@Gucci
THE 3RD KERING GENERATION AWARD OPEN FOR APPLICATION IN GREATER CHINA “COMING FULL CIRCLE”
Kering luxury group, the parent company of Gucci, Saint Laurent, Pomellato, and Bottega Veneta, together with global innovation platform Plug and Play China, announced the third edition of the Kering Generation Award in Greater China under the theme “Coming Full Circle”. The awards aim to inspire discussion and promote development of the full-link circular economy in the fashion industry.
As one of the key issues in sustainable fashion, circularity is a critical pillar in Kering’s 2025 Sustainability Strategy. In May 2021, Kering published “Coming Full Circle”, a report outlining the group’s ambition for a holistic approach to circularity, calling the entire industry to rethink the way it produces, uses and extends the life of resources and products.
The third Kering Generation Award focuses on three dimensions: circular raw materials, circular product designs and circular business models. It evaluates how these are accomplished through the five links of re-design, reuse, recycle, regenerate and recognition. It also discusses about tactics and solutions from the industry end to the consumer end, exploring holistic practices in the fashion industry’s circular economy that cover the entire chain.
Poster credit: © Nina-Lou Giachetti
“Kering has for more than a decade been at the forefront of leading innovation and investment into accounting for the environmental impact of its brands. As such, we take our approach to circularity very seriously, along with our responsibility to accelerate change. Following the ‘Coming Full Circle’ report released last year, we are taking the circular economy as a key focal point to help a fresh generation of startups explore new opportunities and contribute to the industry transformation at every link. Our Kering Generation Award is one of the initiatives/mechanisms that can help us boosting sustainable innovation and reach our targets.” commented Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer, Kering.
The jury is composed of industry leaders in fashion, luxury, business, academia, sustainability and innovation. Members include (in alphabetical order by last name): Christophe Artaux, CEO of Qeelin; Cai Jinqing, President of Kering Greater China; Angelica Cheung, Partner of Sequoia Capital China; Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer of Kering; Du Huanzheng, Director of the Institute of Ecological Civilization and Circular Economy, Tongji University; Hong Huang, renowned media personality; Federica Marchionni, CEO of Global Fashion Agenda; Susan Rockefeller, renowned artist, philanthropist and sustainability leader; Gianfilippo Testa, Global CEO of Alexander McQueen; Wang Shi, Founder of Vanke; and Wang Zhen, President of Erdos Holdings Group.
With a scouting process kicked off in December 2022, selection will be based on a variety of criteria such as relevance to circularity, relevance to fashion, innovation going beyond state of the art, potential for commercial success, potential impact on nature & people, and TRL assessment. Click here to apply.
Winners will be announced in October 2023, with the following interests:
- The winning company will receive a prize of EUR 100,000;
- The top three winners will join Kering and Plug and Play’s industry network and have opportunities to get in touch with industry leaders and investors;
- The top three winners will be invited to visit Kering’s headquaters in Paris and benefit from the guidance of the Group’s sustainability experts.
The third Kering Generation Award will continue its collaboration with CEIBS to host entrepreneurship accelerator camps for 10 finalists to provide them with professional training and enhance their entrepreneurial capabilities. By participating in the Pitch Day organized by Plug and Play China, the 10 finalists will also have the opportunity to showcase their vision and development to the jury.
In addition, Kering will strengthen its partnership with Shanghai Fashion Week, not only to enable broader interaction with the sustainable fashion industry in China, but also to provide a platform for award-winning companies to showcase their achievements. Through the Shanghai Fashion Week sustainability development platform “ULIO SPACE”, Kering will create opportunities for them to connect with resources across the industry chain.
“China’s sustainable industry infrastructure is promising, and the country is capable of practicing large-scale innovation as it advances. To build a circular economy, it is necessary to develop both the industry side and the consumer side, promoting a green transformation of the whole industry chain. At the launch of the third Kering Generation Award, Kering is looking forward to working with its Chinese partners to promote changes in the industry. By expanding our vision and sharing resources across the industry chain, we encourage young entrepreneurs to explore innovative solutions and disruptive business models to jointly drive the future of sustainable fashion in China.” – Cai Jinqing, President of Kering Greater China.
@instagram.com/kering_official/
