EXCLUSIVE: Kering’s Materials Innovation Lab to Mentor Young Designers at Pitti Uomo
MILAN — Kering’s Materials Innovation Lab, or MIL — the luxury conglomerate’s Milan-based hotbed for innovation — is partnering with Pitti Immagine, WWD can exclusively reveal.
The tie-up is geared at fostering the next generation of designers and help them embrace sustainable fashion practices. As part of the project, the MIL will support designers showcasing in the S/Style Sustainable Style section of leading menswear trade fair Pitti Uomo, which runs from June 13 to 16.
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Over the past three years, the section has gathered an interesting mix of international up-and-coming brands and designers with a sustainable bent.
Now in its seventh iteration, the trade show section will feature 10 brands mentored by the MIL in adopting innovative and low-impact materials and processes in their collections, including upcycling, the use of bio-based textiles and techniques, as well as the implementation of eco-certifications in manufacturing.
“The S/Style project by Pitti sounds like a perfect match for Kering MIL’s open innovation attitude and approach. It’s an unusual partnership to support young and emerging brands that want to embrace sustainability, adding innovation to their low-impact capsules and giving them the chance to showcase new prototype materials that have been piloted or validated by the MIL and materials that are aligned with our Kering standards,” said Christian Tubito, director of Kering’s MIL.
The hub is marking its 10th anniversary in 2023.
The 10 brands scouted by S/Style Sustainable Style curator and journalist Giorgia Cantarini include Cavia and Dalpaos from Italy; designer Dhruv Kapoor from India; Isnurh from Denmark; Jeanne Friot and Steven Passaro from France; Ksenia Schnaider from Ukraine; Olooh from the Côte d’Ivoire; Permu from the U.K., and Young n Sang from South Korea.
“This collaboration is an important recognition of the work we are doing to spread a modern culture of responsibility in fashion,” said Lapo Cianchi, head of communications and special projects for Pitti Immagine and general secretary of the Fondazione Pitti Discovery.
“Most importantly, we are happy because Kering’s MIL can give designers practical help in getting to know and use the most innovative materials for their research in design at an international level,” he added, touting the international appeal that the S/Style section has had over the years.
According to Cantarini, the partnership represents a milestone as it provides emerging brands, oftentimes struggling in jumpstarting their venture and being sustainable at the same time, with knowledge of cutting-edge innovation and how to embed it in their design process.
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