Ten Designers Will Embark On A Global Residency Culminating In Shanghai Fashion Week 2027
Kering has unveiled the inaugural cohort of its CRAFT initiative — Creative Residency for Artisanship, Fashion and Technology — naming ten Chinese designers selected to participate in the program developed in partnership with Shanghai Fashion Week.
The residency is positioned as a platform to accelerate emerging creative voices while fostering deeper exchange between China and international fashion ecosystems. The selected fellows — Cai Jiaen, Hu Nan, Longhong Ziwei, Qi Yueqi, Wang Fengchen, Wei Donghui, Xia Rong, Xu Hao, Yu Gengyi, and Zhong Zixin — represent a cross-section of fashion and jewelry design, each bringing distinct perspectives rooted in both local culture and global ambition.
The program will begin in May with an “international learning journey,” starting in Italy before continuing through Paris and Shanghai. Combining hands-on learning, expert mentorship, and cultural exchange, the residency is designed to advance craftsmanship, innovation, business development, and the foundations of a more sustainable fashion ecosystem. Following the completion of the program, participants will present a final creative project during Shanghai Fashion Week in 2027.
First introduced last November by Kering Chief Executive Officer Luca de Meo, the initiative reflects the group’s broader strategy to invest in next-generation talent while strengthening dialogue between China and Europe across design, craftsmanship, and future business models.
More than 100 candidates applied to the program, with the final cohort selected through what Kering described as a “rigorous evaluation and selection process” conducted alongside Shanghai Fashion Week and the CRAFT Advisory Board. The 12-member board brings together international figures from across fashion and the creative industries, including Gucci Artistic Director Demna and Chinese Couturier Guo Pei.
“The criteria included creativity and originality, craftsmanship and product excellence, growth prospects, and the embodiment of future luxury trends,” Kering noted.
Cai Jinqing, President of Kering Greater China, emphasized the significance of the inaugural group, describing the fellows as reflective of a new generation of Chinese creatives. “Their creative passion, distinct perspectives, outstanding abilities and exceptional potential embody China’s new generation of creators,” she said. “We look forward to meaningful learning and cultural exchange during their residency, and to further strengthening the richness and diversity of the CRAFT creative community together.”
Several of the selected designers draw directly on Chinese cultural heritage and philosophy, translating these influences into contemporary fashion narratives that resonate internationally. The program’s longer-term ambition is to support the emergence of globally relevant brands that remain grounded in local identity.
As part of the advisory board, Demna underscored the broader significance of the initiative. “The creativity, innovation, and technical know-how in China are something I have always been fascinated by,” he said. “I am excited to support the next generation of Chinese creatives and see how they will help shape the future of fashion.”