Next Generation of Talents for Circular Jewellery
We are pleased to present the latest chapter of the Kering Generation Award X Jewelry, a pioneering initiative launched by Kering in partnership with CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation – and with the scientific coordination of Poli.Design – Politecnico di Milano. This award was established to encourage innovation and advance sustainable practices within the jewellery industry.
Launched in November 2024, the competition invited students and startups to rethink waste as a resource, transforming discarded materials into meaningful and desirable jewellery. The theme of this inaugural edition, “Second Chance, First Choice,” stimulated creativity and the sustainable potential of reuse, redefining the future of the sector.
After a careful selection process by the jury, which reviewed applications from 10 world-renowned universities and academies specializing in jewellery and sustainability, as well as established startups, four outstanding finalists – two students and two startups – had the opportunity to present their final projects on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at the JCK Las Vegas Show. The JCK Las Vegas Show is one of the leading global trade events in the jewellery sector. This initiative highlights the Kering Group’s strong commitment to responsible innovation and sustainability, with the support of its jewellery Maisons such as Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, and Qeelin.
MEET THE FINALISTS
Selected Startups:
- Ex Oblivione (France): Ex Oblivione is a French brand combining space innovation and fine jewellery by transforming and upcycling decommissioned and unused components from real space missions, like satellite protections, into unique high-end pieces of art.
- Ianyan (China): Ianyan is a Chinese brand highlighting fractured opals and unusual stones through its collections, often overlooked in conventional jewellery for their raw beauty. The brand promotes a circular economy by choosing imperfect gems to revive traditional values and give new life to materials through craftsmanship and by designing each piece to be repaired, transformed, or recomposed.
Selected Students:
- Lee Min Seo (Korea, Hongik University): Lee Min Seo made a collection from discarded leather of a traditional Korean percussion instrument, the jang-gu (drum), to promote cultural preservation. Lee Min Seo will be the voice of the Hongik University, showing her reimagination of Korean music with her project, Rhythm Reborn.
- Tony Favorito (USA, Rochester Institute of Technology): Tony Favorito is restoring emotional value to materials destined for the landfill by creating modular rings made with fragments of stones or marble from home renovation work. With his project named Memory Fragment, Tony Favorito will be representing the Rochester Institute of Technology, showing how floor or wall covering can be turned into jewellery.
With the strong support of Kering’s jewellery Maisons – Boucheron, Pomellato, DoDo, and Qeelin – this award underscores Kering’s commitment to driving responsible innovation and sustainability across the jewellery industry.
THE VOICES OF THE WINNERS
We now make space for the words of the finalists, who will tell us about their experience with the Kering Generation Award X Jewelry, the vision behind their projects, and the fundamental importance of circularity in today’s jewellery landscape.
STUDENT CATEGORY
Lee Min Seo, Korea, Hongik University
“With my project Rhythm Reborn, I transformed discarded leather from the janggu, a traditional Korean drum, into a necklace. The janggu leather carries rhythm, resonance, and cultural memory, and by giving its worn leather a second life, I wanted to show that circularity is not only about reusing materials – it is about continuing their stories.
I was inspired by the idea that tradition is not fixed in the past – it can be reinterpreted and reborn in new forms. Even when something has lost its original function, it can still hold memory, meaning, and beauty, and jewellery can be the medium that makes them live again. By embracing sustainability and cultural continuity, circular design can guide the jewellery industry toward a future that is both more responsible and more meaningful for the next generation.”
STARTUP CATEGORY
Ianyan, China
“With our project New Born, we transformed discarded materials, including fractured opals and reclaimed metals, into jewelry pieces inspired by the cyclical rhythms of nature – trees, butterflies, and budding leaves. Our core philosophy is giving forgotten materials a new life through creativity.
Each piece tells a story of renewal, turning what was once overlooked into symbols of life, echoing the theme’s focus on sustainability and conscious transformation.
I was inspired by the belief that beauty exists even in imperfection, and that tradition and cultural heritage can be reinterpreted through contemporary design. Developing this project reinforced my belief that circularity begins with respect – for materials, stories, and the planet. We learned that even ‘imperfect’ stones hold unique beauty when approached with creativity and intention.
Circular design is essential because it addresses the environmental and ethical challenges facing the jewelry industry. Circularity isn’t just a trend; it’s the future of responsible luxury.”
