The winners were selected by a distinguished jury comprising:
Kering Generation Award India has named Paiwand Studio its first-prize winner, awarding €50,000.
Without and A Blunt Story were also recognised for their contributions to sustainable fashion innovation.
All three winners will receive a fully funded, 10-day visit to Europe, providing opportunities to connect with global luxury and sustainability experts and explore potential collaborations.
– Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability & Institutional Affairs Officer at Kering; – Sumeet Yadav, Head, Reliance Brands Limited; – Manish Malhotra, Founder & Creative Director, Manish Malhotra; – Rahul Mishra, Founder & Creative Director, Rahul Mishra and AFEW Rahul Mishra; – Sujata Assomull, Journalist & Author; – Stefan Priesner, United Nations Resident Coordinator in India; – Kulsum Shadab Wahab, Women Empowerment Ambassador, CNMI and Founder, ARA LUMIERE.
Also joining the jury virtually:
– Pascal Morand, Executive President of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM), the governing body of French fashion; – Radhika Raje Gaekwad, Maharani of Baroda and a prominent custodian of India’s royal heritage and cultural traditions.
“The inaugural Kering Generation Award India marks an important milestone in our commitment to fostering innovation that can help shape a more sustainable future for fashion and luxury. The three winning startups demonstrate how creativity, material innovation and circular thinking can translate into meaningful solutions, from reimagining textile waste to developing alternatives to conventional materials. India has an exciting and diverse innovation ecosystem, and we are delighted to support these entrepreneurs as they advance ideas with the potential to contribute to a more responsible and resource-conscious industry. Congratulations to Paiwand Studio, Without and A Blunt Story on this well-deserved recognition,” commented Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer, Kering.
“India’s emerging design and innovation ecosystem holds immense potential to shape the future of fashion through solutions that are both creative and commercially relevant. Through our partnership with Kering, we are proud to bring the Kering Generation Award to India and create a platform for innovators who are challenging conventional approaches to materials, production and resource use. The work of Paiwand Studio, Without and A Blunt Story reflects the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit driving this shift. By connecting emerging talent with global industry expertise, we hope to help promising ideas gain visibility, build meaningful partnerships and move towards greater scale and impact,” said Jaspreet Chandok, Group VP Reliance Brands Limited.
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Fibre2Fashion News Desk (MS)