Kering Launches Generation Award in India With Reliance Brands to Advance Circular Fashion Innovation and Support Sustainability-Focused Start-ups

Kering Launches Generation Award in India With Reliance Brands to Advance Circular Fashion Innovation and Support Sustainability-Focused Start-ups

(IN BRIEF) Kering has launched the Kering Generation Award in India for the first time, partnering with Reliance Brands Limited to identify and support start-ups developing circular fashion solutions with a direct impact on resource protection. The initiative was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Paris by Marie-Claire Daveu, Kering’s Chief Sustainability & Institutional Affairs Officer, and Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice-President at Reliance Brands Limited. Building on a programme Kering has operated since 2018 in markets including China, Japan and MENA, the Indian edition will focus on circular materials, technologies and business models that can reduce the environmental and social impact of fashion across its lifecycle. The R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge, in partnership with the United Nations in India, will act as exclusive nominating partner. The first award ceremony will take place at the Embassy of France in New Delhi on 13 October 2026 during Fashion Week and will also highlight the Franco-Indian Year of Innovation. Kering and Reliance Brands said the programme will combine global sustainability expertise with India’s growing innovation ecosystem to promote commercially viable and environmentally responsible solutions for the fashion industry.

(PRESS RELEASE) PARIS, 8-Sep-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Kering has announced the launch of the Kering Generation Award in India, marking the first introduction of the Group’s sustainability-focused innovation programme in the country.

The initiative is being launched in partnership with Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) and will focus on identifying and supporting start-ups developing circular solutions that can help protect resources and reduce the environmental and social impact of the fashion industry.

The collaboration was formalised at Kering’s headquarters in Paris, where Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability & Institutional Affairs Officer at Kering, and Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice-President at Reliance Brands Limited, signed a Memorandum of Understanding covering the launch of the programme in India.

Kering extends global sustainability initiative to India

Kering has operated the Generation Award programme since 2018, drawing on its sustainability strategy and the Group’s “Crafting Tomorrow’s Luxury” approach.

The programme has previously been rolled out in markets including China, Japan and the Middle East and North Africa, with the aim of identifying promising start-ups and technologies capable of transforming the fashion industry.

Through the award, Kering seeks to support entrepreneurs developing solutions across the fashion value chain, from raw materials and manufacturing processes to product use and end-of-life management.

The Indian edition will extend that model into one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing markets for fashion, luxury, entrepreneurship and technology.

First Indian edition to focus on circularity and resource protection

The inaugural Kering Generation Award in India will specifically target start-ups developing circular initiatives with a direct impact on resource protection.

The programme is intended to identify business models, technologies and material innovations that can reduce waste, improve resource efficiency and contribute to more sustainable production and consumption within the fashion sector.

Kering and Reliance Brands said the initiative is designed to promote practical solutions that combine environmental responsibility with commercial relevance and scalability.

R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge joins as exclusive nominating partner

The award will collaborate with the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge, in partnership with the United Nations in India, which will serve as the programme’s exclusive nominating partner.

The collaboration builds on existing efforts to support circular design, responsible materials and sustainable business models in India.

By bringing together Kering’s global sustainability experience and Reliance Brands’ knowledge of the Indian fashion ecosystem, the partners aim to give selected innovators greater visibility and access to an international platform.

Award ceremony scheduled for Delhi Fashion Week

The first Indian edition will culminate in an award ceremony at the Embassy of France in New Delhi on 13 October 2026, during Fashion Week.

The event will also form part of the wider Franco-Indian Year of Innovation, highlighting collaboration between France and India in areas including entrepreneurship, technology, sustainability and design.

The ceremony will provide a platform for selected start-ups to present their solutions and contribute to broader discussion around the future of circular and responsible fashion.

Kering sees India as strategic market for sustainable innovation

Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability & Institutional Affairs Officer at Kering, described the expansion of the Kering Generation Award into India as a strategic next step in the Group’s effort to support impact-driven start-ups shaping the future of luxury.

She said India combines a rapidly expanding luxury market with a strong culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, creating opportunities to accelerate circular solutions across fashion and beauty.

Daveu added that supporting entrepreneurs working at the intersection of fashion, beauty, technology and sustainability can help the industry develop new approaches capable of reducing environmental impact across the value chain.

Reliance Brands highlights India’s innovation ecosystem

Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice-President at Reliance Brands Limited, said the future of luxury will be shaped not only by creativity but also by the industry’s ability to innovate responsibly.

He highlighted India’s growing pool of entrepreneurs working on new materials, technology and circular business models and said the partnership with Kering will give these innovators greater international visibility.

Chandok said the collaboration combines Reliance Brands’ experience in developing fashion ecosystems with Kering’s sustainability leadership while building on the work of the R|Elan™ Circular Design Challenge.

The objective, he said, is to support innovations that are both commercially viable and environmentally responsible.

Partnership targets long-term transformation across fashion value chain

Kering and Reliance Brands said the award is intended to go beyond recognising individual start-ups by helping accelerate the development of practical and scalable sustainability solutions across fashion.

The programme will place particular emphasis on circularity, resource efficiency and business innovation while helping founders connect with industry stakeholders and broader international networks.

By expanding the Kering Generation Award to India, the partners aim to strengthen the country’s role in developing technologies and business models that could contribute to a more responsible future for the global fashion industry.

About Kering

Kering is a global, family-led luxury group, home to people whose passion and expertise nurture creative Houses across couture and ready-to-wear, leather goods, jewelry, eyewear and beauty: Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, McQueen, Brioni, Boucheron, Pomellato, Dodo, Qeelin, Ginori 1735, as well as Kering Eyewear. Inspired by their creative heritage, Kering Houses design and craft exceptional products and experiences that reflect the Group’s commitment to excellence, sustainability and culture. This vision is expressed in our signature: Creativity is our Legacy. In 2025, Kering employed 44,000 people and generated revenue of €14.7 billion.

About the Kering Generation Award

In 2017, as part of its Sustainability strategy, Kering joined the “Plug and Play – Fashion for Good” accelerator to identify more sustainable and innovative materials and processes in Europe. In 2018, in partnership with Plug and Play China, Kering launched the first edition of the “Kering Generation Award” to support Chinese startups with a positive environmental and social impact. Since then, the “Kering Generation Award” has been launched in Japan, and then in Saudi Arabia with the support of the Fashion Commission.

About Reliance Brands Limited

Reliance Brands, Limited (RBL), a subsidiary of Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd. (RRVL), was established in 2007 with a mandate to launch, scale, and nurture global fashion and lifestyle brands in India across the luxury to premium spectrum. Its portfolio today includes some of the world’s most iconic names such as Armani Exchange, Balenciaga, Bally, Bottega Veneta, Brooks Brothers, Burberry, Canali, Coach, Diesel, EA7, Elan Cafe, Emporio Armani, Ferragamo, Gas, Giorgio Armani, Hamleys, Hugo Boss, Hunkemoller, Iconix, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade, La Martina, Lenscrafters, Maje, Max&Co., Michael Kors, Mothercare, Muji, Paul & Shark, Paul Smith, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pret A Manger, Sandro, SKIMS, Stella McCartney, Steve Madden, Superdry, Tiffany & Co., Tod’s, Tory Burch, Tumi, Valentino, Versace, Villeroy & Boch, West Elm, Zegna, and more.
RBL currently operates over 1,855 doors across India, including standalone stores and shop-in-shops. In addition to building international brand partnerships, the company has invested in leading Indian designer labels and made key global acquisitions, including Hamleys, the world’s oldest toy retailer, now operating across 12 countries with over 175 stores globally.

For more information, please visit: https://relianceretail.com/partner-brands.html

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Tel : +33 (0)1 45 64 61 57
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SOURCE: Kering