Kering Takes Lead in Luxe Sustainability

How compatible is luxury and the environment? CEO Francois-Henri Pinault of luxury group Kering has no doubt that building his brands for the 21 century means establishing authentic sustainable practices. "If your products are not in sync with a higher set of values, then you aren't going to survive in the industry," Pinault tells the New York Times. Among the mandates that the house of Gucci, Stella McCartney, and Alexander McQueen is investing in is a metal-free leather tanning process that costs 25% more but reduces environmental waste. "In a generations time, we could be wearing leather made from stem cells or mushrooms. All the technology is there, we just need to scale it up," says Pinault.

Categories:  Fashion Design