French luxury group Kering has extended its Generation Award, introduced in 2018 for fashion, to the jewelry sector. Students and professionals from startup businesses are eligible to compete for the Generation Award X Jewelry, recognizing innovation and sustainability in the industry.
Kering has partnered with with CIBJO (the World Jewellery Confederation) on the inaugural jewelry award, with the theme “Second Chance, First Choice.” Entrants are asked to reimagine waste as a resource, creating jewelry—either a single piece or an entire collection—from discarded materials.
The competition is open to people at startups already active in jewelry and to students from 10 world-renowned universities and academies with courses in jewelry and sustainability, said Kering. The conglomerate will work with its jewelry brands—Boucheron, Pomellato, and Qeelin—as well as with Politecnico di Milano, the largest technical university in Italy, to host the competition.
Four finalists—two in the student category and two in the startup division—will be submitted to a jury at the 2025 JCK show in Las Vegas next June. Each school vying for the award will be required to present at least three projects, developed by students, who are assisted and mentored by professors. “Start-ups will present their own innovations,” according to Kering’s website.
“Extending our Kering Generation Awards to jewelry is a pivotal moment in our commitment to advancing sustainability and innovation in this industry,” said Marie-Claire Daveu, Kering’s chief sustainability and institutional affairs officer, in a statement. “This new edition, which brings together universities, startups, and future leaders, is designed to recognize and support those pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in sustainable jewelry.
“At Kering, we believe that fostering new ideas at the intersection of craftsmanship, technology, and environmental consciousness is essential to driving the transformative change the industry needs.”
(Photo courtesy of JCK)
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