The BRICS+ Fashion Summit is a leading international platform that champions collaboration, innovation, and growth in emerging fashion markets. Packed with insights — from cultural appropriation to brand positioning — this year’s summit offered a deep dive into the future of global fashion.
Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are the core nations of the BRICS, an informal grouping of major emerging economies. Since its creation in 2009, the BRICS has expanded to include more countries, such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and Indonesia.
The three-day global event took place at Moscow’s Zaryadye Concert Hall from August 28 to 30, 2025. It brought together designers, manufacturers, industry experts, entrepreneurs, and academic leaders from the core BRICS+ nations and more.
The Summit kicked off with a business program attended by representatives of government authorities, designers, and heads of fashion associations from across the globe. Notable attendees include Anton Alikhanov, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation; Yang Jian, Executive Chairman of the China Fashion Association; and Nana Tamakloe, Chief Executive Officer of Accra Fashion Week.
The business program featured 16 specialised sessions exploring investment opportunities in the fashion industry, modern technologies, and safeguarding cultural identities. Let’s go over our standout moments from the BRICS + Fashion summit.
Diversity in fashion should include disabilities
Innovation was central, with discussions covering the integration of smart fabrics, biocompatible materials, AI, and big data. For years, fashion has been about exclusivity, but the 2020s have proven that there’s a demand for an inclusive industry. From Victoria’s Secret launching lingerie for pregnant people to SKIMS’ nude-coloured shapewear that comes in dark shades. However, the BRICS+ summit expanded on the current discussion of inclusivity, going beyond body diversity and including disabilities.
Yelena Rusakova, Director of the Innovative Design Lab, expressed, “First, people with special needs must stop hiding, and the industry must start understanding their requests. Second, designers should include people with disabilities in fashion shows and adapt ready collections for them.” She discussed how manufacturers often overlook disabilities; for example, raincoats are hardly wheelchair-accessible.
The market for clothing tailored to individuals with disabilities is experiencing rapid growth. In 2024, the Adaptive Clothing Market size was valued at USD 1.6 billion and is projected to reach USD 4.8 billion by 2032. It is not just an ethical issue, but one enabled by new technologies. Innovations include 3D body scanning, personalised design, AI, adaptive materials, and digital customisation.
Read also: How body diversity is gradually fading from fashion as the era of “quick thin” returns
Watch out for African fashion
The Regional Session on Africa highlighted the continent as a vast market with over 1.5 billion people and a unique cultural identity due to its more than 1,000 ethnic groups. Over a thousand ethnic groups contribute to a unique cultural code reflected in clothing design. But what strategies can help local African brands enter international markets? This was one of the topics discussed by representatives from various African countries.
Anis Montacer, Founder & CEO of Tunis Fashion Week and Sea Design Lab, emphasised that traditional embroidery inspires designers in Tunisia. Tunisian embroiderers not only decorate clothing but also preserve centuries-old craftsmanship that is gradually fading in the era of globalisation.
Egypt also has a fashion industry element to be proud of — the famous Egyptian cotton. Susan Sabet, Board Member and Secretary General of the Egyptian Fashion & Design Council, recalled its history: it began in the 1820s when the French experimented with long-staple Egyptian cotton. Today, the government is working to restore Egypt’s position as a leading supplier of cotton.
African fashion may be new to the international business scene, but with craftsmanship rooted in heritage and tradition, it is poised to make a global impact.
Global showcases of cultural heritage at the BRICS+ Fashion Summit
Held alongside the business summit, the Moscow Fashion Week featured over 120 designers, and the grand International Exhibition ‘Heritage‘ showcased the rich cultural traditions and craftsmanship of BRICS+ nations.
The Indian delegation, led by the Fashion Design Council of India, showcased homegrown textiles like woven cotton. Designers like Ritesh Kumar and Shruti Sancheti presented collections blending traditional textiles with contemporary, wearable silhouettes.
The event featured international brands such as Lucas Leão (Brazil), David Tlale (South Africa), and CHNNYU Studio (China), demonstrating a convergence of styles and cultural influences.
Sustainability and the circular economy
A major theme of the summit was the necessity of sustainable practices and the fight against climate change. Discussions centred on the shift toward a greener industry, with a focus on the circular economy—the reuse and recycling of materials.
Brazilian researcher and designer Luciana Duarte highlighted innovations, such as materials being developed to absorb carbon dioxide and essentially perform a type of photosynthesis, releasing oxygen.
There was a strong consensus that the future of fashion must be eco-friendly, with designers increasingly mandated to use recycled and environmentally friendly fabrics.
AI as a creative partner, not a competitor
While innovation was discussed broadly, the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) was the subject of a dedicated session. Experts agreed that AI is emerging not as a competitor to designers, but as a collaborative tool. They affirmed that while AI excels at executing well-defined tasks, it cannot replicate the human experience that drives authentic creativity, leading to the consensus that creative originality can evolve alongside AI.
Yu Chen, Founder and Design Director of Chen Yu Studio, expressed, “AI can make a huge number of designs, prints, and ornaments. Its performance is really colossal. But it is the designer who chooses what to use. A designer working in the consumer market knows exactly what people need. Some ideas that AI produces can be undreamt of, but they are computer-like, without a human touch, and the audience won’t take that.”
The BRICS+ Fashion Summit emphasised the importance of inclusivity and celebrating diverse cultural identities. It addressed critical topics, including disability representation and the potential of the African fashion market.
The fashion industry is always on the lookout for what’s next, and one thing the 2020s have shown us is that diversity and inclusivity can be effective. Perhaps the future of fashion is a place where everyone feels seen.
Read more: Lessons from the BRICS+ Fashion Summit 2024
