Saint Laurent Invests In Future Talent

There  can never be too many brands supporting burgeoning talent - especially when it comes to couture, the bespoke category which has seen a resurgence of interest in recent years. The latest to give it a boost is Saint Laurent, which has created a six-month programme in partnership with the Institut Français de la Mode and the École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne to focus on innovation and sustainability.

“Preserving our heritage while evolving and being very relevant in our epoch is a pillar of our strategy, and investing in talents is an imperative condition to build on our success even further,” said Francesca Bellettini, president and CEO of Saint Laurent, reports WWD. “I am very proud of this partnership with such renowned and prestigious institutions as the IFM and ECSCP, which will greatly contribute to the implementation of our strategy.”

The courses, which are currently open for applications for a September start date, will see students work in the Saint Laurent head offices and being mentored by staff of the fashion house that is currently headed up by creative director Anthony Vaccarello. At the end of the period in March, they will present their work to a jury from their prospective schools, as well as Saint Laurent staff in the hope that they will leave an impression.

Incorporating sustainability into the requirements of the scheme matches the framework of several mentorship programmes around the world, who are keen to instil the importance of sustainability into the mindset of students from day one. It's also a buzzword in the Kering group, which unveiled its 10-year Sustainability Plan in January this year, naming renewable sources and ethical supply chains as integral to future-proofing fashion.