Exploring new fashion models

The very interesting, innovative and informative, programme – Master Class on Circular Fashion by Fashion for Good was held for the first time at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2019, as part of a strategic cooperation between IMG Reliance and Fashion for Good from Amsterdam.

The Master Class was supported by India's largest sustainable fashion award, circular design challenge presented by LFW, UN environment and R|Elan, fashion for earth.

Priyanka Khanna, who leads the International Expansion at fashion for good and is currently focused on setting up fashion for good's first regional programme in South Asia, conducted the master class. Priyanka Khanna is an MBA from Oxford University where she has been exposed to the best practices in a global environment.

The programme explored new fashion models in the fashion industry, which were revealed by real world success stories from start-ups. Technological innovation in the fashion industry which would lead to a simpler way of creating circular fashion models was a highlighted point.

Statistics about sustainable fashion and consumer behaviour, mainly based out of the European Union and United Kingdom, was shared to explain the current global scenario in the fashion industry.

Key opportunities and key challenges of recommerce, rental businesses, takeback methods, remanufacturing/rework and digital fashion were explored during the masterclass.

The future of circular business models in India and the process of popularising them was discussed.

Fashion for good is an Amsterdam based globally renowned and credible innovation platform, focused on scaling technologies and business models for startups driving innovation in sustainability and circularity.

They focus on start-ups throughout the entire supply chain such as raw material, dyeing and finishing, manufacturing, retail, end-of use, transparency and traceability. They provide the funding and expertise for innovators to grow through their programmes.

In a quick concise presentation Priyanka Khanna explained the various aspects of the need for circular business practices. She informed that fashion was good and bad but the ugly parts, like landfills filling up was of concern.

With 100 billion garments made globally, it is believed that one is not aware of what happens to 99 per cent of the garments. 82 per cent of discarded apparel in UK and USA could be used.

Make Fashion Good, Priyanka felt was the need for Circular Fashion as she outlined different circular models and gave an overview of each.

According to statistics, Priyanka informed that fashion consumption would grow until 2030 but the second-hand market was $ 51 billion with 55 per cent buying secondhand fashion. She also outlined circular business model types like key opportunities, challenges, impact and how to take back, remanufacture and rework.