Uzbekistan to Open Tashkent International Academy of Fashion

Uzbekistan plans to open a fashion academy in Tashkent to help local clothing manufacturers develop their own brands and sell their products abroad. The academy will take over the premises of the Korean-Uzbek Textile Technopark, which is closing. The new state-run institution, officially called the Tashkent International Academy of Fashion, was established by a presidential resolution signed on October 16. It will build on an existing joint program developed by the Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry and the Paris-based Académie Internationale de Coupe de Paris. Students already enrolled in the program will continue their studies at the new institution. The academy will offer bachelor's and master's degrees in fashion design and related subjects. It also plans to develop joint programs with universities in Europe and Turkey. International students will be eligible for admission. Classes are scheduled to begin in the 2026–27 academic year. Students will be able to complete internships at factories, and from the following academic year, manufacturers will be able to request training programs tailored to their needs. Under this system, students will spend at least 30% of their study time at the academy and the remainder gaining practical experience in factories. The academy will also design clothing for government agencies. Uzbekistan has long manufactured clothing for international clients, but its own fashion brands remain relatively unknown outside the country. The academy aims to help change this by training people who can design clothing collections and manage their production. The textile industry remains one of Uzbekistan's major export sectors. In 2025, the country exported $2.6 billion worth of textile products. Exports reached $2.1 billion in the first eight months of 2026, an increase of 26.9% over the same period in 2025. Finished textile products accounted for 51% of those exports. For years, an international boycott of Uzbek cotton over forced labor hindered the country's textile exports to Western markets. In 2022, the Cotton Campaign coalition lifted the boycott following independent monitoring that found no systematic state-imposed forced labor during the 2021 cotton harvest. The decision opened new opportunities for manufacturers to work with international companies. The regional Next Designer Award competition receives hundreds of applications each season. In August 2026, its final was held in Tashkent for the first time, having previously taken place in Almaty. According to project director Bauyrzhan Shadibekov, young designers often struggle to attract investment and find buyers for their collections. Limited access to professional training also makes it difficult for talented designers to turn their work into successful businesses, he said. Some Uzbek designers have already begun building their own brands. One example is OZBE, which incorporates traditional ornaments and cultural symbols into contemporary streetwear. It remains unclear how many manufacturers will participate in the academy's training programs.

Uzbekistan’s New Visual Language: How OZBE Reimagines Culture Through Streetwear

Uzbekistani fashion is increasingly moving beyond traditional interpretations of national motifs. A new generation of local brands is engaging with cultural heritage through streetwear, using the visual language of youth culture and contemporary identity to resonate in Uzbekistan and internationally. The Times of Central Asia spoke with Raupjon Eshtemirov, a representative of the Uzbekistani streetwear brand OZBE, about how Uzbek ornaments, symbols, and cultural references are being transformed into modern fashion, why young people are rediscovering their cultural roots, and whether Uzbekistan’s fashion scene can gain greater international visibility. TCA: Please tell us a little about the OZBE brand. How did it begin, and what idea did it grow from? Raupjon: OZBE emerged as a local streetwear brand based on the idea of expressing the modern perspective of a new generation through clothing. We started with small drops, and gradually a community formed around the brand. TCA: How would you describe the philosophy of OZBE? Is it more about fashion, culture, self-expression, or a new interpretation of Uzbek identity? Raupjon: For us, OZBE is a combination of all these things. We use fashion as a tool for self-expression and for a contemporary reinterpretation of local culture and identity. TCA: OZBE is often seen as a brand that speaks to young people in a modern visual language. How do you see your audience? Raupjon: Our audience consists mainly of teenagers and young people for whom self-expression through style, visual culture, and clothing is important. At the same time, our audience also includes tourists and people who want to represent modern Uzbekistan through a local brand and its aesthetic. [caption id="attachment_49659" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] @OZBE[/caption] TCA: Why did you choose streetwear as the main form for working with culture and local identity? Raupjon: Streetwear is a modern form of fashion that remains timeless and extremely popular among young people and tourists. It is one of the easiest ways to combine style, culture, and a contemporary view of Uzbekistan. TCA: Uzbekistan has a strong visual tradition, including ornaments, architecture, crafts, and patterns. How do you work with this heritage in your collections? Raupjon: We draw inspiration from local aesthetics, but we try to adapt them to a modern visual context through forms, graphics, details, and presentation. TCA: For you, it is important not simply to use national motifs, but to reinterpret them. What does that process involve? Raupjon: Traditional patterns, ornaments, and cultural elements always remain recognizable and popular. For us, it is important not just to copy them, but to adapt them to modern styles and make them relevant for a new generation and for global streetwear culture. TCA: How can Uzbek patterns, symbols, and cultural references be made to look modern and organic for younger audiences? Raupjon: Through reworked design, modern presentation, and the use of bright, memorable phrases that attract the attention of young people and bring cultural elements closer to contemporary streetwear aesthetics. TCA: Which aspects of Uzbek culture inspire you most: ornaments, language, urban life, music, history, or everyday...