The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), serving as the Knowledge Partner at Bharat Tex 2026, unveiled its international fashion forecast ‘Eternité: Kalpa 27/28’ under its trend intelligence platform VISIONXT®, presenting a future-focused roadmap for India’s textile and apparel industry.
The forecast for the 2027–28 fashion cycles was formally launched by Shri Giriraj Singh, Hon’ble Minister of Textiles, Government of India, in the presence of industry leaders and dignitaries at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Designed to position Indian textiles and apparel at the intersection of tradition and global relevance, the forecast aims to support designers, brands, manufacturers and exporters in aligning with evolving consumer behaviour while drawing inspiration from India’s rich cultural heritage.
Forecast Built on Global Data and Indian Philosophy
During the unveiling, NIFT showcased the VISIONXT® Global Foresight Method, which is based on the philosophy “यत् भावो तत् भवति” (“You become what you believe”) from the Vishnu Purana.
The methodology combines advanced artificial intelligence, machine learning, cultural analysis and market intelligence to predict future fashion trends and product directions.
Five-Step VISIONXT Methodology
NIFT explained that the forecast has been developed using a structured five-stage process:
- Accumulate: Collection of more than 100,000 global signals and 60,000+ market drivers from proprietary databases, e-commerce platforms, runway trends, export data, along with inputs from VISIONXT experts and academic institutions.
- Analyse: Deep data mining, AI and machine learning models, brand analytics, social intelligence and cultural decoding through the VISIONXT Map 8 framework.
- Foresight: Evaluation of global developments, emerging consumer archetypes, environmental changes and socio-cultural shifts to identify future design directions.
- Insight: Identification of key drivers, consumer emotions, colour palettes, materials, prints, crafts and strategic opportunities through a process called Culture Cartography.
- Evaluate: Continuous trend monitoring, expert validation and refinement to ensure real-time relevance.
The forecasting process also integrates Climate Mapping, Temporal Analysis, and Emerging Emotions Analysis using the AI and machine learning-powered DeepSignal® Framework.
Supporting Predictive, Design-Led Growth
According to NIFT, the forecast provides practical guidance across lifestyle trends, product design, fabrics, colours and business strategies for both domestic and international markets.
The initiative aims to help India’s textile and apparel industry transition from reactive manufacturing towards predictive, design-led growth, enabling businesses to anticipate market demand and strengthen their global competitiveness.
The AI-driven VISIONXT® platform has been developed using more than 100,000 global signals, offering industry stakeholders valuable insights into upcoming fashion and consumer trends for the 2027–28 seasons.
The launch event was attended by Smt. Tanu Kashyap, IAS, Director General, NIFT, and Dr. Kaustav Sengupta, Head, VISIONXT, who presented the platform and its forecasting framework.
