International Conference on Fashion as A Tool for Social Change (FTSC) was held last week and it was organised by Dept. of Fashion Science, Woxsen School of Arts & Design. The conference had the theme of ‘Cultural Preservation and Innovation’ and it lasted two days. The event congregated delegates from relevant sectors across the globe with a shared aim of bringing about a transformation in the fashion industry and turning it into a force for positive change. The knowledge partners for this conference are IBA Crafts and UP and White House Apparels, Hyderabad. 

Fashion as Tool for Social Change (FTSC) Conference was held over a span of two days in which the creativity and thoughtful brilliance of participants were showcased, and the event left an everlasting footprint on the landscape of the fashion industry. The main focus of the event was in and around Fashion, Sustainability, Preservation of traditions & culture, Revival of crafts, fashion and mental well-being, Diversity and Inclusion in Fashion, and Representation of marginalized communities in fashion. The conference held keynote speeches, panel discussions and approximately 20 paper presentations to put its point across.

Prof Margaret Bishop, Adjunct Professor of Strategic Management at Parsons School of Design, USA, in her keynote speech, examined the ‘Role of Fashion in promoting Environmental Sustainability’ and urged action from the industry to make significant leaps towards an eco-friendly future. Prof Bishop tackled the topic of fast fashion and the impact of fashion on the environment and sustainability as she shared valuable insights on dark side of fashion. Further in her keynote address, she added, “There is a pressing need for sustainable alternatives and collective responsibility of all the stakeholders in promoting environmental sustainability through fashion.”

Nitin Kapoor, CEO & Co-Founder of IBA Crafts, the knowledge partner for this Conference, made a keynote speech on the topic of ‘Fashion, Technology & Sustainability’. He said, “One of the most significant challenges that the sustainable fashion industry faces is managing the supply chain. The use of technology can help in this regard. In fact, a lot of companies are adopting to technology-based supply chain management solutions, including Block Chain, AI & ML. These technologies help in maintaining transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain.”

Panel discussion on “Diversity and Inclusion in the Fashion Industry” was among one of the many thought-provoking panel discussions held in the conference. The panellists for this discussion included Nitin Kapoor, Prof Puneesh Lamba, Prof Margaret Bishop, Dr. Stephen C. Patton, Munawar Khan, and Gaurav Longishetty. The discussion delved into subjects like cultural support, economic development, Integration of AI into Fashion along with role of technology in supporting diversity and inclusion within the fashion industry.

The third keynote address, made by Dr. Stephen C. Patton, Director (South Asia), El Puerto De Liverpool, Mexico, presented ‘Couture Cognition: Cracking the Code of Informed Fashion.’ Dr Patton explained the complexity of informed decision-making in the fashion world and supplied insights on how fashion choices impact ethical practices & sustainability. The conference was filled with insightful discussion and pathbreaking ideas as the fashion design students, too, shared presentations on subjects covering the revival of traditional textiles and associated cultural practices, colour psychology, cancer awareness and chromotherapies.

The second day of the conference was filled with equally riveting presentations and discussions cutting across various issues in the fashion industry like body dysmorphia, representation of marginalized communities, how fashion can help with the self-esteem of people with dyslexia, how fashion can help avoid accidents, use of deadstock and leftover fabric for sustainable fashion as a step towards greener future.

Prof Rajesh Kumar, Fashion Program Director, led the organising team with Dr. Sadhna, Vishaka Rao & Anthima Rao and they facilitated the dialogue while laying the foundation for upcoming collaborations within the fashion industry. In line with the core pillars of Woxsen University, the conference focused on fostering diversity & inclusion with the students understanding of it, supporting Sustainable Development Goals via collaboration across cultures, linking industry with academia and Internationalization.

About Woxsen University:

Woxsen University is one of the pioneer private universities in Telangana, India. The university is renowned for its state-of-the-art campus spread across 200 acres and Infrastructure. The university offers courses in the fields of Architecture, Art and design, Technology, Business, Law, Liberal Arts & Humanities and Sciences. The university has 120+ Global Partner Universities.