Union Minister of Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh, today launched the ‘VisioNxt Fashion Forecasting Initiative’ at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). This initiative includes the bilingual web portal and the India-specific Fashion Trend Book ‘Paridhi 24×25’. The event was also attended by the Union Minister of State for Textiles and External Affairs, Shri Pabitra Margherita, and Textiles Secretary, Smt. Rachna Shah.
Address by Shri Giriraj Singh
Shri Giriraj Singh emphasized that the VisioNxt project was launched under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He highlighted that after 2014, there has been a significant shift towards prioritizing indigenous design and manufacturing in India, with VisioNxt being a result of this shift.
Impact on the Fashion Industry
Shri Singh noted that the VisioNxt initiative would promote healthy global competition and elevate Indian culture and design on the international stage. The initiative will leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emotional Intelligence (EI) to provide trend insights, aiming to position India as a leader in the global fashion sector.
Background and Development
The necessity for an India-specific trend prediction system was identified by the Prime Minister at the Global Textile Summit in 2017. In response, VisioNxt was established in 2018 at NIFT Delhi (Creative Lab) and NIFT Chennai (Insights Lab), with support from the Ministry of Textiles. The initiative is now centralized in Chennai and focuses on delivering trend insights and forecasts for the Indian fashion and retail market.
Features of VisioNxt
VisioNxt is India’s first initiative to combine AI and EI for fashion trend forecasting. Its mission is to identify, map, and analyze geo-specific trends, reflecting India’s cultural diversity and socio-economic nuances. The initiative also provides trend-related consultancy services, academic courses, and workshops.
Advantages and Offerings
The initiative reduces dependence on global forecasting agencies, offers unique insights into Indian fashion consumers, and integrates India’s strengths in information technology with textiles. The VisioNxt report is available in Hindi and English through the portal (www.visionxt.in), supporting various stakeholders including weavers, manufacturers, retailers, domestic businesses, and homegrown designers.
DeepVision Model
VisioNxt employs a unique prediction model known as “DeepVision” to decode fashion trends in India. This AI deep learning model identifies over 60 Indian wear and 40 western wear categories, using convolutional neural network architecture. It involves analyzing a dataset of over 70,000 primary apparel images and 280,000+ secondary images to identify key attributes such as style, color, and regional accents.
Global Positioning
By positioning India among the leading countries in fashion trend prediction, VisioNxt aims to increase the visibility of Indian fashion vocabulary and identity while reducing reliance on international trend agencies.
Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs):
- Who launched the ‘VisioNxt Fashion Forecasting Initiative’?
- A) Shri Pabitra Margherita
- B) Smt. Rachna Shah
- C) Shri Giriraj Singh
- D) Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
- What is the name of the India-specific Fashion Trend Book launched alongside VisioNxt?
- A) Paridhi 24×25
- B) TrendIndia 2024
- C) FashionVista 2024
- D) InsightIndia 2025
- Which technology does the VisioNxt initiative use to provide trend insights?
- A) Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Emotional Intelligence (EI)
- B) Blockchain Technology
- C) Augmented Reality (AR)
- D) Virtual Reality (VR)
- Where are the VisioNxt Creative Lab and Insights Lab located?
- A) NIFT Mumbai and NIFT Bangalore
- B) NIFT Delhi and NIFT Chennai
- C) NIFT Delhi and NIFT Kolkata
- D) NIFT Chennai and NIFT Hyderabad
- What is the unique model developed by VisioNxt called?
- A) DeepVision
- B) TrendVision
- C) FashionInsight
- D) TrendMapper