Gucci’s artistic director Demna and Chinese couturier Guo Pei headline a new 12-member advisory board for a Kering initiative dubbed CRAFT, which stands for Creative Residency for Artisanship, Fashion and Technology.
Unveiled last November by Kering’s chief executive officer Luca de Meo in partnership with Shanghai Fashion Week, the initiative is designed to spotlight, accelerate and elevate the next generation of Chinese creative talent, and to foster dialogue and exchange between China and Europe in design, craftsmanship, innovation and future business models.
“The creativity, innovation, and technical know-how in China are something I’ve always been fascinated by,” Demna commented. “I’m excited to support the next generation of Chinese creatives and see how they will help shape the future of fashion.”
Pei said she looks forward to “breaking down the aesthetic boundaries between East and West in this cross-cultural collaboration.”
Over the coming weeks, the advisory board is to select the final cohort of residents, numbering around 10, for the inaugural edition of the program. Applications are open until March 1, and the chosen participants are to be revealed during Shanghai Fashion Week, scheduled for March 25 to 31.
“Strengthening Kering’s support for emerging talent and fostering closer ties between Chinese and international creative communities, Kering CRAFT aims to accelerate the next generation of Chinese designers through a program spanning Milan, Paris and Shanghai,” the French luxury group, parent of Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta and other brands, said in a statement Thursday.
Rounding out the jury are Cai Jinqing, president of Kering Greater China; Dennis Chan, founder and creative director of Chinese jeweler Qeelin; French fashion influencer Camille Charrière; sustainability advocate and filmmaker Susan Rockefeller; writer and publisher Hung Huang; Lv Xiaolei, executive vice chairman of the Shanghai Fashion Designers Association and secretary general of Shanghai Fashion Week’s organizing committee; Vanity Fair Italy’s Simone Marchetti; Miranda Qu, cofounder and president of social-media network Xiaohongshu; Carla Sozzani, founder and president of Fondazione Sozzani and Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, and Zang Yingchun, acting dean of Milan’s Tsinghua Arts and Design Institute.
According to Kering, “their collective expertise and rich backgrounds will guide the program’s vision, selection process, mentoring, and cross-cultural approach to ensure a rigorous and inclusive framework supporting the next generation of talent.”
For the past 10-plus years, Lv Xiaolei has been responsible for repositioning Shanghai Fashion Week as a key industry event and a major trade and ordering platform in Asia. She said the CRAFT program “opens up possibilities of connection for more Chinese creative talent.”
Kering said the residency promises “hands-on learning, expert mentorship, and cultural exchange to advance craftsmanship, innovation, business development and a sustainable fashion ecosystem. Ultimately, Kering CRAFT’s ambition is to support the emergence of Chinese brands rooted in local culture and yet resonating worldwide.”
