Glamour meets attitude: When the grand FashionTEX Show takes place at the fabrik Chemnitz on November 7, 2025, none other than star designer Thomas Rath will be hosting the evening. The renowned fashion expert, TV personality, and European design ambassador for Germany brings style, charm, and international experience to the European Capital of Culture 2025, transforming the stage into a meeting point for young talents, established brands, and the digital future of fashion. “I’m delighted to be a part of this extraordinary emerging talent project this evening. The FashionTEX Festival shows that fashion is far more than just clothing. It’s about attitude, innovation, and a cultural dialogue that transcends borders,” says Thomas Rath about his participation.

Europe’s Emerging Talents in the Spotlight

The show will feature the 24 finalists of the “Next Generation Fashion 2025” award. Students from eleven leading European fashion schools will present their visions of tomorrow’s fashion, from virtual 3D designs to sustainably produced collections. A special highlight is the 3D show featuring evening gowns by Dresden-based designer Dorothea Michalk, who combines classic couture with digital elements. Another highlight of the evening is the presentation by the internationally renowned label bruno banani, which has its roots in the Chemnitz region. The label will showcase its latest trends, embodying its distinctive mix of style, innovation, and regional identity. “The show brings glamour, technology, and young creativity together on one stage and demonstrates how strongly fashion reflects social, cultural, and technological developments,” emphasizes Bernhard Reeder, Chairman of the European Cultural Forum and initiator of the festival.

Fashion with a Message: Young Designers Address Important Issues

The emerging designers prove that fashion goes far beyond aesthetics. Their designs express a critical engagement with the major issues of our time. Many collections address war and peace, environmental and climate protection, women’s rights, diversity, and social responsibility. This results in works that combine emotion, innovation, and attitude—from garments that symbolize the transformation of nature to digital outfits that rethink gender issues and identity.
Fashion thus becomes the voice of a young generation that takes responsibility and makes its vision of a just, sustainable, and open society visible.

Participation welcome: Become an avatar yourself!

The FashionTEX Festival explicitly invites you to participate.
In the interactive experience format “Become an Avatar Yourself,” visitors can have their measurements taken on-site and be scanned as a 3D avatar. This allows them to experience firsthand how fashion, technology, and the body digitally merge—a glimpse into the future of virtual try-ons, custom-made digital clothing, and individual identity in the metaverse.

For the full press release

Program brochure available for download here