An initiative that brought together emerging fashion brands from around the world to explore sustainable innovation: a special edition entirely dedicated to the new sustainable frontiers of denim and the theme of water.
Launched in 2020 as a platform for emerging and responsible fashion brands, S|STYLE sustainable style – previously hosted by Pitti Immagine – made its debut at Milan Fashion Week in September 2025 with a special new edition: S|STYLE – DENIM LAB.
Conceived by Giorgia Cantarini in collaboration with Kering’s Material Innovation Lab (MIL), the project, initiated in 2024, invited a selection of international young designers to present an exclusive denim look made using fabrics developed through innovative new processes that significantly reduce resource consumption. These materials were co-developed and supplied with the technical support of Kering’s research hub, the Material Innovation Lab.
The theme of this edition placed water – the most essential resource for the textile industry, particularly for denim – at the center of the narrative. A focus that directly echoed Kering’s Water Strategy, which aims to achieve Net Water-Positive impact by 2050.
Designers were challenged to creatively reinterpret denim with a conscious and experimental approach, adopting advanced technologies for dyeing, washing, and finishing that drastically reduce water use, minimize or eliminate harmful chemicals, and employ cotton sourced from regenerative agricultural practices: a cutting-edge approach to sustainable natural materials.
For this edition, denim fabrics were produced by PureDenim, while all washing and finishing treatments were developed by Tonello, a leader in sustainable garment finishing technologies and machinery.
The 8 Designers
For S|STYLE – DENIM LAB, a selection of international talents has been chosen to reinterpret denim through a creative, experimental, original, and more sustainable approach:
- Institution (Georgia – Italy)
- Gerrit Jacob (Germany)
- Jeanne Friot (France)
- Macy Grimshaw (United Kingdom)
- Nadya Dzyak (Ukraine)
- Sia Arnika (Denmark)
- Gisele Ntsama (Cameroon – Italy)
- Phan Dang Hoang (Vietnam)
The event took place at Fondazione Sozzani (Via Enrico Tazzoli 3, Milan), a symbolic venue for culture and innovation, long committed to promoting circular and conscious fashion.
The invitation-only opening was held on September 26, followed by public exhibition days on September 27 and 28. Inside the space, a site-specific installation by Italo-Argentinian artist Mariano Franzetti, created using recycled and regenerative denim fabrics supplied by Berto, accompanied the designers’ creations, transforming the showcase into an immersive artistic experience.
Kering MIL leads the global transformation of denim
Giorgia Cantarini, founder of S|STYLE – Denim Lab, commented:
“Denim is a universal fabric, but also one of the most complex in terms of environmental impact. With this edition of S|STYLE, we wanted to prove that it can be reimagined sustainably by merging research, innovation, and creativity. Not just workwear, but couture and experimentation. Thanks to the support of Kering’s Material Innovation Lab (MIL), designers gained access to technologies and materials that represent the future of responsible fashion. Milan Fashion Week became the perfect stage to deliver a powerful message: water is life, and fashion must learn to respect it.”
This edition of DENIM LAB embodied Kering’s ambition to pave the way for a new paradigm in textile innovation and sustainability.
Thanks to the creativity of the designers and the collaboration of leading partners, new ways of producing, treating, and reinterpreting denim emerged. The result was contemporary, original, and deeply aligned with sustainable innovation: drastically reduced water consumption in dyeing, the elimination of harmful chemicals, and the use of next-generation responsible materials.
Christian Tubito, Director of Kering’s Material Innovation Lab, added:
“At Kering, supporting S|STYLE and emerging brands is part of our ongoing commitment to driving positive change across the fashion industry. With this edition of DENIM LAB, we wanted to demonstrate how creativity and innovation can redefine this iconic fabric in a more responsible way, cutting water use, removing harmful substances, and embracing next-generation materials. This initiative was not just a style showcase but a tangible sign of change, one that starts in luxury and inspires a more sustainable future for the entire textile sector.”
