Actor and activist Emma Watson has just joined the board of luxury giant Kering, which owns big labels such as Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta and Saint Laurent.
Emma, who has been championing sustainable fashion for years and often wears eco-labels on the red carpet, will chair the sustainability committee. She was nominated by shareholders alongside former CEO of Credit Suisse Group Tidjane Thiam, and Jean Liu, the president of Didi Chuxing (widely referred to as the Chinese Uber).
Kering’s CEO François-Henri Pinault said in a statement, 'I am delighted to welcome Jean Liu, Tidjane Thiam and Emma Watson to our board of directors. Their respective knowledge and competences, and the multiplicity of their backgrounds and perspectives will be invaluable additions to Kering’s board of directors. The collective intelligence that comes from diverse points of view and the richness of different experiences are crucial to the future of our organisation. I am proud to add such impressive talents to the team'.
The Harry Potter star's appointment is a step in the right direction to making the luxury brands more sustainable, as she is the face of the mobile app Good On You, helps consumers check the sustainability credentials of the fashion brands they're buying.
At the moment, many of the Kering labels, such as Gucci and Bottega are rated as 'it's a start' in the app, meaning there is more work to be done for them to be more sustainable. It's expected Emma will bring her expertise to the table.
Emma's appointment comes at a crucial time for the fashion industry, with the pandemic forcing brands to take stock and slow their pace. Several designers, including Gucci and Michael Kors have announced they will cut back to just two seasons a year in a bid to create less waste and have more of a positive impact on the planet.
We can't wait to see what comes next.
