Kering Generation Award Makes India Debut, Honours Three Sustainability Innovators
Three sustainability innovators win the inaugural Kering Generation Award in India, focusing on circular fashion and textile waste solutions.
The prestigious Kering Generation Award has officially arrived in India, marking a significant milestone for the nation's sustainable fashion landscape. Hosted at the Embassy of France, the inaugural ceremony celebrated three groundbreaking innovators who are reshaping the future of materials, textiles, and fashion through eco-conscious solutions.
The winners of this debut edition are Ashita Singhal of Paiwand Studio, Anish Malpani of Without, and Chandni Batra of A Blunt Story. Each recipient was recognized for their commitment to tackling pressing environmental and social challenges through cutting-edge entrepreneurial innovation.
A New Era for Indian Fashion and Luxury
Addressing the gathering, the French Ambassador to India, Thierry Mathou, emphasized that bringing the award to India reflects the country's rising status as both a global luxury market and a powerhouse of creative talent. He noted that the dialogue between France and India, rooted in craftsmanship and design, must now prioritize the environmental hurdles facing the global fashion industry.
"France and India share a rich creative interaction built on craftsmanship and design and a strong commitment to excellence. These dialogues must also address the environmental challenges facing the fashion industry," Mathou stated. He highlighted that such awards are vital for turning ambitious sustainability goals into tangible, circular actions.
The Ambassador also pointed toward the Indian-French Year of Innovation 2026, suggesting that this award is part of a broader commitment to strengthening bilateral ties through cultural and creative industries. He mentioned upcoming initiatives like the 'Textile Matters' exhibition, which is slated to explore the shared textile traditions of both nations in India by 2028.
Innovation as the Key to Changing Paradigms
Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer at Kering, underscored that innovation is not just a luxury but a necessity for industry-wide change. She described India as a vital market for the group, boasting a "vibrant ecosystem" of heritage, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurship.
"If we want to change the paradigm, we need innovation," Daveu told ANI, adding that the decision to bring the Kering Generation Award to India was driven by the desire to identify the startups that will define the future of sustainable fashion.
From Waste to Wealth: The Story of Paiwand Studio
For winner Ashita Singhal, the recognition is a validation of a journey that began with a simple observation of environmental decay. The founder of Noida-based Paiwand Studio started her venture in 2018 while still a design student, driven by the visible pollution and massive amounts of waste generated by the fashion industry.
Singhal’s work focuses on a unique circular model: combining textile waste with traditional handloom weaving to create entirely new materials. "The entire idea stemmed from seeing my surroundings, how the fashion industry was polluting and there was a lot of waste that was being discarded. I picked up that scrap and thought, can we create something out of it without burdening Mother Earth more?" she explained.
By integrating discarded scraps as raw materials into the intricate process of Indian handloom weaving, Singhal and her studio are proving that tradition and modern sustainability can go hand in hand to protect the planet.