The fashion world is shedding its skin, and RUFA is at the forefront of this metamorphosis. On Friday, 15 May 2026, the coordinator of our Sustainable Fashion Design course, Guenda Cermel, will be among the key figures at Science Fashion, the international event dedicated to the intersections of fashion, science, and new technologies.
In a programme that explores wearable technology, algorithmic dematerialisation, and social design, Cermel’s talk brings a systemic and revolutionary vision of teaching and production to the centre of the debate.
“The End is the Beginning”: Reverse Design for a Real Impact
The heart of her talk, titled “The End is the Beginning: Teaching Fashion Design Through a Systemic Reverse Methodology”, challenges the traditional paradigms of design. While the classic method starts from the sketch, the methodology proposed by Guenda Cermel begins with the end-of-life scenario of the product.
“It is not just about designing a garment, but planning its regeneration. We start from the circularity of materials to work backwards to the creative act.”
This “reverse pedagogy” transforms students and designers into directors of a complex system, where creative intuition is supported by extreme technical rigour. An approach that the lecturer successfully applies not only in RUFA workshops but also in settings of excellence such as Ferrari in Milan, proving that sustainability is now the driving force of high-end fashion.
AI as a Systemic Compass
Making RUFA’s contribution to Science Fashion even more avant-garde is the technological integration. During the talk, the app developed last year with the support of the Gaming department will be presented.
This tool is not a mere gadget, but a strategic ally: thanks to artificial intelligence, it allows designers to visualise the entire ecosystem of the production process, helping them to make impact-driven decisions from the very first sketch. AI thus becomes the bridge between systemic vision and daily practice, reducing the gap between ecological theory and industrial reality.
An Ecosystem of Innovation
Guenda Cermel’s presentation is part of a highly prestigious day that will feature speakers of the calibre of:
Galina Mihaleva (Arizona State University) on fashion as an interface between body and data.
Gloria Maria Cappelletti (NABA / RED-EYE) on the concept of the uncanny self and algorithmic identities.
The FASHIONCLASH collectives and Elisa van Joolen on material and social recovery.
The RUFA coordinator’s participation in Science Fashion confirms the Academy’s mission: to train designers who are not merely creators of aesthetics, but architects of sustainable solutions for the global challenges of tomorrow.
USEFUL INFORMATION
Event: Science Fashion – “Renewal & Recovery” Programme
Date: 15 May 2026 | 14:30 – 19:00
Are you interested in the world of sustainable fashion? Discover the BA Programme in Sustainable Fashion Design at RUFA.
