At the recent BRICS+ Fashion Summit, educators from India, China, and Russia presented a groundbreaking pedagogical approach aimed at reshaping fashion education.
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The initiative seeks to immerse students in diverse cultural paradigms and instil a profound understanding of modern fashion ethics. The focus is on addressing the ongoing debate about diversity and inclusion in fashion schools and major companies, as they turn to diversity consultants to enhance their public image.
This forward-thinking concept is set to take centre stage at the upcoming Moscow Fashion Week, scheduled to unfold in Russia’s cosmopolitan capital from 1 to 8 March.
Gregg Maragelis, the Head of the Institution of Cape Town College of Fashion Design, was part of the group of educators who attended the summit.
‘Fashion students are required to study The History of Fashion, which is often very Europe-centric. In Africa, the curriculum is being nuanced to be more inclusive of indigenous history, therefore exploring and understanding the history of fashion from an African perspective.
‘First and foremost, fashion students need to understand their own heritage to be authentic and relevant in their own countries. This provokes national pride and creates thriving domestic industry and in turn, is evocative globally to spark desirability of the counties product.’
The BRICS, a coalition of major emerging economies comprising Brazil, Russia, India, and China and established in 2006, advocates for a multipolar world. Embracing this ethos, the inaugural BRICS+ Fashion Summit gathered representatives from 60 nations, positioning itself as arguably the most significant international fashion forum in a decade.
The summit’s themes centred around the democratization, diversity, and multiculturalism of the modern fashion industry.
Renowned educators from 15 countries, spanning the BRICS nations, Great Britain, Namibia, and the UAE, spearheaded a course titled ‘Globalization in the Fashion Industry: Local Solutions for Creating a Successful Fashion Brand’ during the summit, covering topics ranging from global fashion trends and identity-based design to ethical production management and the utilization of artificial intelligence for brand promotion.
Maragelis says fashion education should be immersive, current, relevant and pioneering at all stages. ‘The education program presented at the BRICS+ summit provided a host of diverse specialists that will elevate the craft, thinking, business and ultimately the products of the participants. One of the biggest aspects of Fashion is collaboration and networking!
‘The BRICS education program assisted not only the participants in growing their knowledge but provided [an] imperative connection for fashion educators to enhance their own curriculum and exchange possibilities for students.’
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According to Business Insider Africa, the course placed a significant emphasis on practical application, drawing upon the expertise of a diverse group of practitioners. Luciana Duarte, a lecturer at The Hague University of Applied Sciences and consultant for Ethical Fashion Brazil, highlighted the Amazon Rainforest’s evolution into a crucial source of eco-materials for Brazilian fashion.
Other noteworthy presenters included Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Vice President of The Indian World University of Design, and Doreen Mashika, a Swiss-based luxury goods specialist turned Tanzanian brand founder. They underscored the importance of embracing local identity, honing cross-cultural communication skills, and recognizing opportunities in local markets.
Li Hibing, the Dean of the School of Fashion Art at Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, also stressed the vital role of 3D technologies in creating fashion collections. He also discussed the application of AI to fashion presentations, including virtual catwalks that are already being adopted by numerous Chinese designers.
Bediz Yildirim, a lecturer at the Istanbul Fashion Academy and former director of digital content for Conde Nast and Hearst, delved into the use of digital media strategies to elevate awareness for emerging fashion brands.
Olivia Merquior, co-founder of Brazil Immersive Fashion Week, spotlighted the role of technology in optimizing design processes, while Oscar Ruiz-Schmidt from the University of Véritas and the University of Costa Rica addressed the environmental challenges within the fashion industry, introducing the concept of zero-waste production through global traditional attire examples.
Ajai Singh, founder of Sri Lanka Fashion Week and board member of the Commonwealth Fashion Council, led a master class, underscoring the critical need for diversification to not just remain relevant but thrive in today’s fashion world.
The knowledge acquired throughout the five-day course had a distinctly global perspective, tapping into the varied yet practical insights of a seasoned lineup of guest educators. Importantly, student insights proved adaptable to specific country conditions, considering unique nuances in the creative and consumption cultures of diverse nations like China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria, and more.
During the summit, Moscow, rather than renowned fashion capitals such as Paris or Milan, emerged as a trailblazer for multicultural education – a crucial aspect for contemporary fashion designers.
The course highlighted the significance of diverse perspectives in the global fashion landscape, offering a unique platform for aspiring designers to cultivate skills essential for success in the industry.
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Business Insider Africa reports that modern fashion education is founded on ideal conditions, rooted in a flourishing ecosystem, well-established infrastructure, and a century of experience within the American or European fashion industry.
However, this optimal scenario is limited to only a handful of nations and may not fully encapsulate global realities. Many developing countries host significant fashion production and boast vast consumer bases.
The shift in dynamics, with China surpassing the United States as the largest fashion market just before the COVID-19 era, underscores the significance of a BRICS-informed educational concept. This approach challenges the traditional narrative, urging attention to the evolving landscape of the global fashion industry.
‘With cultural appropriation being a tenuous issue, fashion students should be encouraged to spend more time exploring their unique cultures,’ says Maragelis.
‘Exploring and understanding the heritage of other countries is essential as a learning tool to analyze how these can be applied successfully regionally.’
Building on insights gained from the Summit and guidance from esteemed professors, Moscow Fashion Week, scheduled for March 1-8, is set to enhance its agenda by incorporating lectures and master classes.
The aim is to bolster the engagement of young professionals in the fashion sector. Additionally, the BRICS+ Fashion Summit team, in collaboration with educators from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, plans to launch a complimentary educational video course based on the lectures delivered in Moscow.
While the course will be available on Russia’s Skillbox platform, efforts will be made to reach students in Africa and other countries through an extensive network of fashion schools and affiliated fashion weeks. This globally-minded, inclusive educational program is expected to evolve for the next BRICS+ Fashion Summit, scheduled for autumn 2024.
‘The success of the 2023 BRICS education program has laid the groundwork for more of the BRICS countries to participate and create a strong BRICS community of shared excellence,’ Maragelis adds.
‘In my opinion, the program should consider extending certain topics into workshop formats so that participants are fully immersed in the process and can directly apply the knowledge attained within a workshop format.
‘The participants will benefit greatly from more time with specialist educators.’
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Picture: Michael Lee / Unsplash
