Kering unveils the Advisory Board of its Kering CRAFT inaugural edition

From left to right, and from top to bottom: Cai Jinqing, Dennis Chan, Camille Charrière, Susan Cohn Rockefeller, Demna, Guo Pei, Hung Huang, Lv Xiaolei, Simone Marchetti, Miranda Qu, Carla Sozzani, Zang Yingchun.

Kering announces the Advisory Board for the inaugural edition of Kering CRAFT – Creative Residency for Artisanship, Fashion and Technology – the Group’s pioneering program developed in partnership with Shanghai Fashion Week. Strengthening Kering’s support for emerging talent and fostering closer ties between Chinese and international creative communities, Kering CRAFT aims to accelerate the next generation of Chinese designers through a program spanning Milan, Paris, and Shanghai. 

The Kering CRAFT Advisory Board, which includes Demna, Guo Pei, Carla Sozzani, Camille Charrière and Miranda Qu, just to name a few, comprises twelve thought leaders across China, France, Italy and the United States from the luxury industry, culture and the arts, academia, the media, as well as the tech sector. Their collective expertise and rich backgrounds will guide the program’s vision, selection process, mentoring, and cross‑cultural approach to ensure a rigorous and inclusive framework supporting the next generation of talent.

By offering an immersive pathway grounded in excellence and guided by world‑renowned experts, the program will combine hands‑on learning, expert mentorship, and cultural exchange to advance craftsmanship, innovation, business development, and a sustainable fashion ecosystem. Ultimately, Kering CRAFT’s ambition is to support the emergence of Chinese brands rooted in local culture and yet resonating worldwide.

The Kering CRAFT Advisory Board is composed of, in alphabetical order:

Cai Jinqing, President of Kering Greater China
Dennis Chan, Founder & Creative Director of Qeelin
Camille Charrière, Fashion Influencer and Writer
Susan Cohn Rockefeller, Artist, Filmmaker, Founder of Musings
Demna, Artistic Director, Gucci
Guo Pei, Haute Couture Designer
Hung Huang, Author, Publisher, Cultural Influencer
Lv Xiaolei, Executive Vice Chairman of Shanghai Fashion Designers Association and Secretary General of Shanghai Fashion Week Organizing Committee
Simone Marchetti, Vanity Fair European Editorial Director & Editor-in-Chief, Vanity Fair Italy
Miranda Qu, Founder of Xiaohongshu (rednote)
Carla Sozzani,Founder and President of Fondazione Sozzani and Fondation Azzedine Alaïa
Zang Yingchun, Acting Dean of Tsinghua Arts & Design Institute in Milan

Bios and personal quotes of the Advisory Board members can be found in the annex of this press release. 

Over the next few weeks, the Advisory Board will select the final cohort of residents for the Kering CRAFT program, with the fellows to be announced in March during Shanghai Fashion Week.

Applications to participate in the Kering CRAFT program are open until March 1^st: https://www.shanghaifashionweek.com/.

About Kering

Kering is a global, family-led luxury group, home to people whose passion and expertise nurture creative Houses across ready-to-wear and couture, 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 and Kering Beauté. Inspired by their creative heritage, Kering’s 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 2024, Kering employed 47,000 people and generated revenue of €17.2 billion.

About Shanghai Fashion Week

As a reputed City Name Card, Shanghai Fashion Week, relying on the urban heritage and cultural confidence of Shanghai, a century-old fashion capital, adheres to the positioning philosophy of “integration of local and international visions” and “balance between creative design and commercial implementation”. In the past 20 years, it has evolved from a merely fashion showcase platform to a fashion eco landscape, which runs through the entire fashion industry, and is commented as “the world's most dynamic fashion week”.

Contacts

Roger HE         + 86 (21) 6185 3528         roger.he@kering.com 

Yun JIANG         + 86 (21) 6185 3683         yun.jiang@kering.com 

Emilie GARGATTE         + 33 (0)1 45 64 61 20         emilie.gargatte@kering.com    

Emma ROQUIER         + 33 (0)6 78 04 06 62         emma.roquier@kering.com