Late last month, the biggest names in fashion came together at the prestigious Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy, for the CNMI Sustainable Fashion Awards to discuss and honour fashion’s sustainability movement.

In a notable collaboration, this year, the Bicester Collection, comprising 11 distinctive shopping destinations across Europe and China, each showcasing renowned labels and hosting over 1,300 boutiques, including restaurants, pop-ups, and art installations, partnered with CNMI. Together, they presented the prestigious Bicester Collection Award for Emerging Designers to Priya Ahluwalia, a London-born Nigerian-Indian designer. Ahluwalia stands as a pioneering figure in the realm of sustainable fashion, crafting her pieces from repurposed materials and actively collaborating with an organisation that empowers underprivileged rural women in the production of her collections.

This Award seeks to honour individuals who excel in crafting innovative solutions, skillfully striking a harmonious balance between the cherished traditions of fashion heritage and forward-thinking approaches prioritising sustainability as a core element of their value proposition.

Upon accepting the Award, Ahluwalia shared these sentiments:

Being environmentally and socially conscious is important to myself and everyone at Ahluwalia. It was key to the foundations of the brand and as we develop, we endeavour to learn more, listen more and ultimately act more. Receiving this award is a huge honour and reaffirms that our work has been meaningful and that anything is possible, regardless of your background or the industry’s current status quo.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ahluwalia (@ahluwalia)

The Award also guarantees participation in a pop-up boutique and a showcase during Milano Fashion Week in 2024.

Ahluwalia joined esteemed winners such as Gucci, Kering, Valentino, Chloe, Edward Enninful, and Donatella Versace, among others.