Fashion 2020 calls for new disruptions in industry and education sector

Learning today means adapting, re-aligning, rediscovering, inventing methodologies on the technical and creative frontiers. More than just going back to the roots or innovating new forms, teaching and learning today is about upskilling, unlearning and looking at everyday practices through a new lens. In line with this, institutes are ensuring that online learning serves as an interactive engagement platform and well supported with practical assignments.

The coronavirus era gives fashion students an opportunity to deal with limited resources such as unused old garments where students for example, can break them apart to better understand their construction and reassemble them by hand-sewing them in order to create incredible new ideas. Textile students may create prints using natural dyes from material available at home. Whereas, styling students may build engaging visual narratives from objects available at home by using their phone cameras.

It’s also about learning to upscale sustainability practices that rely on re-producing some fantastic creations from waste and recycling from resources that exist. The current hardship is more of an opportunity than challenge for students to channel their creativity for aesthetics, expression and reflecting human spirit that is adaptive, transformative and undefeated.

Fashion in the times of Corona

The impact of novel coronavirus across the globe has made us accept a new ‘virtual’ way of living. As governments and health organisations like WHO work in tandem to curb the pandemic, the businesses across sectors are also putting in efforts for a positive wave of relief by initiating several causes. From innovative campaigns to design-led communication, several factors are playing a vital role in realising hope during these times of despair.

Fashion industry at large is grappling with the effects of the virus. But leading designers are not only adapting to the new technologies but also putting in efforts to curb the growing shortage of essentials such as masks and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for people and healthcare workers.

Other than this, designers are speculating ways to rewire the fashion systems and their relevance in our lives. The fashion and retail industries are already adapting to these existing disruptions, with brands both big and small realigning their strategies. Slow fashion and sustainability have gained a lot of attention, with more and more people caring for the environment. Many important forums in the field of Fashion and Design are coming together to find viable solutions during these uncertain times.

Designers across the globe, are embracing these changes now, much more than ever before. Many brands are now swiftly building on their existing capabilities, especially those pertaining to digital. While several of them are using this lockdown time to invent innovative ways of sampling digitally and creating collections that can be sold immediately after businesses are up and running, many others are employing novel methods of operation such as creating a virtual look book of their new collections that allow customers to experience the outfits in the full.

What’s the way forward?

There is no doubt about our lives being interlinked with emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. It has altered the way we get information and millennials are at the forefront of adopting and adapting to the latest technological trends. This very technology has enabled fashion schools to adapt to the new ways of teaching. This has led to significant changes and adaptations to new-age course material.

While some institutions have been able to accelerate the learning process and are building a seamless channel of imparting education, many others are still at the budding stages to adopt the methods of new-age learning. When it comes to institutions that are imparting creative education, educators are inventing new platforms to impart uninterrupted education and are re-designing the modules to ensure a smooth transition of education between the students and the teachers. Institutes that have tried to incorporate a 360-degree education module for its courses.

Institutes are also collaborating with some of the leading advancements in the technology today to develop customised mobile applications and deliver lectures via online platforms.

In order to further strengthen the emerging landscape of online learning in India, a few institutions are working in tandem with industry bodies like FICCI to bring in a new wave of change by conducting webinars with leading industry experts, educators and academicians.

With all of these advancements, the role of teachers is certainly going to change or rather evolve. Earlier a teacher was someone who disseminated the knowledge. But now that role has changed to more of a mentor who is working with students as a team together. Learning in a new reality who require institutes, teachers and students to adapt, re-organise, rediscover and invent approaches on the technical and creative frontiers. Teaching and learning in such times is now about upskilling, unlearning and looking at the world through a different perspective.

(The author is Dean, SOF, Pearl Academy)