Photo: Courtesy of Cartier
There is a lot of terrible news out there, but sometimes, there is also good news. And today, it’s that the Cartier Women’s Initiative has announced its 2025 class of entrepreneurs, granting funding and mentorship to women-based initiatives. Since its inception in 2006, the jewelry brand has invested more than $12.2 million to support 330 women-owned businesses across 66 countries.
On May 22 at the World Exposition in Osaka, Japan, Cartier honored nine women — Tracy O’Rourke, Kresse Wesling, Kristin Kagetsu, Caitlin Dolkart, Namita Banka, Yvette Ishimwe, Rama Kayyali, Mariam Torosyan, and Jackie Stenson — who will each receive a $100,000 grant. Below are some of the awardees leading fashion and women-focused ventures.
Photo: Courtesy of Cartier
Kresse Wesling: Wesling’s brand, Elvis & Kresse, transforms industrial and commercial waste, including fire hoses and scrap leather, into luxury goods and accessories. “We rescue materials, we transform them into beautiful things,” Wesling told Cartier. Elvis & Kresse has diverted more than 315 tons of waste from landfills and donated more than $500,000 to its charity partners.
Kristin Kagetsu: Saathi, co-founded by engineer Kagetsu, addresses the lack of access to menstrual products for women in India. The sanitary pads are all natural, biodegradable, and made using banana fiber sourced from local farms. “In India, only 16 percent of women have access to sanitary pads,” says Kagetsu. “A sanitary pad is a necessity, not a privilege.” Saathi has already reached 114,340 people and reduced 161 metric tons of carbon emissions.
Mariam Torosyan: Based in Armenia, Torosyan is the CEO of Safe YOU, an app that provides emergency support for women facing gender-based violence. The app has 40,000 users and has responded to more than 18,000 alerts of violence. “We are on a mission to disrupt violence against women,” Torosyan told Cartier. “Safe You is more than an app; it’s safety directly into the hands of women.”
