Kering is taking its exploration of alternatives to traditional leather into the heart of Milan Fashion Week, putting biotech fibres, recycled materials and next-generation materials in the hands of 10 emerging designers.
The luxury group's Material Innovation Lab (MIL) partnered with S|STYLE for S|STYLE 2026 Wardrobe Edition, presented on 25 and 26 September at Kering Italia's headquarters in Milan during Milano Moda Donna.
The project challenged designers to create complete looks around innovative materials, rather than treating material selection as a final step in the creative process.
Among the materials explored were mycelium, bio-based nanocellulose, recycled fibres, plant-based materials, proteins and materials associated with organic and regenerative agricultural practices.
The focus on non-leather materials comes as Kering pursues a wider strategy to diversify its material portfolio, with a target of reducing its leather intensity by 30% by 2028, compared with 2025.
Kering Puts Leather Alternatives Into the Spotlight
Rather than simply displaying experimental textiles, Wardrobe Edition asked designers to explore how the materials could work within finished fashion pieces.
French knitwear label MATHO worked with Ephea®, a mycelium-based material developed by Italian biomaterials company Sqim.
Milan-based designer Giuseppe Buccinnà combined Planeta by Pasubio, a hybrid material incorporating recycled polyamide derived from end-of-life tyres, natural proteins and biopolymers, with Innovera by Modern Meadow to create nappa, suede and embossed-effect surfaces.
Other designers explored different approaches. Palestinian designer Ayham Hassan worked with Lunaform by Gozen, a 100% bio-based nanocellulose material produced through fermentation, alongside plant-based iridescent pigments from Sparxell.
The initiative was designed to encourage designers to engage directly with unfamiliar materials and their physical properties. Rather than simply replacing one conventional fabric with another, participants had to consider factors including texture, flexibility, construction and how the materials could be incorporated into complete looks.
The approach also encouraged designers to move beyond their usual categories. Ready-to-wear designers were asked to create bags, while footwear and accessory designers were challenged to develop total looks, bringing different elements of the wardrobe together.
Biotech Fibres Meet Recycled and Regenerative Materials
The project also showcased materials created through biotechnology and alternative production methods.
Indian designer Srushti Patil experimented with Spiber Brewed Protein™ and Taroni silk produced through organic sericulture practices. Meanwhile, BHUMI, founded by Dutch designer Emma van Engelen, worked with BioCir®flex3D by Balena, a plant-fibre-based material designed for 3D printing and extrusion, alongside recycled polyester tulle and textiles linked to organic sericulture.
The variety of materials highlights how Kering's material research extends beyond a single alternative to leather. The Material Innovation Lab, established by Kering in Milan in 2013, provides access to a library of thousands of materials and works with innovators and manufacturers to help develop next-generation alternatives.
The initiative also addresses a wider challenge for material innovators: moving promising technologies beyond samples and pilot projects towards broader adoption by fashion brands.
For S|STYLE founder and curator Giorgia Cantarini, the project is also about giving emerging designers the freedom to work outside familiar boundaries.
'We often talk about emerging designers as the fashion of tomorrow, but in reality they are already defining the fashion of today,' she said.
By bringing these material experiments into the Milan Fashion Week calendar, S|STYLE 2026 Wardrobe Edition places material innovation at the centre of the conversation, highlighting how luxury fashion is exploring biotech, recycled and bio-based alternatives to conventional leather.
