A Different C.L.A.S.S. of Sustainability

After a long career in fashion, James Mendolia had grown disillusioned by an industry that seemed to care little about the waste, plunder and destruction it left in its wake. Through his work in fabric development and merchandising, he counted Ralph Lauren, Barneys and Italian manufacturer GFT (which has produced collections for Dior, Armani, Valentino) among his employers. The common element throughout his career was the ever-present connection to Italy, whether it was working with its factories, sourcing fabrics from its mills, or collaborating with its craftsmen. So when he decided to strike out and do something to tackle the industry’s problems, he teamed up with with a business acquaintance, Milan-based Giusy Bettoni, who had already established the initiative C.L.A.S.S. Their aim was to showcase new technological advances in fabric, and they have been behind the increased visibility of Re.Verso, BACX, ROICA, ECOTEC and Newlife, trademarked and copyrighted names that, at first glance, might mean little, but in fashion terms, mean upcycled wool and cashmere introduced at Gucci, ecosilk at Erdem, and technosilk at Maxmara.