Fashion Our Future, Kering's podcast on fashion and the environment
After the debut of season 1 of the Fashion Our Future podcast in 2023, Kering is releasing a second season to provide audiences with additional insights on the relationship between fashion and sustainability. Bringing experts from various backgrounds to the center-stage, each episode sheds light on the initiatives that are reshaping the fashion industry.
Season 2
Kering is pleased to announce the launch of the second season of its “Fashion Our Future” podcast, delving deeper into the sustainability initiatives and designers that are reshaping the landscape of the fashion industry.
Released on September 16th, this season sees Kering joining forces with content creator and author Andrea Cheong. Known for her efforts to educate about ethical fashion and promote conscious consumerism, she brings valuable expertise and fresh perspective to sustainability to the podcast. Andrea will be joined by several guests, from grassroot activists to gamechangers within the world of luxury, to provide in-depth and candid insight into the challenges and opportunities that the industry faces today.
This second season will consist of 15 episodes revolving around 5 thematic series, allowing for a comprehensive exploration of the topics in question. The first series, entitled “Crafting luxury: what makes it truly valuable?”, now streaming on all audio platforms, will focus on the contributions of artisans who are integrating heritage to their current practices and reshaping modern luxury. Dr. Valerie Steele, director of the Fashion Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, brings her invaluable perspective to the first episode by painting a global picture of the state of present-day luxury. Emily Adams Bode Aujla, founder of the menswear brand Bode, joins our host for the second episode to share why she revived the dwindling use of traditional craft techniques and how sustainability became intrinsically woven into her highly acclaimed brand. In a third episode, filmed in London, designer Ksenia Schnaider and Andrea Cheong sit down to discuss her namesake brand and how she blends upcycling, craftsmanship, sustainability, and innovation with her Ukrainian heritage.
Episode 1: Does craftsmanship still exist? With Dr. Valerie Steele
Join Andrea Cheong’s conversation with renowned fashion historian Dr. Valerie Steele, director of the Fashion Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Dr. Steele offers an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into the evolution of luxury, questioning whether we are just in an era of clever marketing or if true artistry still prevails. She reflects on the intersection of fashion, identity, and craftsmanship, shedding light on the fading presence of skilled artisans in a world dominated by mass production.
Episode 2: Designing intention into fashion’s future with Emily Adams Bode Aujla
Andrea Cheong, Fashion Our Future’s host talks with Emily Adams Bode Ojla, the creative director behind cult menswear brand Bode, as she celebrates heritage craftsmanship with a modern twist. She takes us on a journey through her childhood memories, from afternoon flea market digs with her aunts to amazing attic explorations. As she shares her dedication to preserving traditional crafts like quilting and beadwork, this episode explores how incorporating these typically feminine techniques into menswear creates a unique aesthetic that blends heritage and modernity.
Episode 3: Pioneering the future of craft with Ksenia Schnaider
Ksenia Schnaider, the Ukrainian designer redefining the art of upcycling is the guest of the first series’ last episode. Long xbefore sustainability started trending, Ksenia embraced her passion for turning old clothes into modern masterpieces. She shares her journey from creating one-of-a-kind jeans from secondhand materials to pioneering mass upcycling with a personal touch.
In the second series of the podcast’s latest season, meet the voices revolutionizing the fashion industry and challenging its ethical practices. Hear from Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution, sustainability advocate Aditi Mayer, and Hillary Taymour, creative director of Collina Strada, as they share their bold visions for a more transparent, inclusive, and sustainable future. These pioneers are reshaping how we think about fashion, from empowering workers to reimagining design.
Episode 1: Fashion ethical dilemmas with Orsola de Castro
Orsola de Castro, a pioneer in ethical fashion and co-founder of Fashion Revolution shares thoughts on fashion ethical dilemmas with Andrea Cheong. In the wake of the Rana Plaza tragedy, Orsola has been a powerful voice addressing the industry’s ethical dilemmas. Discover her holistic approach to tackling complex issues, encouraging us to move beyond isolated problems. Learn how simple acts like mending and repurposing garments can foster sustainability and personal growth.
Episode 2: Empowerment in action with Aditi Mayer
This episode welcomes Aditi Mayer, a sustainable fashion advocate, photographer, and writer based in California, always on a mission to explore the intricate relationship between fashion and social justice. In an enlightening episode, she highlights the importance of ethical practices in the industry while empowering marginalized communities, especially women in garment production.
Episode 3: A new ethic for fashion with Hillary Taymour
Discover Andrea’s conversation with the vibrant Hillary Taymour of Collina Strada, a pioneering designer reshaping sustainability in fashion. Hilary shares her candid perspective on the industry’s ethical challenges and her approach to conscious design, emphasizing the importance of transparency and longevity in garment production. In this episode, the pair discusses the complexities of applying durable practices, encouraging listeners to rethink their relationship with fashion and its impact on the planet.
Season 1
Shaping tomorrow's fashion industry
Can we trace the production of a garment back to its raw materials? What is the connection between a sweater and biodiversity? How can production and manufacturing processes be revolutionized? Why design new materials? To answer these insightful questions and provide food for thought, Kering launches the Fashion Our Future podcast. Because fashion is one of the world's most polluting industries and its activity is directly dependent on natural resources, acting for sustainable and ethical fashion is vital. It is also a source of creativity and a driver of innovation, as mentioned by the experts interviewed by journalist and fashion lover, Laurianne Melierre.
Despite the current initiatives and groundbreaking solutions, more eco-responsible action is needed. Over the course of five episodes, the Fashion Our Future podcast explores sustainability – one of the keys to transforming the luxury fashion industry.
Happy listening!
Episode 1: It's time for a Rawvolution!
In our opening episode, Laurianne Melierre speaks to two experts on biodiversity to examine the root of the relationship between fashion and nature, namely raw materials. Dr Helen Crowley, former Head of Sustainable Sourcing and Nature Initiatives at Kering, now partner at leading global investment firm Pollination, and M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International discuss the different raw materials used in the industry, their effect on the environment and why a change in agricultural practices is key to protecting biodiversity in the future.
In the second episode, Andrée-Anne Lemieux, PhD, Professor at the Institut Français de la Mode, Apurv Gupta, Sustainability Future Thinker at Kering, and Camille Le Gal, co-founder of Fairly Made, share the practices and technologies that are making this vital information possible and how that knowledge can positively impact the fashion industry.
Kering bases its environmental actions on measuring its carbon footprint. Find out how the Group objectively assesses its impact using internal tools.
Episode 3: Embracing a circular way of life
In this third episode, Maud Hardy, the General Manager of Refashion, Cyndi Rhoades, founder of Worn Again Technologies, and Jane Palmer, CEO of Nature Coatings sat down to discuss all things recycling, and how viewing the clothes we wear and buy through a cyclical lens will help shape a better fashion future.
At Kering, Upcycling, recycling and regeneration are key drivers in overhauling the fashion and luxury industries. Explore the new solutions developed by Kering and its Houses.
Episode 4: When fashion meets tech
The fourth episode features Suzanne Lee founder and CEO of Biofabricate, Maurizio Montalti co-founder of MOGU and Ingvar Helgason, co-founder and CEO of Vitrolabs who walk us through new materials such as lab-grown leather with a focus on how technology-enabled innovations can, in fact, nurture nature.
Learn more about how Kering brings together Luxury and Innovation on Luxury Highlights, an in-depth newsletter that looks into Kering’s and its Houses’ activities.
Episode 5: Adopting conscious consumption
In this fifth and final episode of the first series, Fanny Moizant, co-founder of Vestiaire Collective, Victoria Prew, founder of HURR and Charlotte Dereux, founder of the B-corp brand Patine share their philosophies on the next-generation business models and how behavioral changes in consumers can play a significant role in ensuring a more sustainable fashion future.
Change is an opportunity for growth. To secure its long-term prosperity, Kering is steadfastly working on disruptive innovations in order to transform traditional luxury models; click here to learn more.
About Fashion Our Future
Fashion Our Future is a podcast hosted by Laurianne Melierre, brought to you by Kering and produced by Kikina Studio. And so begins the fashion revolution... stay tuned for season 2!
