Green Carpets Fashion Awards 2024: Italy in the Spotlight

Key takeaways:

• Italians showcased their commitment to innovation and environmental consciousness at the Green Carpets Fashion Awards in Los Angeles.  
• From timeless pieces to LGBTQI+ advocacy, they really shined at the event, gaining awards and recognition.  

Italians have always enchanted the world with their divine cuisine, breathtaking art and, of course, exceptional design and manufacturing in fashion. Yet, their continuous excellence in these fields isn’t the result of a magic spell; it comes from a lesser-known trait: a knack for adaptability and innovation.  

Not surprisingly, in 2017, with the world moving towards greater environmental consciousness, Milan’s La Scala Theater set the stage for the inaugural Green Carpet Fashion Awards – an event designed to celebrate leaders who are creating collective transformation and showcase the need for an intersectional approach to achieving change. [1] The evening ended with an unforgettable moment:

Miuccia Prada, Giorgio Armani, Alessandro Michele, and Pierpaolo Piccioli stood together on stage, receiving a standing ovation from the audience. [2]

This year, the 2024 edition of the Awards lit up Los Angeles, but Italians continued to steal the spotlight. Let’s relive together the highlights of the event and keep our hands free for more applause.

Candiani Coreva edible jeans

One of the standout moments of the event occurred when supermodel and actress Amber Valletta encouraged guests to participate in a unique culinary experience: eating their jeans! [3]

Well, not the textile itself… but the pasta made with tomatoes cultivated using Candiani Coreva denim, the same biodegradable fabric that adorned the model in her stunning dress by Triarchy.

This innovative feat was made possible through the company’s ongoing experimentation. Their discovery of turning denim processing residue into “fertilizer” led to the creation of the pasta sauce served during the evening. [4]

After all, it’s no wonder (or magic) that Italy leads the way in recycling, hitting 79.4% of waste reutilization – more than double the European average – with the textile-fashion industry at the helm. [5]

With such a delicious start, one can only wonder: what’s next?

And the Oscar goes to… Donatella Versace!

Prepare for another round of applause for the artistic director of Versace, awarded the Game Changer Award for her advocacy for LGBTQI+ rights as an ambassador of the Stonewall Association, and for her unwavering support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation. [6]

“My life changed when I lost my brother Gianni. But through that loss, I grew significantly. That is what prompted me to join the LGBTQI+ movement. This community is now my family of choice”, she shared. [7]

Versace’s dedication to the environment also earned her the CNMI Award in recognition of sustainability at the Green Carpet Fashion Awards in 2018. [8] Yet, she isn’t the only star to claim the spotlight this year. 

Zendaya stuns in a vintage Cavalli dress 

While Zendaya herself isn’t Italian, her outfit certainly was. The American actress and singer graced the scene wearing a vintage Roberto Cavalli creation from the Spring-Summer 2011 collection. The piece featured a long V-neck gown embellished with intricate fringes and adorned with a reptile-inspired print, showcasing timeless elegance. [9]

A sneak peek at our next article 

Returning from across the ocean to previous editions of the Green Carpets Fashion Awards, there is one more standout player to mention: ECONYL® nylon. Since 2017, the brand has sponsored various  GCFA events, shining a spotlight on those held in Milan. During the first edition, the ECONYL® yarn not only formed the unique green carpet that graced Piazza della Scala on September 24th but was also used by two of the awards finalists.

Keep an eye out for our next article, where we chat with Aquafil’s CEO, Giulio Bonazzi, about the brand’s innovative approach.  

[1]  “The Green Carpet Fashion Awards 2024”, GCFA, available at https://www.greencarpetfashionawards.com/gcfa-2024.

[2]  “Green Carpet Award: i vincitori, le standing ovation, la gallery”, Fashion Magazine, available at https://www.fashionmagazine.it/trend/Gli-Oscar-della-Moda-Green-Carpet-Award-i-vincitori-le-standing-ovation-la-gallery-82381 

[3]  “Ai Green Carpet Fashion Awards 2024 si sono assaggiati i jeans”, Vogue Italia, available at https://www.vogue.it/article/green-carpet-fashion-awards-2024-premi.

[4]  “Ai Green Carpet Fashion Awards 2024 si sono assaggiati i jeans”, Vogue Italia, available at https://www.vogue.it/article/green-carpet-fashion-awards-2024-premi. 

[5]  “La moda italiana leader nella circolarità: dalle start up ai grandi gruppi, ecco chi innova di più”, Il Sole 24 Ore, available at https://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/la-moda-italiana-leader-circolarita-start-up-grandi-gruppi-ecco-chi-innova-piu-AEaQy12.

[6]  “Game Changer Award a Donatella Versace per sostegno a Lgbtq+”, Ansa, available at https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/cultura/moda/2024/03/07/game-changer-award-a-donatella-versace-per-sostegno-a-lgbtq_69ab6f7e-f5c7-49dd-aa7b-80505e25bbf4.html. 

[7]  “Game Changer Award a Donatella Versace per sostegno a Lgbtq+”, Ansa, available at https://www.ansa.it/sito/notizie/cultura/moda/2024/03/07/game-changer-award-a-donatella-versace-per-sostegno-a-lgbtq_69ab6f7e-f5c7-49dd-aa7b-80505e25bbf4.html. 

[8] “Donatella Versace honored at the green carpet awards”, Versace, available at https://www.versace.com/pt/en/stories/sustainability/the-green-carpet-awards.html. 

[9] “Zendaya, un tripudio di frange ai Green Carpet Fashion Awards 2024 (e tutti gli altri look della serata)”, Vanity Fair, available at https://www.vanityfair.it/gallery/zendaya-tripudio-frange-ai-green-carpet-fashion-awards-2024-tutti-gli-altri-look-della-serata.