+++ Two-day FashionTEX festival began today at fabrik Chemnitz +++ 24 international students from across Europe present their own creations +++ Highlight is the big fashion show on 7 November at 8 p.m. +++
AI meets fashion: First FashionTEX Festival for digital fashion kicks off in Chemnitz, European Capital of Culture
Amidst great media interest, the international fashion event FashionTEX kicked off today at Fabrik Chemnitz. The focus is primarily on the transformation of the fashion industry, which is being shaped by comprehensive digitalisation, innovative textiles and the use of artificial intelligence. Over two days, internationally renowned fashion experts will debate the challenges and opportunities facing the entire industry in almost 20 discussion rounds in Chemnitz. The two Saxon Ministers of State, Barbara Klepsch (Culture and Tourism) and Conrad Clemens (Culture), were guests on the first day of the festival.
In the former tulle factory in the west of Chemnitz, 24 aspiring fashion designers studying at eleven European universities from Portugal to Croatia, Lithuania and the Netherlands are presenting their creations to a wide audience. The best of them will be awarded prizes at a major fashion show on the evening of 7 November.
The EU project FashionTEX Festival has established the first major platform at the ‘fabrik’ in Chemnitz to showcase the rapid developments in the fashion industry. The international university project builds on the city’s textile tradition and great industrial history, while also demonstrating that fashion is not only an economic factor, but also a cultural expression of innovation and change.
Chemnitz – once known worldwide as the ‘Manchester of Saxony’ for its textile and mechanical engineering industries – offers the ideal setting for combining historical roots with future topics such as digital transformation, sustainability and AI. Under the motto ‘Phygital instead of analogue’, the audience will experience how analogue fabrics and digital technologies merge into new forms of design – from AI-supported processes and smart materials to virtual and augmented reality.
Friday, 7 November 2025 – Shaping the future
After today’s opening day, which focused primarily on education and design topics, the second day of the festival will be all about practice, research and vision. The current programme can be found here.
A special highlight is the FashionTEX Show at 8 p.m. – hosted by star designer Thomas Rath – with the presentation of the European ‘Next Generation Fashion 2025’ award. The after-show party in the rooftop bar is an invitation to celebrate and network.
Innovation exhibition & smart partners
Leading companies, start-ups and research institutes will also be presenting their latest developments in textile technology, digitalisation and sustainable design.
- Deutsche Telekom – innovation driver for digital education & AI expertise
- Hohenstein Laboratories GmbH – Textile testing, sustainability & smart textiles
- Vizoo GmbH – Pioneer in material digitalisation with xTex technology
- Botspot Berlin – High-end 3D scanning for fashion, fit & avatars
- CLO 3D / Cloo3D – Real-time 3D visualisation & virtual prototypes
- Modespitze Plauen GmbH – craftsmanship meets AI in embroidery
The exhibition brings digital transformation to life – from interactive avatars and intelligent fabrics to virtual catwalks and sustainable production solutions.
Tickets are available from €6 at www.fashiontex.eu or on site.
About FashionTEX
FashionTEX is a European Union-funded university project on digital transformation in fashion education. Eleven universities from ten countries, including Germany, Italy, Portugal, Croatia, Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Ukraine, are jointly developing new curricula, digital tools and hybrid learning environments.
The focus is on 3D design, virtual collaboration, sustainability & circular economy, and critical reflection on technological developments. At the heart of the project are makerspaces where students work with tools such as CLO3D, AR/VR, 3D scanning and AI-based design. The annual FashionTEX Festival presents these results and promotes exchange between industry, politics and education.
