Sergio Rossi Eco Pump (Sergio Rossi is part of Gucci Group)

A few months ago I heard that Gucci Group announced they were creating the first Ph.D scholarship in sustinable technology for future luxury. It sounded like a wonderful idea and a promising step for high-caliber luxury brands, but I didn’t know any of the details. Now, after tracking down their release about the scholarship I am fascinated.

“…the Ph.D. Scholar will join a community of specialist researchers and practitioners with internationally recognised expertise in wide ranging and related projects that include:

‘BioCouture’: a visionary research project to grow clothing. It unites fashion and textile design with bio and nanotechnologies for future sustainable fashion, entailing the growing of clothing from laboratory cultured bacterial-cellulose.

- ‘Rethinking Recycled Textiles’: it employs new finishing and laser surfacing technologies for ‘upcycling’ synthetic materials. ‘Ugly’ materials are transformed into highly desirable fabrics for fashion and interiors.”  …

And more!

Reading this announcement got my mind racing about the future of eco-fashion, sustainable design and luxury in general. It reminded me to think deeper about the technology of fashion and textiles.

Looking Forward category: These entries explore student works, promising developments in sustainable design and other inspiring news.