India’s Pioneering Fashion Forecasting Initiative VisioNxt Launched by Textile Ministry [Current Affairs]

In a significant move to bolster India’s position in the global fashion industry, Union Minister of Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh, unveiled the ‘VisioNxt Fashion Forecasting Initiative’ developed by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). This launch event, which also saw the introduction of a bilingual web portal and the India-specific Fashion Trend Book ‘Paridhi 24×25‘, marks a pivotal moment in India’s fashion and textile sector.

The Launch Event

Key Attendees

• Shri Giriraj Singh, Union Minister of Textiles
• Shri Pabitra Margherita, Union Minister of State for Textiles and External Affairs
• Smt. Rachna Shah, Textiles Secretary

Ministerial Address

In his address, Shri Giriraj Singh emphasized that the VisioNxt project is a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary leadership. He highlighted how India, post-2014, has been prioritizing indigenous design and manufacturing, with VisioNxt being a direct outcome of this strategic shift.

VisioNxt: A Game-Changer in Fashion Forecasting

Objectives and Impact

1. Foster healthy global competition
2. Elevate Indian culture and design on the global stage
3. Provide Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) based trend insights
4. Establish India as a leader in the global fashion sector

Genesis of VisioNxt

The inception of VisioNxt can be traced back to the Global Textile Summit in 2017, where Prime Minister Modi highlighted the need for India-specific real-time trend insights. This recognition led to the establishment of VisioNxt in 2018, supported by the Ministry of Textiles.

Key Features

• Centralized in Chennai
• Focuses on trend insights and forecasting for Indian fashion and retail market
• Offers trend-related consultancy services, academic courses, and workshops

Technological Innovation in Fashion Forecasting

DeepVision: The Unique Prediction Model

VisioNxt has developed “DeepVision“, a cutting-edge model designed to:

• Decode patterns and interpret fashion trends in India
• Identify product specifics (e.g., Kurta vs. Kurti, color, pattern, length)
• Use convolutional neural network architecture

AI and Machine Learning Integration

• Pioneering AI deep learning model developed in-house
• Identifies over 60 Indian wear and 40 western wear categories
• Utilizes a dataset of 70,000+ primary apparel images and 280,000+ secondary image data

Benefits and Implications

For the Indian Fashion Industry

1. Reduces dependence on global forecasting agencies
2. Provides unique insights into Indian fashion consumers
3. Integrates India’s IT strength with textiles
4. Combines artificial and human intelligence

For Stakeholders

Supports:

• Weavers
• Manufacturers
• Retailers
• Domestic businesses
• Homegrown designers
• Fashion brands

Accessibility

• Available in Hindi and English
• Accessible through the VisioNxt portal
• Empowers users to design, produce, and launch targeted collections

Global Positioning

India’s Entry into Fashion Forecasting

• Positions India among countries that predict fashion trends
• Increases visibility of Indian fashion vocabulary and identity
• Reduces dependence on international trend agencies

The Paridhi Trend Book

Significance

‘Paridhi‘ marks the launch of the first inclusive fashion trend forecast by VisioNxt, accompanied by a web portal for disseminating India-specific fashion trends.