By Priya Sharma
The Asian fashion market today is the largest in the world. Its volume exceeded $600 billion in 2024, accounting for more than 50% of global apparel consumption. India holds a special place within this system. In 2023, the country’s fashion market was valued at $110 billion, with the e-commerce sector growing by over 20% per year. Online sales of clothing and footwear in India reached nearly $17 billion, and forecasts predict that this figure will double by 2027. The rapidly growing young audience demands not only accessibility but also a personalized approach, which is impossible without the adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence.
It is no coincidence that technology became one of the central themes at the BRICS+ Fashion Summitand Moscow Fashion Week, both held in Russia’s capital. Asia was particularly well represented at these events. The Indian duo Shantnu & Nikhil showcased a collection where architectural draping was combined with visual ellegance. Chinese designer Ma Guai presented works created at the intersection of ethnic tradition and modern reinterpretation. The Asian region is becoming a key driver of fashion technologies, where innovation goes hand in hand with cultural heritage.
Shantnu Nikhil couture at Moscow Fashion Week
Pawan Sachedeva, the Indian designer behind his eponymous brand and Member of Board of Governors at Fashion Design Council of India, explained his reasons for participating in the Summit: “I will be participating in the BRICS+ Fashion Summit for the first time & I have high expectations in terms of cultural exchanges & increase mutual influence in the apparel industry between the countries. My main aim is to center around creativity, functionality, and market relevance.”
Subai China at Moscow Fashion Week
Special attention at Moscow Fashion Week was drawn to the “Mandragora. AI Collection 1869/2025. Digital Heritage” show, created by Sber, the strategic partner of the event. The collection was developed using Sber’s neural networks GigaChat, SymFormer, and Kandinsky, which combined 19th-century archival materials with modern visual concepts. This experience demonstrated that AI is capable not only of accelerating the design process but also of opening new forms of interaction between the past and the future. For India, where the value of craftsmanship intersects with ambitions for digitalization, this example is particularly significant.
India and Russia are already actively collaborating in high-tech sectors, from space and pharmaceuticals to IT development. In 2023, bilateral trade reached $65 billion, with a notable share accounted for by joint projects in the digital economy. Fashion is gradually entering this agenda, becoming another platform for technological exchange.
Mandragora ai collection 1869-2025 digital heritage at Moscow Fashion Week
“When artisans from India co-create with designers from Russia, it results in the fusion of heritage and innovation, not just in the final outcome, but in the thinking behind it,” reflects Antonio Maurizio, Grioli Dean Fashion and Interiors at Pearl Academy. “The largest potential for innovation in the fashion industry lies at the intersection of cultural intelligence, sustainability, and technology, particularly where these are driven by collaboration across geographies and disciplines. The next wave of fashion innovation won’t just come from high-tech labs or luxury houses; it will rise from local studios, shared digital ecosystems, and culturally-rooted design thinking that reflects the complexity of the world we live in.”
Moscow is increasingly establishing itself as a center for cutting-edge fashion. For India, participating in such initiatives is an opportunity not only to strengthen its position in Asia but also to enter a new global alliance where technology shapes the language of the industry. When cultural heritage and artificial intelligence share the runway, they give rise to the future that will shape global fashion for decades to come.
Mandragora ai collection 1869-2025 digital heritage at Moscow Fashion Week