Saudi Fashion Commission, Kering Start Screening for 'Kering Generation Award X Saudi Arabia' Winners

The Saudi Fashion Commission logo
The Saudi Fashion Commission logo
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Saudi Fashion Commission, Kering Start Screening for 'Kering Generation Award X Saudi Arabia' Winners

The Saudi Fashion Commission logo
The Saudi Fashion Commission logo

The Fashion Commission and luxury group Kering have launched the selection process for winners of the "Kering Generation Award X Saudi Arabia," a collaborative initiative aimed at training and supporting twenty innovative startups that are making a significant impact in the fashion industry.
The partnership focuses on emphasizing sustainable practices, exploring innovative startups within the fashion and commodities sectors, and establishing award criteria, selection procedures, and development programs for participants.
The application process began in November 2024, inviting startups to submit their applications and embark on a journey toward promoting sustainability. Over 100 startups applied for the program, and 20 were selected to participate in a three-day training camp in Riyadh. The program featured workshops that concentrated on the development of key performance indicators and goal setting, as well as pitching skills.
On January 14, the shortlist of 20 startups convened in Riyadh for the final presentation session, where each applicant was evaluated according to the three key criteria: customer engagement, circular economy, and water protection.
Following the presentation, the evaluation process commenced to select the top 10 proposals, which the jury will assess based on innovation, relevance to the topic, connection to fashion, and potential impact on nature and society.
The awards ceremony for the "Kering Generation Award X Saudi Arabia" is scheduled for January 27 in Riyadh; the top three winning startups will be announced.
Winners will have the opportunity to participate in a week-long trip to Paris for exclusive mentoring with Kering's sustainability teams and present their innovations at the ChangeNOW Summit 2025.
Fashion Commission CEO Burak Cakmak said that sustainability is central to the Fashion Commission's vision for the industry's future.
He added that the Kering Generation Award X Saudi Arabia aims to showcase and support startups that are fostering significant innovation in circular fashion and environmental stewardship.
Cakmak said the initiative demonstrates the commission’s commitment to advancing solutions that tackle current challenges while paving the way for a more sustainable future in fashion.



Sources: Shein Aims for London IPO by Mid-year

FILE PHOTO: A company logo for fashion brand Shein is seen on a pile of gift bags on its Christmas bus as part of a nationwide promotional tour in Liverpool, Britain, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A company logo for fashion brand Shein is seen on a pile of gift bags on its Christmas bus as part of a nationwide promotional tour in Liverpool, Britain, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
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Sources: Shein Aims for London IPO by Mid-year

FILE PHOTO: A company logo for fashion brand Shein is seen on a pile of gift bags on its Christmas bus as part of a nationwide promotional tour in Liverpool, Britain, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A company logo for fashion brand Shein is seen on a pile of gift bags on its Christmas bus as part of a nationwide promotional tour in Liverpool, Britain, December 14, 2024. REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

Online fast-fashion retailer Shein is aiming to list in London in the first half of the year, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the matter, assuming it gains regulatory approvals for the initial public offering.
The IPO could be completed as early as Easter, which is April 20, one of the people said.
A visit to China by Britain's finance minister Rachel Reeves starting on Saturday, during which she will meet with vice premier He Lifeng to discuss economic and financial cooperation, could help progress the regulatory approvals Shein needs, the source added.
A second person with knowledge of the matter said Shein, founded in China in 2012, is working towards listing in the first half of this year, but the definitive timeline is still in flux.
The London listing push comes after the company ended its attempt at a US IPO after pushback from lawmakers concerned about risks connected to China and alleged labor malpractices, Reuters reported.
The head of Britain's Financial Conduct Authority, which is in charge of assessing and approving flotations like Shein's IPO, is accompanying Reeves on the trip to Beijing and Shanghai and will meet with regulatory partners there.
Shein declined to comment, the FCA said it does not comment on potential listing applications, and Britain's finance ministry did not reply to Reuters' questions.
Even though it moved its headquarters from Nanjing to Singapore in 2022, Shein also requires permission from the China Securities Regulatory Commission, making it subject to offshore listing rules, as most of its 5,800 contract manufacturers are in China.
New rules passed by the CSRC in 2023 allow it to vet and potentially block offshore listings.
The CSRC did not immediately reply to questions about Britain's visit and Shein's IPO.
Shein is walking a political tightrope as it tries to show it has measures in place to limit the risk of human rights violations in its supply chain while avoiding any direct claims about China's Xinjiang province - a top cotton-producing region where the United States and NGOs have accused the government of forced labor and other abuses against Uyghur people.
Beijing denies any abuses, and Chinese authorities have hit back at clothing brands that say they don't use Xinjiang cotton.
Shein's general counsel for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Yinan Zhu, on Tuesday declined to directly answer when asked by a British parliamentary committee whether the retailer's clothes contain cotton from China or Xinjiang, or whether it tells suppliers not to source from the province.
Zhu asked instead to provide the committee with written answers, and said Shein complies with relevant laws in all jurisdictions.