Kering Showcases 10 Designers’ Sustainable Materials at Milan Fashion Week

Kering’s Material Innovation Lab will showcase 10 looks by emerging designers at Milan Fashion Week in September, aiming to demonstrate the creative potential of sustainable materials to the luxury fashion industry. The initiative, developed with S Style, paid designers and provided mentorship while pushing them to experiment outside their specialties. Featured innovations included leather alternatives like mycelium-based Ephea and bio-based Lunaform, with designers noting challenges in adapting to new material behaviors and production processes. The project aligns with Kering’s goal to cut virgin animal leather use by 30% before 2028. However, Kering acknowledges it cannot scale these innovations alone, urging broader industry collaboration to build the necessary industrial capacity and bring next-generation materials to market.