The 137th Canton Fair's Design Innovation Forum Highlights AI's Transformative Role in Fashion Trends
The 137th China Import and Export Fair, commonly known as the Canton Fair, recently featured an engaging event titled the "Design Innovation Forum – Trendy Design Leads a New Era of Fashion." This forum has attracted prominent industry experts, designers, and brand leaders, all gathering to explore and debate future fashion trends, innovative design methods, and the integration of technology.
One of the key highlights of this forum was the unveiling of the POP Fashion Trend Report for Spring/Summer 2026, presented by Cao Lei, the Chief Expert on Global Fashion Trends at POP Shejie. This report sheds light on novel trends influenced by evolving consumer behaviors, lifestyle changes, and global factors such as sustainability and emotional engagement, alongside the rise of AI innovations. The presentation emphasized the notion that qualities like optimism, resilience, and nature-inspired innovations are set to shape the next wave of fashion design.
Despite facing uncertainty in global markets, the fashion industry continues to demonstrate resilience. Attendees engaged in discussions about how a shift towards small-batch production, involving diverse styles and heightened flexibility, could become the new norm within the industry. Consumer preferences are rapidly moving towards personalized, sustainable, and functional clothing, prompting the sector to pivot from inspiration-led creation to data-driven design approaches.
The transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the fashion sector was another central theme of the forum. Representatives from various companies, including POP Shejie, Style 3D, Shangjie Cloud, and Zhijing Technology, discussed how AI is establishing new business models, redefining creative processes, and creating competitive advantages. "AI does not replace designers; it supports them," stated Han Xiaojun, Chief AI Designer at POP Shejie. He noted that future designers must master skills in AI Prompt Engineering, design evaluation, and brand positioning, evolving into creative strategists capable of merging data with intuition.
Xiao Rong, a Digital Consultant from Style 3D, highlighted the integration of 3D technology with AI, which reportedly reduces pattern production time by 50% while tripling research and development efficiency. Hu Ping, General Manager of Shangjie Cloud, emphasized the importance of digital product management and encouraged companies to develop data-driven "digital brains" to foster innovation. Moreover, Zhang Chengdong, an AI expert from Zhijing Technology, introduced their Fashion Mind AI system, which integrates trend forecasting capabilities with supply chain functions, significantly speeding up large-scale on-demand production.
The industry forum underlined the growing significance of the Canton Fair not solely as a shopping hub but also as a vital platform for innovation and collaboration. The fashion industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation, necessitating a mastery of trend insights, technological integration, and adaptive response strategies to pave the way for future growth.
Looking ahead, the 138th Canton Fair is scheduled to take place from October 15 to November 4, 2025, in Guangzhou, promising further opportunities for industry leaders to connect and innovate. For more information, visit Canton Fair and explore the exciting developments shaping the future of fashion.
One of the key highlights of this forum was the unveiling of the POP Fashion Trend Report for Spring/Summer 2026, presented by Cao Lei, the Chief Expert on Global Fashion Trends at POP Shejie. This report sheds light on novel trends influenced by evolving consumer behaviors, lifestyle changes, and global factors such as sustainability and emotional engagement, alongside the rise of AI innovations. The presentation emphasized the notion that qualities like optimism, resilience, and nature-inspired innovations are set to shape the next wave of fashion design.
Despite facing uncertainty in global markets, the fashion industry continues to demonstrate resilience. Attendees engaged in discussions about how a shift towards small-batch production, involving diverse styles and heightened flexibility, could become the new norm within the industry. Consumer preferences are rapidly moving towards personalized, sustainable, and functional clothing, prompting the sector to pivot from inspiration-led creation to data-driven design approaches.
The transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the fashion sector was another central theme of the forum. Representatives from various companies, including POP Shejie, Style 3D, Shangjie Cloud, and Zhijing Technology, discussed how AI is establishing new business models, redefining creative processes, and creating competitive advantages. "AI does not replace designers; it supports them," stated Han Xiaojun, Chief AI Designer at POP Shejie. He noted that future designers must master skills in AI Prompt Engineering, design evaluation, and brand positioning, evolving into creative strategists capable of merging data with intuition.
Xiao Rong, a Digital Consultant from Style 3D, highlighted the integration of 3D technology with AI, which reportedly reduces pattern production time by 50% while tripling research and development efficiency. Hu Ping, General Manager of Shangjie Cloud, emphasized the importance of digital product management and encouraged companies to develop data-driven "digital brains" to foster innovation. Moreover, Zhang Chengdong, an AI expert from Zhijing Technology, introduced their Fashion Mind AI system, which integrates trend forecasting capabilities with supply chain functions, significantly speeding up large-scale on-demand production.
The industry forum underlined the growing significance of the Canton Fair not solely as a shopping hub but also as a vital platform for innovation and collaboration. The fashion industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation, necessitating a mastery of trend insights, technological integration, and adaptive response strategies to pave the way for future growth.
Looking ahead, the 138th Canton Fair is scheduled to take place from October 15 to November 4, 2025, in Guangzhou, promising further opportunities for industry leaders to connect and innovate. For more information, visit Canton Fair and explore the exciting developments shaping the future of fashion.
Topics Consumer Products & Retail）
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