India’s Visionext Lab launches indigenous trend forecasting system to revolutionize fashion industry

Patna: The Visionext Lab, an initiative by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) under the Ministry of Textiles, has emerged as a groundbreaking force in the Indian fashion and retail market. Combining artificial intelligence (AI) and emotional intelligence (EI), the lab has developed an indigenous trend forecasting system tailored to India’s diverse and complex fashion landscape.

Designed to benefit businesses, designers, brands, retailers, artisans, and weavers, the Visionext Lab helps stakeholders anticipate and respond to the evolving needs of Indian consumers. The initiative aims to reduce reliance on global trend forecasting agencies and strengthen India’s position in the global fashion industry.

On September 5, 2024, the Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh unveiled India’s first bilingual fashion trend book and a web portal, “Paridhi 24 (25),” during a launch event in New Delhi. The event was attended by notable figures, including Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State for External Affairs and Textiles; Rachna Shah, Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles; and Rohit Kansar, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles. Since its launch, Paridhi’s e-copy has been downloaded by over 2,000 users, while the web portal has attracted nearly 23,000 visits.

The Visionext Lab’s impact extends far beyond trend forecasting. To date, the initiative has published over 60 microtrend reports, more than 10 season-end trend reports, three research papers, a youth trend report, a mindset study, an e-magazine, and India’s first AI-based taxonomy book covering 75 Indian apparel categories. Its extensive dataset, comprising over 70,000 primary apparel images and 280,000 secondary images, captures patterns in style, colour, and regional influences unique to India.

The ethically certified lab has also trained over 800 students in trend spotting and incorporated them into its data collection system. These efforts are bolstered by Visionext’s commitment to merging India’s information technology strengths with its textile sector, fostering innovation while promoting the nation’s distinctive fashion identity.