Fashion brings people together because whether you like it or not, you are a part of the industry as a consumer, buyer, designer, pattern-maker, manufacturer or a party within the supply chain.
As the textile evolution continues to transform fashion, designers are cautious about using sustainable fabrics to ensure environmental friendliness and functionality.
“Fashion’s tremendous socio-cultural impact on society and human consciousness has been known for a long time. The fashion business today has no geographical borders, small designer brands successfully enter the global arena, competing with big players,” reports “BRICS Magazine”.
At Moscow Fashion Week, designers from all over the world unveiled their latest collections, each with a different story to tell using innovative designs.
Craftsmanship and detailing dominated most collections, with brands like Kensun, Vestaiaire, Rogov, Buro Unique, Dicted To, Shatu 1997, Imkmode and Gapa, pulling out all the stops.
“Imkmode is the search for flawless form through modification of natural human properties. This form is obtained from the clothes-sexuality relation. Pure monochromatic tones are used as the vase to refocus attention from the object’s colour to its style, constitution and material.
“The synergy of materials, light, and particular geometric highlights can be seen in the vivacity and magnificence of all offered items,” said Masha Kurdyumova, the creative director of Imkmode.
Famed for effortlessly creating chic clothes, Addicted To’s outwear drop is a combination of traditional suits with loose cuts, maxi lengths, and bold shoulder designs, featuring long and sometimes extra-long sleeves equipped with slits.
Using fashion to tell a unique story, Shatu 1997’s designs are inspired by family vacations and some of the unforgettable memories created that are achieved in photography, reminding us of Thebe Magugu, who also uses memorable photographs to tell a story.
We’ve seen this in his Heirloom collection, where he customises blouses and pants for his clients using their loved ones’ iconic photographs.
Titled “Royal Vacation”, Shatu’s latest collection embodies relaxed looks crafted with a noble colour palette and airy elements, becoming a central theme.
Using linen organza and nettle, this collection exudes sophistication and elegance.
In an Instagram video where the Shatu teams show the behind-the-scene, it is evident that the brand is up-to-date with the latest trends in experimenting with raw materials and processing methods that include nanotechnologies.
“We work with the world's best factories, and when we cannot find something that will fully reveal the product, we create the right fabric ourselves,” added Svetlana Shatunova, CEO of Shatu.
“This reflects one of the principles of the brand's philosophy: do not settle for compromise, but look for the best solution in order to achieve the perfect result.”
South Africa’s Tshegofatso By Design also showcased his Frankenstein All Season 24/25 collection, a combination of avant-garde and grunge aesthetics.
According to the organisers of Moscow Fashion Week, who are also responsible for the BRICS+ Fashion Summit, bringing together designers from different parts of the world is important because it fosters relationships, which in turn, contributes significantly to the textile and fashion industry.
“The role of BRICS countries as markets for the global textile sector and fashion brands is gaining strength. After all, BRICS today is the world’s fastest-growing fashion market.
“China is its undisputed leader as the biggest producer and exporter of clothing as well as the biggest consumer. India is the world’s second-biggest producer of textiles.
“The fashion industry in Brazil is expected to show a 3.5% annual growth. South Africa is the key player in the African fashion market today.
“Experts say Russia’s market for luxury fashion goods will grow by up to 8% a year,” reads a statement from the organisers.
“The BRICS+ countries can transform global fashion, make it more differentiated and decentralised, with a greater focus on local manufacturers, which is in line with sustainable development principles.”
With that said, over 50 countries signed a memorandum to form the BRICS International Fashion Federation. The new federation seeks to establish new centres of influence, strengthen international connections, boost industry sustainability, and provide NewGen of fashion talents with growth opportunities.
“The BRICS International Fashion Federation has the potential to significantly foster international collaboration by creating structured opportunities for designers, artisans, and manufacturers to work together on joint ventures, exhibitions, and collections.
“This can help open up new markets, enabling designers from Uganda, for example, to reach audiences in Russia, Brazil, or India,” said Brian Ahumuza, CEO and founder of the Uganda Fashion Designers Association.