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From Veja to the Fashion Green Hub: IFA Paris Students Explore Sustainable Fashion

A masterclass with Sébastien Kopp

As part of their studies, IFA Paris students attended a masterclass held on campus and led by Sébastien Kopp , co-founder of the brand Veja, now internationally recognized as a reference in responsible fashion.

During this session, he reflected on the early days of the brand, the convictions that shaped its development, and the challenges involved in building a model based on transparency, traceability, and more environmentally responsible production.

He shared his vision of a company capable of combining creative excellence, innovation, and responsibility. Students also had the opportunity to engage directly with him, ask questions, and better understand the economic, strategic, and creative realities involved in developing a sustainable fashion brand.

Students were able to benefit from the insights of an entrepreneur who has helped transform industry standards and gain a clearer understanding of how to integrate environmental challenges into the development of a fashion brand today. Skills that IFA Paris's MBA Sustainable Fashion – Business Major places at the core of its curriculum.

 

Fashion Green Hub: an ecosystem for more sustainable fashion

The reflection continued with a visit to the Fashion Green Hub, a non-profit business association founded in 2015 that actively promotes more sustainable, local, circular, innovative, and inclusive fashion.

Since its creation, the association has developed initiatives aimed at supporting the transformation of the textile and apparel sector, while encouraging job creation across regions. 

During the visit, students discovered how this ecosystem operates and exchanged with stakeholders actively involved in the sector’s transition. They explored the concept of a collaborative hub, a space designed to encourage cooperation and the sharing of resources between professionals.

This immersion helped them better understand how collective initiatives can generate concrete solutions for more responsible fashion. It also provided a broader perspective on the transformations currently reshaping production and consumption models.

 

Training future professionals for the transition

Today, sustainability is no longer a secondary topic in fashion: it has become one of its key driving forces. Understanding materials, production cycles, the environmental impact of collections, and evolving consumer expectations makes it possible to anticipate industry changes and imagine new models.

Beyond creative skills, education in fashion now requires a strong understanding of the technological and environmental challenges shaping the industry. Meetings with experts, visits to innovative ecosystems, and exchanges with entrepreneurs help anchor these topics in real-world contexts.

IFA Paris students had already had the opportunity to discover the world of the eco-responsible sneaker brand during a visit to the VEJA General Store. See how Veja translates its commitments into action.