Kering partners with LCF to engage young talent in sustainable fashion

Gucci and Saint Laurent maker Kering and The Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF), at London College of Fashion (LCF), have launched a five-year partnership to support sustainable practices and innovation in the fashion industry.

Kering and LCF say they share the belief that sustainability is instrumental to the fashion industry’s evolution and are both committed to nurturing young talents.

The partnership will be made up of three main projects: an annual talk, an annual Sustainable Fashion award and the development of academic modules. The latter will also aim to develop a pioneering academic framework to explore sustainability in fashion, which the partners hope could inspire other educational institutions.

Professor Frances Corner OBE, head of London College of Fashion and pro vice chancellor of University of the Arts London, commented: “Kering’s commitment to sustainability mirrors our own ethos of Better Lives - using fashion to transform lives and create a more sustainable future. Sustainability in business is no longer an adjunct; it has to be integral to a new way of working.

"By collaborating with Kering in three key areas, placing people and our environment at the heart of what would do, we can make real progress. Using our combined strengths as educators and business leaders, we are uniquely placed to come up with creative and transformative solutions. I look forward to seeing how our students, the fashion professionals of the future, respond to being matched with some of Kering’s biggest brands.”

François-Henri Pinault, Kering chairman and ceo, said: “Our shared vision on the importance of empowering young talent, combined with our industry knowledge, will encourage the next generation of fashion professionals to place sustainability at the heart of their future careers. Our collaboration will help make sustainable fashion a business reality.”