Can fashion and sustainability truly go hand in hand? That was undoubtedly a question on the minds of actors, designers, and editors yesterday evening at La Scala theater, where, on the final night of Milan Fashion Week, they gathered for the third annual CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards. For the uninitiated, the ceremony, hosted by the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana in partnership with the Ethical Fashion Initiative (EFI) of the United Nations ITC Agency and the city of Milan, honors members of the industry that “stand out for their vision, innovation, commitment to craftsmanship, recognition of differences, circular economy, human rights, environmental justice, and biodiversity.”
Or, as the event’s host Freida Pinto put it: those who underscore “the vital link between fashion, culture, and sustainability.” One such person is Peruvian designer Chiara Macchiavello, the founder and creative director of ethical luxury brand Escvdo, who received the coveted Bicester Collection Award for Emerging Designers. (Previous finalists include Ahluwalia and THEMOIRè.) “I’m overwhelmed with gratitude,” she told the crowd, which included Naomie Harris, Kelly Rutherford, Arizona Muse, and Ashley Graham. “This recognition will only fuel my mission to keep on working for all those people in need....Today we honor and celebrate sustainable actions which should be instinctive to all of us, not exceptional.” Macchiavello continued: “Let’s seize the moment, which is the only truly thing that we own, and let’s drive change through that moment. Let’s choose love, let’s open our hearts, because we all can.”
At Escvdo, Macchiavello has been working diligently behind the scenes to make her clothes sustainable. Not only does she develop each collection following a circular business model—her brand upcycles, utilizes local materials like Peruvian Pima cotton and alpaca, and employs a zero-waste production process in hand-knitted and handwoven items. The Bicester Collection award will allow for Escvdo to be introduced in new markets, grow its production capabilities, diversify product lines, the list goes on. “This recognition will fuel our mission to positively impact those in need while we grow a sustainable, coherent business over time,” Macchiavello tells ELLE.com. Other finalists in the category include Kartik Research, a brand specializing in handmade items from Indian subcultures founded by Delhi-based designer Kartik Kumra, and Marco Rambaldi, a Bologna-based label crafted by Italian artisans.
While there was a winner, The Bicester Collection—a luxury retailer that operates outdoor shopping destinations in Europe, China, and, next month, the U.S. with the soon-to-be-opened Belmont Park Village in Belmont Park, Long Island—offers support and resources for all three finalists through a tailored mentorship program and bespoke retail opportunities for emerging talent across its properties.
Click through the gallery below to see who else attended the 2024 CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards.
Claire Stern Milch is the Digital Director at ELLE, where she oversees all content and strategy. Previously, she was Deputy Editor at ELLE. Her interests include fashion, food, travel, music, Peloton, and The Hills—not necessarily in that order. She used to have a Harriet the Spy notebook and isn’t ashamed to admit it.
