As Milan Fashion Week was drawing to a close on Sunday, the industry’s great and good were gathering at the city’s Teatro alla Scala to celebrate and honor “Made In Italy”. And for the first time, it was sustainability that was central to an awards ceremony, the Oscar-worthy event recognizing achievements in areas from environmental and social stewardship, to the preservation of Italian heritage and crafts.
Eco-Age's Livia Firth pictured with her husband, actor Colin Firth / Photo: vogue.co.uk/Rex Features
The inaugural Green Carpet Fashion Awards, Italia 2017 was part of The Green Carpet Fashion Awards programme, designed to celebrate the values and commitment of a network of designers, producers and manufacturers that make up the very best of brand Made in Italy. Put together by Carlo Capasa, Chairman of Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI), the country’s governing body for fashion, and Livia Firth, Founder and Creative Director of sustainability consultancy Eco-Age, it also included the CNMI Green Carpet Talent Competition, which challenged emerging designers to incorporate sustainability principles into their looks, and the Green Carpet Challenge, which tasked established fashion houses with creating bespoke sustainable looks to be showcased on Sunday’s green carpet.
The awards night represented the culmination of the programme, bringing together Italy’s greatest designers, luxury design houses and emerging talent. They were joined by a host of actors, models and industry insiders, including Vogue’s Anna Wintour, to celebrate total provenance, sustainable innovation, and the work that has been and is being done in the supply chain to preserve sustainable production, and to innovate towards a lesser footprint.
Exceptional artisans, mills, producers, emerging designers and brands were all honored at the ceremony, and here are details of the award winners.
Award winners Giorgio Armani, Miuccia Prada, Valentino's Pierpaolo Piccoili and Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele / Photo: vogue.it
The Community and Social Justice Award:
Brunello Cucinelli, presented by Colin Firth
The Art of Craftsmanship Award:
The seamstresses of Maison Valentino, presented by Annie Lennox
The Best International Designer supporting Made In Italy Award:
Tom Ford, presented by Anna Wintour
The Technology and Innovation Award:
Orange Fiber and Newlife, presented by Mira Duma and Derek Blasberg
The Supply Chain Innovation Award:
Gucci, presented by Arizona Muse
The Eco Stewardship Award:
Zegna, presented by Alessandro Roja
The Franca Sozzani GCC Award for Best Emerging Designer:
Tiziano Guardini, presented by Naomi Campbell and Sara Sozzani Maino
The Sustainable Producer Award:
Taroni, presented by Amber Valletta
The Artisanal Laureate Award:
Chiara Vigo, presented by Vittoria Puccini
The Social Laureate Award:
Illaria Venturini Fendi, presented by Stefania Rocca and Bianca Balti
The Vogue Eco Laureate Award:
Gisele Bündchen, presented by Emanuele Farneti
The CNMI Recognition of Sustainability Award:
Giorgio Armani, Miuccia Prada, Pierpaolo Piccioli and Alessandro Michele, presented by Colin Firth
Going forward, the Green Carpet Awards will be bestowed annually, with the aim of keeping the focus on environmental issues and social sustainability front and center in terms of fashion, narratives that are appealing to an increasing global audience.