Kering announces the finalists of the second edition of its Kering Generation Award X Jewelry
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Thursday, June 25, 2026
Kering announces the finalists of the second edition of its Kering Generation Award X Jewelry
Kering, in partnership with CIBJO - the World Jewellery Confederation – and with the scientific coordination of Poli.Design - Politecnico di Milano, is proud to reveal the four leading finalists of the second edition of the Kering Generation Award X Jewelry, an initiative launched to promote innovation and sustainable practices within the jewelry sector.
Centered around the theme “Second Chance, First Choice,” the competition
aims to foster pioneering solutions that contribute to reducing the environmental footprint of the jewelry industry across products, processes, services, and technological innovation.
Out of a diverse pool of applicants—from 10 world-renowned universities and academies specializing in jewelry and sustainability, as well as established startups—four finalists were selected by the jury: two students and two startups.
Students were invited to design a piece or a collection of jewelry by giving new life to discarded materials, transforming them into creations that combine aesthetic value with sustainability. The startups presented their innovations in the following fields of action: new innovative materials, AI, packaging and retail-focused technologies.
The four finalists will present their final projects on July 9th at Kering’s Parisian Headquarters, during a special event dedicated to sustainable jewelry held amidst Paris’ Haute Couture Week.
With the support of Kering’s jewelry Maisons Pomellato, DoDo, and Qeelin, the award reaffirms the Group’s commitment to responsible innovation and sustainability in the jewelry sector.
The students selected:
Perching willow - Yang Yuchan
Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology – China
Perching Willow is a contemporary jewelry piece that transforms discarded compact discs (CDs) into fine jewelry through traditional craftsmanship.
Acacia - Jill Schmid
Rochester Institute of Technology – USA
This project elevates wood shavings from a quickly discarded product of wood processing to a permanently appreciable fine art piece. Presenting the natural wood shavings alongside gold replica shavings both seamlessly integrates the wood into the jewelry piece and emphasizes the discarded materials’ inherent beauty.
The startups selected:
GeoGems – Lauriane Pinsault
France
Determining the origin of a gemstone is one of the major challenges facing the jewellery industry today, and should not merely be a claim: with the OriGems project, it can become scientifically verifiable information.
Novanoma - Masanori Kirihara
Japan
Novanoma inc. aims to create a new category of Plant-based gemstones born from coexistence with nature, and to transform how material value is created in the luxury jewelry industry.
About the Kering Generation Award
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 in the MENA region with the support of the Fashion Commission, and expanded to the Jewelry sector with a first international edition in 2025.
About CIBJO
The World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO) is the international jewellery confederation of national trade organizations. CIBJO's purpose is to encourage harmonisation, promote international cooperation in the jewellery industry and to consider issues which concern the trade worldwide. CIBJO's chief mission is to protect consumer confidence in the industry. The World Jewellery Confederation is the sole jewellery industry organisation to have Special Consultative Status with the United Nation's Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC) and is a member of the UN Global Compact.
About POLI.design — Politecnico di Milano
Poli.Design is a consortium of Politecnico di Milano, ranked among the top 100 universities in the world and is Italy’s leading technical university. Renowned for its outstanding achievements in engineering, architecture, and design, it also excels through its Jewelry Design Department, which serves as a hub of innovation. Recognized for its interdisciplinary and innovation-driven approach, Politecnico di Milano is at the forefront of promoting sustainable practices and educating new generations of designers and engineers. Through partnerships with industry leaders such as Kering, Poli.Design supports the next generation of designers and engineers committed to developing solutions that contribute to a more sustainable world.
Press contact
Emmanuelle Picard-Deyme |+ 33 06 20 38 58 95 | emmanuelle.picard-deyme@kering.com
