Paiwand Studio Wins at Kering's First India Awards for Circular Fashion

Feature image credit: Paiwand Studio

The Kering Generation Award recognises startups developing innovative solutions to make fashion more sustainable. After expanding to Japan and the Middle East, it finally made its way to India for the very first time.

In partnership with Reliance Brands Limited, French luxury group Kering hosted its first Indian edition on October 13th at the French Embassy in Delhi, during Lakmé Fashion Week. And this year's focus was circularity for fashion and luxury.

From 10 Innovators to 3 Winners

Ten Indian innovators were shortlisted, six made it to the finals, and three walked away as proud winners. 

The judging panel brought together some big names in fashion, with celebrated Indian designers Manish Malhotra and Rahul Mishra. Joining them were Kering's Chief Sustainability Officer Marie-Claire Daveu, and other leaders from luxury, sustainability and international development. 

A Big Win for Ashita Singhal and Paiwand Studio

Ashita Singhal, founder of Paiwand Studio, won first place and a €50,000 prize!

Founded in 2018, Paiwand Studio works with pre-consumer garment waste, repurposing discarded textiles into new handloom fabrics and embroidery. The studio works with Indian artisans and traditional weaving techniques to create these materials, and this is an approach that earned Ashita first place at the awards.

We're so happy to see Ashita and Paiwand Studio receive this recognition. It's wonderful to see an upcycling venture that works with traditional weaving and artisans being celebrated on a global luxury platform.

And if you'd love to know more about her journey, watch her conversation on our Rethink with Refash podcast - Ashita Singhal: Building Paiwand from Broken Pieces.

And Two More Indian Innovators Made Their Mark

Second place went to Without, founded by Anish Malpani, which works on recycling difficult-to-process waste into useful materials.

Third place went to A Blunt Story, founded by Chandni Batra, for developing innovative footwear components from waste and exploring alternatives to conventional materials.

Congratulations to both founders for pushing material innovation forward. Along with Paiwand's €50,000 prize, all three winners will receive a fully funded trip to Europe, with opportunities to connect with the global luxury and sustainability industry.

What Does This Mean for India's Circular Fashion Future?

It's exciting to see Indian innovators working with waste, traditional crafts and new materials getting this kind of international recognition.

We are a country that already has skilled artisans, generations of textile knowledge and entrepreneurs finding new uses for discarded materials. Opportunities like this could make a difference in taking these ideas from small workshops to global fashion brands. 

With all three winners getting access to Kering's global luxury network through a 10-day European visit, there's a chance for their ideas to reach the people who can actually use them. That also means bigger demand for recycled materials, more opportunities for artisans and Indian circular businesses becoming part of global fashion supply chains. That's the kind of impact we love watching.