- United Kingdom