Riri’s involvement in ISKO I-SKOOL, the educational project designed by the global leader for denim fabric manufacturing to reward the creativity of students from major international design and marketing university courses, shows yet again the dual commitment on part of the Swiss group to stand beside up-and-coming talents without losing sight of the sustainability issue. As a matter of fact, in Riri’s view, excellence in details means an all-round commitment, also focused on caring for ethics and environmental sustainability.
During the final evening of the event, in the charming location of Base in Milan, the 20 shortlisted creations for the Denim Design Award were showcased; Nantas Montonati – Group Sales & Marketing Director at Riri Group – then gave the “Sustainable & Circular Design Award” to Lucila Nair Pieres, a student from Argentina at the Marangoni Institute in Florence. Riri rewarded her effort not just because of the creative and original features of the garment, but also of the concrete commitment and awareness shown with regard to highly topical issues, such as the circular economy and End Of Life, in terms of both raw materials and production process.
“The second chance”, the project designed by Lucila Nair Pieres, as a matter of fact stood out due to the attention paid to pre-owned garments, most notably denim. Developing the idea that recycled fabrics may be reinvented and thus take on new life and unexpected forms, Lucila brought onto the catwalk at Base her creation, an extravagant outfit where Lyocell features prominently; this is a material made using recycled cellulose and characterised by a lower environmental impact compared to traditional cotton fabrics, and imaginative inserts made from recycled clothes.
Riri’s commitment to sustainability includes not only the creative process but also the whole promotional phase. This is why Riri, as well as being a member of the panel for the Denim Design Award – which gave the ”UnDocumented Award” to Jaeha Im from Esmod in Seoul – was also part of the panel for the Marketing Award which was given to Gina Paljusevic from Parsons School of Fashion. All students competing the ‘Marketing Award’ were asked to draft a marketing plan for an existing consumer brand: the challenge here was to launch a sustainable collection by producing a story line whose core elements are transparency and responsibility.
