Theme

The theme of 23rd Annual International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI) is “Fashioning Resurgence: Our Time is Now”. This is a congregation of speculative, iterative, and transformative ideas along with action in the field of Design, Education and Fashion Industry.

In the past few decades, the fashion industry has evolved as a vanguard for societal change. The entire fashion value chain has clearly established that the relationship of the body and apparel has been far from being tenable. In the current global situation, we are faced by three kinds of temporalities: The Emergent; The Urgent; and The Incumbent. Each of them has an immediacy associated with them. They all call our attention and demand action.

This is a platform where academicians, policymakers, designers, artists, artisans, students, industry representatives and other leaders converge for insightful conversations and discussions and make actionable plans for the future of the global fashion industry and affiliated fields.

Emergent

The scope of this theme delves into the counter voice and viewpoints of the fashion system and beyond. The transformative actions with collaborations, disruptions and speculation are changing the way fashion system function. The aftermath of the recent global pandemic has forced us to review and reform our fashion needs & consumption. It has compelled us to reestablish and recalibrate our future endeavors in material diversity, resource exchange, emergent philosophies and beyond.

Urgent

Human existence is a subset of natural ecosystem however we may have undervalued its impact on our existence. This agenda explores the relation of fashion and nature, the habit and habitat and its impact that surfaces with assembled perspectives and actions. The desire to heal, change and transform what is hurting for so long and as we heal our relation with the nature, we heal the world.

Incumbent

For centuries, the textile and clothing industry has been relying on skills of various makers, creators and artisans involved in the supply chain. Despite the technologically driven world, the industry relies heavy on manpower and labour-intensive processes for material development and construction. This establishes the strong inclusive relationship between workmanship and quality – Hand that makes. The recent progressive experiments have reimagined the makers space, connected the consumer to the artisans, while celebrating craftsmanship and appreciating their skills.