At the opening ceremony of the Kering Pavilion at the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE), French luxury group Kering signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Shanghai Fashion Week to launch Kering CRAFT.
This stands for “Creative Residency for Artisanship, Fashion and Technology” and is a new initiative with which Kering wants to get involved in the Chinese fashion and creative industries and support sustainable and future-oriented developments. In addition, the program will also help strengthen the global influence of the Shanghai fashion industry by promoting exchanges between international creative communities.
“China is one of the world’s most dynamic innovation centers and impresses with its remarkable creativity and speed. This vibrant creative energy fits perfectly with Kering’s vision,” comments Luca de Meo, CEO of Kering, in a statement. “We are honored to collaborate with Shanghai Fashion Week on this groundbreaking initiative and play an active role in promoting international exchanges in business and culture,” added de Meo.
The program aims to spotlight, accelerate and nurture the next generation of visionary Chinese creative talents in the core areas of craftsmanship, creativity and innovation. It is also intended to strengthen dialogue and exchange between China and Europe in the areas of design, craftsmanship, innovation and future business models.
Nurturing the next generation of Chinese talent
Kering’s CRAFT program will identify promising Chinese designers through a rigorous selection process led by an international jury of industry leaders and experts in collaboration with the Shanghai Fashion Designers Association.
The selected talents will then take part in a residency program put together by Kering and taking place in Milan, Paris and Shanghai.
The initiative aims to empower Chinese designers to build strong brand and business capabilities and promote the emergence of “glocal” brands: local Chinese fashion houses with the potential to expand globally and create synergies with Kering’s brands.
“Guided by the philosophy of “integrating local and international vision,” we are proud to partner with Kering to nurture emerging talent in China’s fashion and creative industries. Together, we want to create a platform that empowers domestic designers to network internationally, spark creativity and strengthen their branding skills – and thus expand the fashion ecosystem,” explains Ji Shengjun, Director of the Shanghai Fashion Week Organizing Committee.