Posted on

Fashion Design Degree – Career, Courses, Subjects, Eligibility, Exams

Fashion Design Degree

Fashion Designing is an art, a dream, and a vision to revolutionize apparel designs aesthetically. It is the soul of the entire fashion industry. Just imagine how the world may look without the hues of colors and beauty! Similarly, how uninteresting it is to see everyone in the same attire. With the dawn of civilization, fashion sense started attracting people and took shape in different ways and forms in different eras. However, the concept of obtaining fashion design degree or education emerged with the modernization of society. Fashion has now become a full-fledged industry.

The history of fashion design dates back to 1826. Charles Frederick Worth is considered the first fashion designer of the world who started a fashion house in Paris. No wonder why Parish is the international fashion capital. It was during the middle of the 20th century that fashion houses from the streets of Paris started mass production of fashion garments. Since then, the wave of fashion never stopped.

It encroached massively from rare few to everyone and became accessible to a larger public. The revolutionizing fashion trends received so much love and acceptance that it became a lifestyle among people from different geographical conditions. It largely added to the world’s GDP by also creating employment opportunities for keen fashion enthusiasts. Since the fashion design industry broadened its horizons, specializations in varied categories of clothing came into existence. Fashion trend like men’s wear, women’s wear, lingerie, bridal wear, kid’s wear, handbags, footwear, and accessories, etc. emerged to remain forever.

Fashion Design in Modern Times

Modern fashion design can be categorized into ready-to-wear and haute couture. The intricate developments in the fashion design industry gave a boost to other career paths like fashion journalism, fashion photography, fashion advisory, hair, and make-up artisans, etc.  Due to having core skills and understanding today, fashion designers have more career choices than the earlier times when most of the fashion designers were independent freelancers. Today, fashion design degree or diploma holders can get a competitive-edge over their counterparts, especially during promotions. Added to their enhanced skills and understanding of fashion business, individuals equipped with special training are preferred among others.

Today, the work has become more streamlined with the synchronization of the fashion industry. Need for various fashion assistants to stylists to managers to entrepreneurs and so on has emerged. Hence, the competition has increased among the fashion corporates, professionals and scholars. It allowed global fashion schools to enhance the training structure with an innovative curriculum in fashion design. The upcoming fashionistas must have a good hold of fashion trends for emerging as fashion leaders.

Career in Fashion Design

Fashion design professionals should have an in-depth understanding of different weaves, fabric, texture, prints, colour, style and fashion trends with a sense of analyzing the upcoming trends profitably. After all, the success of a brand depends upon the selection and approval from the fashion designers through various levels. By obtaining a career in fashion design, one doesn’t only get to work as a fashion designer alone. There are certain sets of duties, leverages and perks that come along. A fashion design degree offers enormous career opportunities with fashion houses, big apparel or accessory brands, and industries, etc. Let’s ponder upon what job titles one may acquire after pursuing a course in fashion design.

  • Fashion Designer: Anyone with a qualification in fashion design can opt for either starting his label or may join a fashion enterprise and render designing services. A fashion designer works on styling different apparels that come under various clothing categories.  
  • Technical Designer: A technical designer is responsible for creating a technical package. They decide every detail about a garment/accessory under construction. It may range from fabric selection to stitching instruction to points of measurements to placement or even packaging instructions.
  • Fashion Marketer: As the title suggests, one can utilize his fashion design knowledge and understanding in marketing big fashion brands, retails or chain outlets. Anyone having a flair for marketing in the field of clothing, accessories or styling can become a fashion marketer with just right skills and persona.
  • Quality Controller: A quality controller sets quality standards for the items to reach customer shelves. This involves issuing guidelines for each department from production to packaging to distribution and delivery. At every stage production gets quality-checked under the supervision of Quality controller.
  • Fashion Stylist: Majorly fashion stylists are hired by celebrities who require them for enhancing their wardrobe and present them with a trendier selection in their closet. Fashion stylists are usually independent freelancers who work for one or more celebrities. Now a day, fashion consultants are evolving rapidly due to technology access and crunched distances. All thanks to social media.
  • Fashion Concept Manager: A fashion concept manager has a heavy burden on his shoulders, yet this is an interesting profile for fashion design professionals. Concept manager is responsible for bringing revolutionized thinking and approach for new design under a brand name that is saleable as well as earns a good reputation for the label.
  • Fashion Coordinator: As the title suggests, a fashion coordinator is responsible for integrating fashion range across all divisions of a retail outlet, fashion house, boutique or a fashion magazine. They play a vital role in helping their organization decide on the trending range in clothing and accessories.  

Above listed titles are just a glimpse of title(s) that a student with a degree/diploma in fashion design may acquire after completing fashion studies. However, there are a lot of opportunities that the fashion industry has to offer to qualified individuals who have a zest for making it big in the industry. One may need to undergo thorough training and education to support their candidature for the awe-inspiring fashion world.

Fashion Design Degree and Courses at ICF

Do you have a flair for designing clothes or do you have a keen eye for the detailing of fashion accessories? If yes, then nobody can stop you from excelling in a career associated with fashion design. Often, fashion design is perceived as just designing clothes, however, it goes beyond the intricate designing. You can have a plethora of opportunities (also mentioned above) in front of you after obtaining the desired qualification in Fashion studies. Today, the time has changed and the fashion schools have revolutionized from just being traditional to completely modernized, having the modernized equipment, training methods and the curriculum.

Fashion students can choose from the wide variety of courses available at the respective institutions. The most sought-after fashion courses for students as well professionals are those that can fetch them employment or career growth respectively. The fashion industry is vast; hence the courses vary across different institutions. Fashion courses at the ICF are divided into two categories, viz., Undergraduate and Postgraduate Programs.

Undergraduate Programs Include:

  • BBA in Fashion Entrepreneurship
  • Diploma in Fashion Design          

Postgraduate Programs Include:

  • Masters in Fashion Entrepreneurship
  • PG Diploma in Fashion Design

BBA in Fashion Entrepreneurship

The course duration for BBA in Entrepreneurship is 3-years. It is a degree program from UGC recognised Government University that combines Fashion Design with Entrepreneurship.

BBA in Fashion Entrepreneurship involves an extensive curriculum which has been developed by IIT Delhi, NID Ahmedabad & NIESBUD.

This is a job-oriented course which has been created to establish practical fashion skills and understanding about the brand and design.

Diploma in Fashion Design

Diploma in Fashion Design is a 1-year Diploma Program which is a UGC recognised program suitable for undergraduate students. Anyone having a keen interest in becoming a fashion professional after completing school has a golden chance to brighten their career in Fashion Design in an affordable manner.

Masters in Fashion Entrepreneurship

Masters in Fashion Entrepreneurship is a 2-years degree program in Fashion Entrepreneurship which is a UGC recognised degree program. Serious graduates who want to make a career in Fashion Entrepreneurship can opt for this program. Masters in Fashion Entrepreneurship nourishes your skills in understanding the fashion business environment, evaluating business opportunities, creating new ventures and fostering innovations in the fashion world.

PG Diploma in Fashion Entrepreneurship

PG Diploma in Fashion Entrepreneurship is a 1-year post-graduate diploma program which offers a UGC recognised qualification for the aspiring fashion students and professionals. It gives you access to cutting edge qualification which can be acquired in the least minimum time. This course is perfect for graduate students and working professionals as well as those on a break.

Fashion Design Subjects

General courses in Fashion Design includes the following subjects:

  • Fashion and Art
  • Pattern Drafting
  • Creative Design
  • Fashion Illustration
  • Fitting

Fashion students get their hands-on exposure to the fashion industry through the following subjects included in their syllabus at various diploma, graduate or post-graduate level. The below list may vary as per different study levels and may include more subjects.

  • History of Fashion Designing
  • Fabrics and Raw Materials
  • Clothing Design
  • Pattern Making
  • Surface Ornamentation
  • Fashion Trend
  • Fashion Photography
  • Fashion Market
  • Communication Design
  • Accessory Design
  • Fabrics, Prints and Raw Materials, etc.
  • Partnership
  • Business Management
  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Textile Management
  • Garment Industry (Merchandising quality, industrial garment production, marker planning, etc.)

Everything today has revolutionized to technology. The fashion schools have also geared up with a couple of technological advancements in graphic design, adding following in the curriculum for their upcoming fashionistas. 

  • Construction Basics 
  • Textiles and Pattern Making 
  • Computer Assisted Drawing (CAD) 
  • Portfolio Development 

Eligibility:

  • For securing admission to BBA in Fashion Entrepreneurship, a student should have passed class 12th from a recognized board with 45 per cent marks. Students awaiting their board results may also apply.
  • For securing admission to Masters in Fashion Entrepreneurship, a student should have obtained a graduate or an equivalent degree from a recognized university with a minimum pass percentage as 45%. Candidates awaiting their final year results may also apply.

Fashion Design Exams

The most important exams associated with fashion and design courses are AIEED, CEED, NID and NIFT. Students seeking admission in reputed college should undergo the common entrance examination and obtain a minimum score for consideration.

Also, many fashion schools/colleges conduct separate exams like IIT CEED, NID GDPD / PGDPD, and so on.

It is critical for a candidate to pass the minimum required criteria accepted by various colleges.

Chances of Success

It is important to learn that your success depends upon your choices. As you opt for a study in fashion design, you have to be very sure about your strengths and likings in this particular field. Also, at the same time, you will need to know about the pain points that may arise in the future. You have to set your mind before jumping on any conclusion. Any decision about your career in fashion or otherwise should be deeply thought before working out. One wrong decision can change your entire life. You may not likely to take that chance!

Hence, hold on and re-evaluate your decisions. Talking about success in the fashion industry, it is immense. It is so much that one may not get bored of this industry ever. First of all, it is an ever-evolving industry. It is very surprising how quickly the trends, tastes and consumer response and behaviour changes. It keeps the fashion professionals on their toes. A person with a love for dynamism is a perfect fit for the fashion industry. Since the change multiplies the chance of success and you can achieve it if you are quick to respond to changes.

You can inculcate great professional ethics by nurturing yourself under a highly esteemed fashion college. Do not just opt for a course to study but a complete culture that can bring out the right professional in you. Make a list of the colleges that you are planning to apply to, re-evaluate each one of them based on learning, education, class, popularity, placement records, alumni track and above all industry training. Yes, industry training is a LIVE experience that students get during their course time. It makes you develop a hands-on understanding of the real-world scenario. It prepares you for cracking interviews confidently. Do not just go by college popularity, evaluating certain parameters will give you a clear insight into the authority of an institute.

Scope of Fashion Design

Today, the world is growing at a faster pace due to digitization. E-commerce and social media have allowed brands to evolve like never before. For instance, e-commerce shopping sites like Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, etc. have given fashion professionals a plethora of opportunities.

Also, the consumer buying behaviour has impacted a lot through the use of social media and social app. The need for fashion professionals has witnessed an outstanding increase which will continue exponentially as the fashion industry broadens its horizons. This is a clear indicator that the demand fashion professionals will keep evolving with this industry.

Investing in fashion studies is surely about investing in your future for greater success.

Inspirational Personalities in Fashion Design

They are leading the Indian fashion industry with their exemplary work and performance at each sphere. With their hard work and dedication, they haven’t received love from their own country but from other nations too. They have international reach and are known as the best fashion designers in the fashion industry. Let’s uncover who:

Ritu Beri, Rohit Bal, Rina Dhaka, Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, Manish Arora, TarunTahiliani and Ritu Kumar.

They are the ones fashion students look up to for motivation and courage. To become as successful as them, one needs a keen eye on detail and right approach towards learning. Equipping yourself with a full-fledged qualification sets the base for achieving a lot more throughout your professional journey. Students are advised to learn from their hard work and get inspired by their work.

WHY ICF for Obtaining a Fashion Design Degree/Diploma?

International College of Fashion is more than just being a fashion institute. We are home to state-of-the-art facilities. Our students get exposure to deal with elite industry figures who hail from different backgrounds and reserves honorary positions in their respective working areas.

We have developed a new Fashion Entrepreneurship program under the guidance of exemplary industry figures in association with IIT-Delhi, NID- Ahmadabad and NIESBUD.

Our students not only obtain a fashion design degree or diploma but a handful of learning experiences which they get by involving in various industry training and internships conducted by the ICF. Our track record of successfully placed students is of an umpteen repute and we are counted among the best fashion colleges in India. A student who joins our college for either of the diploma or degree program(s) achieves exceptional learning, LIVE training, industry exposure and intricate professional mannerism with our off-class sessions.

We aim to develop future entrepreneurs in the fashion industry as this industry is rampantly evolving and the future will need more entrepreneurs to lead the world of fashion design. Our curriculum in Fashion Entrepreneurship is distinguished from other fashion courses due to the high volume of business management and partnership lessons. It will strengthen a student’s knowledge and understanding of the way fashion business operates in India and cross-borders. The future fashion entrepreneurs whom we develop today will bring delight to our nation by amalgamating the tradition, culture and fashion together to create new fashion horizons.

Please follow and like us:
Posted on

Career Guide: How to Become a Fashion Merchandiser?

How to Become a Fashion Merchandiser

How to Become a Fashion Merchandiser?: Designing is an important aspect of the fashion industry, but it is definitely not the only aspect. A lot of hard work goes into getting the clothes from the manufacturer to the retail shop and finally into the customer’s wardrobe. There are so many things that you can do to be a part of this loop and fashion merchandising is one of them.

This career opportunity is quite rewarding, once you attain the correct training and experience. If you are one of those people who can dedicate themselves to their work and will not shy away from a dose of sheer hard work, fashion merchandising is the perfect path for you. We are going to give you a detailed description of this profession and answer every single question you may have.

Read Also: Fashion Designing & Fashion Technology Courses

How To Become A Fashion Merchandiser?

To become a Fashion Merchandiser, you need creative, motivated, goal-oriented, resourceful and must have good communication skills.

Master the basics to win the game

You need to learn the basics first in order to excel in the profession. Your role is somewhat similar to a forecaster, except you do not study weather changes, but market economy changes.

You need to be able to look at the past performances of the company and the present situation and predict the direction in which your company is heading. Your role involves determining which products will assuredly be profitable and the ones that are an absolute loss.

The Fashion Merchandiser acts like an agent between the manufacturer and the customer, the link that communicates between the two. You need to look over the processes of packaging and marketing the products. It is the only through proper branding and promotion that will shape the success of the product.

Read Also: Career in Fashion Designing

Get skilled up!

We have already discussed the major skills that a Fashion Merchandiser needs to develop. It is on the basis of how many skills you have acquired that you will get your coveted job.

As John Ruskin said once,

Skill is the unified force of experience, intellect, and passion in their operation”

Unless you are passionate about your job, you will not enjoy honing these skills.

There are various talents that a Fashion Merchandiser exhibits, starting from knowledge about the market trends, consumer relationship, and aesthetics of display management to being a financial wizard.

Unless you get yourself aptly skilled up, you most definitely will lose your competitive edge. Always remember that education only makes you sufficient, but skills are what make you efficient.

Real Also: Masters in Fashion Entrepreneurship + PGDFE

Create value through connections

If you want to succeed in the fashion retail industry, you must develop connections in the industry. Knowing too many people never harmed anyone.

It might even surprise you how much you can benefit solely through the relationships you have built with the people you met. Be it store managers or college professors, they might be the reason you get your big break in the industry.

As a Fashion Merchandiser, you need to work on the floor of the retail shops. This enables you to administer full control over all the factors that are in direct contact with the customers.

Since your role as a Fashion Merchandiser involves being the Jack of many trades, you need to have a solid background to help you move forward.

Read Also: BBA in Fashion Entrepreneurship

What Is Fashion Merchandising?

Every industry requires a strategic analyst and a marketing executive, someone who will administer advertising and management. These are the basic responsibilities of Fashion Merchandiser. The promotion of sales is one of the most important aspects of this job.

It is vital to introduce the products at the right time to a suitable market where the target customers frequent. It is the duty of the Fashion Merchandiser to make an analysis of the sales from the previous season and predict the most likely future performance of the company or the store.

They are responsible for the type and quantity of clothes that will be available in the store for the customers to buy. They will need to make strategies on how to sell all the existing stock before the stocks from the new season come in.

It is because of the systematic analytic skills of the Fashion Merchandiser along with their in-depth knowledge about the business that profits are made. Their market study on the type, color, design, and textiles helps the designers to come up with products that will be accepted by the customers.

They work with the designers to ensure that the products are affordable for the target market while making a profit for the whole chain of departments involved in the product from creation to sales.

All the Fashion Merchandisers live by the 5 rights of merchandising to be able to properly satisfy the customers as well as turn a good profit. These 5 R’s include the right merchandise, at the right price, in the right place, at the right time, in the right quantities.

This enables the Fashion Merchandisers to evaluate the variety of customers that the target market welcomes and their specific needs.

Read Also: Short term Courses in Fashion Designing

Why Become A Fashion Merchandiser?

If you are someone who loves fashion and has a commercial interest in the industry, this is the perfect profession for you. The analytical aspect of running a business in the fashion industry demands a thorough knowledge of the fashion trends coupled with a keen eye for financial details. This profession can give rise to feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment if it is because of your incessant research that fashion designers came up with certain clothing trends.

If you are someone who likes a challenging job, which keeps you ready on your toes at moments of dire need, then being a Fashion Merchandiser will be a good choice for you. One of the best reasons to opt for this career path is because the longer you stay in the industry, the better you get. Your job does not get monotonous since trends in fashion keep on changing.

Read Also: The Best Institute for Fashion Designing

What Is The Typical Work Environment?

The most commonly seen work environments for Fashion Merchandisers are retail stores, children’s clothing stores and sometimes with designers who run their own brands. It also involves traveling to a few fashion shows to remain updated on the latest trends and strategizing ways to make that available for the customers.

There are a number of things that you can do before and after starting the career as a Fashion Merchandiser. Some of these professions you may stumble upon are, sales associate, store manager, customer service representative, visual merchandiser, fabric trend analyst, merchandise director or stylist.

Read Also: Top Fashion Designing Colleges in India

Basic Duties Of A Fashion Merchandiser

There are some duties that are specific to the job of a Fashion Merchandiser which may be targeted daily or weekly or monthly.

  • Obtain regular knowledge about existing and upcoming trends
  • Work with retails managers to arrange visual displays to make them appealing for the customers and increase sales
  • Could be in charge of setting the retail prices for products
  • Analyse financial estimates for the upcoming season
  • Determine the different fashions, clothing, and accessories that should be stocked in a particular store
  • Travel to be in good terms with buyers, manufacturers, and suppliers to encourage cooperation
  • Take to social media to connect with potential customers and understand their needs
  • Maintain strict control over the inventory and regulate budgetary requirements
  • Organize floor plans to accommodate new arrivals and maintain a systematized sales floor

Read Also: What Can You do With a Degree in Fashion Design?

Skills Required

Every profession demands a few special skills from the individuals in order to excel. To become a Fashion Merchandiser, the following are a few skills that you need to master:

  • Fashion awareness at all times
  • A keen eye for details
  • Ability to meet deadlines on time
  • Communication skills to interact well with the whole team and a variety of customers
  • Customer service and feedback to create a strong customer base
  • Prevent losses and gain market share

Read Also: Why Fashion Designing Is A Good Career?

Educational Requirements

After finishing your high-school, you should enroll yourself in a fashion merchandising graduation program, which will lead you straight into this field. If you have already done your graduation in a different stream, you can always attain a diploma degree in the said field.

Although it is vital to have experience in the field rather than just bookish knowledge, it will play to your strengths when acquiring the said hands-on experience. You must learn everything about your job in text and then apply them when gaining experience.

BBA in Fashion Entrepreneurship, PG Diploma in Fashion Entrepreneurship or Masters in Fashion Entrepreneurship will lead you straight into the career path Fashion Merchandising.

These courses will make you proficient in topics like market research and consumer behavior, fundamentals of merchandising, surface ornamentation, retail and brand management, fashion marketing, visual merchandising among others.

You should grab the opportunity to be a part of Industry Internships and get your career started.

Read Also: Part-Time Fashion Designing Courses in Delhi

Starting A Career In Fashion Merchandising

Starting a career requires you to follow a strict process that will not only enrich your knowledge but also help you attain your goal. The following points will guide you through the whole process of becoming a professional Fashion Merchandiser.

  • After pursuing the necessary educational requirements, you need to attain hands-on experience through retail businesses. You can try to get into fashion retail stores in shopping malls, boutiques or a chain of clothing brands. You must learn through everything that you experience, these will help in sharpening your skills for a successful career in fashion merchandising.
  • Internships are a crucial factor in this profession. Try to get an internship from the institute you are studying in or on your own. While interning, you get a close look at what your future awaits you. You can intern as an assistant buyer, sales executive at a retail store or social media internships. You might also get in touch with Fashion Merchandisers and work under them, learn from them and observe what they do closely.
  • Put together a compelling portfolio because this career path is quite competitive. In order to get a competitive edge, your résumé needs to provide potential employers with visual proof of your outstanding abilities, educational excellence, and valuable internships. The fashion merchandising portfolio can include reports based on market research, sample plans for showroom or store floor layout and visual merchandising plans to tip the scales in your favor.
  • Keep an eye out for job openings both online and offline. Make a note of the skills that different employers are demanding, find some in common and gain experience to hone those skills.

Read Also: How To Grow Your Fashion Business Successfully

Know Your Employers

For all aspiring Fashion Merchandisers, it is vital to know your potential employers. You can always choose to be a self-employed freelancer in this field, owning your business, which quite a few fashion designers do. You may work full-time with companies, brands, and retail stores on a contractual basis.

Fashion businesses involved in various fields as production, promotion, designing, clothing, cosmetics, shoes or jewelry require Fashion Merchandisers. Following are a few examples of potential employers whom you need to target:

  • Manufacturers of textiles and fabrics
  • Fashion publication house, both print media and online
  • Advertising agencies who promote designers and retails stores
  • Fashion shows (both production companies and individual shows)
  • National department stores and retails chains
  • Specialty and consignment stores
  • E-commerce stores

Read Also: Some of Our Recruiters

The earnings in this profession vary from one country to another. We are going to explain with the use of US dollars and INR to get across a larger audience. The starting salary in the US as a Fashion Merchandiser is $24,000 (per annum). The higher end of the salary goes up to approximately $68,000 yearly.

In the Indian market, the expecting salary ranges between 1.3-6.4 lakhs, annually at the very start of the career. Although it might seem like an average number, these are always scoped for improving this number with more experience.

As a Fashion Merchandiser, you need to be equally interested in the fashion and business side of the industry. You will need to develop the innate skill of determining which trends will be a great hit among the customers and the ones that will hardly become popular.

This job demands a lot from you which requires learning to multitask without losing your efficiency quotient.

Please follow and like us:
Posted on

Style our hair with Twist Knot Headbands

If there’s anything that’s equally important for a perfect picture, a flawless social media look or even a feel-good factor then it’s undoubtedly the way you style your hair. Your hair is the extension of your personality deserves all the time and care required to strike a chord.

velvets

Just like the quality of salt doing so much for the dish and remaining in the background, styling your hair simply with quirky trending accessories helps you bag fawning adorations and adulations.

Twisting your everyday look, the trends that are popping up everywhere and has become “the must-have for all casual affairs” is the knotted headbands, cut out for mastering retro style.

houndstooth

These effortlessly cool bands can be donned with so much ease giving a high style quotient to your overall look. These are cute, hip, and chic and definitely fly for nailing summer attires.

They run in a huge variety from ordinary to extraordinary, from velvets to houndstooth, from polka dots to Sequined Kitsch, leaving us with a plethora of options to explore our styling sensibilities.

polka dot

These fun bands are also very simple DIYs, all you need is any knit/ woven fabric, your basic sewing supplies, a few stitch lines here and there following some simple instructions and adding the final finishing touch with a knot at the end, making this accessory a fashion staple of your style wardrobe.

Peeping in the past tells us, these “full of beans” twisted knot bands have made a huge comeback from the trends of the ’80s. Sundresses, casual denim or even cruise wear, twisted turban bands have worked well with almost everything, making “everyday good hair day” possible even retrospectively.

Kriti Mehta
Fashion Faculty
International College of Fashion

Please follow and like us:
Posted on

Startups Get Major Boost In Budget 2019

The government will set-up another TV program on DD, solely for new businesses in the Nation.  Many changes crosswise over work laws, instruction, and rental lodging to directly affect new businesses in the nation.

In a noteworthy lift to a large number of new entrepreneurial ventures in India, the administration declared a large group of motivations to “liberalize the enterprising soul” as expressed by India’s first woman finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman.

These incorporate a TV program solely for new businesses, facilitating remote direct speculation rules in startup portions like staple, online business and sustainability conveyance, proposing a large group of upgrades to the advanced installment frameworks biological system that helps new companies guaranteeing new companies don ‘t feel the warmth of heavenly attendant expense from IT experts.

Like the first, the administration will initiate a new TV program on national telecaster Doordarshan, solely for new companies in the nation, which will fill in a stage to match financial speculators with growing new businesses. The TV program will be planned and executed, and be run by start-ups, Sitharaman said.

Aside from this, the administration will help set up around 80 “work business incubators” and 20 technology-based business incubators in FY19-20, which as indicated by Sitharaman will make 75,000 talented business visionaries in horticultural industry divisions.

The finance minister has additionally proposed 100% FDI in insurance-mediators, a category that most new businesses fall in. Aside from this, the legislature has additionally allowed 100% FDI in single-brand retail and proposed expelling the 30% nearby sourcing standards. Experts state that new businesses like Pepperfry, Urban Ladder, Home Lane, Livspsace and other people who operate through the physical stores will likewise be profited by the new recommendations.

Also, Sitharaman declared a few measures to streamline work laws, instruction, and rental lodging clause which will directly affect new companies in the nation. The finance minister also said that work laws will be modernized into a lot of “four work codes” so as to “institutionalize enrollment and recording of profits and loss disputes”.

The ‘Stand up India’ scheme, launched in 2016, to back entrepreneurship in women and the lowered segment of the society, will be more long-drawn-out during the whole extent of 2020-2025, according to the finance minister.

“To further empower the women entrepreneurs, women SHG Interest Subvention Program to be expanded across India,” Sitharaman said while declaring the budget.

New businesses won’t be exposed to any sort of examination in regard to sharing esteem premium. A system is additionally being set up for e-confirmation, Sitharaman said. Indeed, even the valuation of Category II AIF reserves (Real domain reserves, private value reserves (PE assets), and assets for distressed resources are enlisted as Category II exchange venture assets, or AIFs) out of IT investigation, the account minster proposed in her Budget Speech.

Prof. Gulbash Duggal

Associate Dean, ICF

Please follow and like us:
Posted on

A Glimpse of Culture at Crafts Museum

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the Urban Lifestyle, Crafts Museum is a place where all this comes to a halt. Crafts Museum is a Governmental Organisation based out of New Delhi, working for the showcasing and promotion of the crafts and textile sector majorly. Worldwide people travel to this place just to experience 1000’s of rich artifacts present here, which really helps them to make a connection with the modern consumer.

So, our College planned a tour for us to experience the whole beauty and collect the maximum possible treasure we can carry with us. We fetched on our autos, collected our tickets and entered one of the four major sections of the museum.

The first section was a really peaceful and serene atmosphere, one can totally smell and feel it like a village. It depicts the culture and art of rural and tribal India. There were many kinds like Kullu Hut, Gond Hut, Banni Hut, Orissa Courtyard, West Bengal Hut and many more. Every Hut was mentioned with a small plate beside them which justifies their origin and the significance of that particular construction. It just made all of us think, how ancient people have been so imaginative, artistic and also technically right without no prior knowledge or I should say academic knowledge. Somehow this is the beauty of our own India, we are so rich in cultures and crafts that knowingly or unknowingly we all are imbibed with some sort of art. There was again some man-made machinery, means of transportation like Gadulia bullock cart used by rural people to serve them on a daily basis.

Now, we knocked into another section of the museum, where artisans from across the country were exhibiting their wares and artifacts. It was on the premises of the museum; these stalls were selling decorative kites which obviously no one would ever like to get them crashed while flying. We had a small talk with almost all exhibitors, they acknowledged us with the information that what is it which is actually making them stand out of the crowd. Kite sellers were based out of Etawah, Uttar Pradesh and were ready to claim that they are the only manufacturer of such kites, which are so finely constructed and that too in some other shapes as well. Besides this, there were some contemporary arts, fancy diaries which we would like to keep till decades, deeply thoughtful bookmarks, cards, and paintings. Paintings were basically Madubhani Paintings, craftsperson shared the whole story with us from raw material to the product, the average time required to paint for one huge painting, about his costing, from where he is managing to get this whole stuff and of course his passion for the one. Next, we have handcrafted Juttis, Fabrics with absorbing prints and embroideries, Trendy accessories; I got purchased one for me being a true fan of accessories. Lastly, we enjoyed making some hyper-creative pottery stuff with aesthetic Rajasthani music which was anyway cherry on the cake.

Another section, we entered had some real tastes of ancient jewelry, paintings, ancient lamps, utensils, range of cane and bamboo arts, clay and terracotta figures and lot more which were speaking out loud about their origins, significance and some quality facts about them. It was an amazing experience to go to each and every window, clicking its picture and fanaticizing about what story I can re-create with all these ancient ones.

Last, section which was centred on a huge carrier of ancient times was solely devoted to the whole lot of textiles of India.  Entry was beautifully decorated with so many colourful fabrics, natural dyes sample and their sources. Also, I got my hands on the screen which was installed exactly in front of the entrance. The purpose of this screen was to enlighten you with the idea of different type of fabrics and which part of India is majorly producing it. I am sure it was one of the good information to absorb. Okay, so now we got to see diverse fabrics region wise like silk, cotton, check silk, brocades and what not. Different embroideries as well namely Zari, Phulkari, Kashmiri, Kantha, Chikankari and many more. There were some visually stimulating garments also hanged in the windows again specifying their region. After taking up a glance at this section, I felt like if an Artisan is promoted, Patola would find another generation, Kutch embroidery would be a Christian Dior adornment, Benarsi Zari work would go for Oscar’s red carpet, Kantha would embellish Gucci Trench Coat, Jawaja would have Jimmy Choo finesse and artisan will find motivation for life.

All over it was gratifying experience for all of us.  Lot to learn and even more to come that’s what I can say to wrap it up.

Shradha Jain

MBA FE 2019-2021

Please follow and like us:
Posted on

Internship opportunity with Fascino Kids Fashion Week 2019

Right from our very first day at ICF, we have been gaining experiences in the fashion world and this July got us one very exciting one.

An opportunity to work at the Fascino Kids Fashion Show, an exclusive Fashion Week for children between 3-14 years of age, with a series of interactive workshops leading the participating children with sessions on Personal Hygiene, Etiquettes, Personality Grooming putting forward a holistic, confident personalities on the ramp.

fascino kids

This was an exciting opportunity for me and my other enthusiastic lot of friends since none of us had ever had the experience of handling these little bundles of energies. Glad we all enrolled ourselves for this and were prepared to take this new challenge head-on.

The show was scheduled from 25th-27th of July 2019 and was held at Eros International, Nehru Place.

We were involved from day one….from the trials to training and practice days for the child models and handling schedules for all the participating designers.

Time management was one of the major factors that we needed to learn and report to work an hour early than the kids’ schedule since all the arrangements for the day were to be organized and put in place to avoid any delay or glitch during the sessions.

We were about to be hit with a real challenge of handling small kids throughout the day while helping the Organizers. The kids started to pour in and some of them came in “like a wrecking ball”. Some of the kids were not ready to leave their parents at all and kept wailing and crying. That was truly a challenge, to get them separated from their mothers, get them changed and make them practice along with everyone else. But we were not there to give up easily. All through the days this cycle continued, designer after designer, kid after kid, and we would generally wrap up the day around at about 9 in the night right after a short meeting with our team heads….just to repeat the whole process every day for the next couple of days; but the second day was less chaotic, thanks to our experiences gained the day before.

Then came the big day, the actual show on Saturday the 27th of July, 2019. We all reported at the venue sharp at 8 am, dressed and ready to work in our Fascino Kids Fashion Show custom t-shirts, that gave us the sense of responsibility to shoulder the brand we were working for.

We began readying up the first lot of kids for our first scheduled show at 11:00 a.m., which was actually delayed by an hour due to technical issues, but hiccups like this are common in such fashion events. With each show, our work gradually got easier, and we had a smooth functioning through the fashion shows……. till the finale show……That was when chaos broke. We ran out of hands to help backstage, and 3 people barely kept the kids in control, but with immense help from one of the team heads, we were able to deliver an amazing finale of the day that was widely appreciated and adored.

The after-party to celebrate the success of the show had us all as a team had us all danced and celebrate the successful line of shows the whole day, and we all retired to our homes in groups and pieces, to finally rest our feet which had been working on and on through the week.

Even though the whole experience was tiring and we ran out of energy to function by the time we got to leave, it was all worth it when we received our certifications when we rejoined college.

We were also awarded a beaming trophy to represent all the hard work we all collectively put in, and it was truly an amazing moment to be able to hold it in our hands.

The trophy now rests in the office of our Chief Mentor, Ms. Jaivani Bajaj’s office, as a beautiful memory of something so demanding and challenging yet so rewarding and full of knowledge.

This was an experience gained, that will forever be with us all.

Abhilasha Sharma- BBA FE 2018

Please follow and like us:
Posted on

A WARM WELCOME TO ICF

Oof! With a mix of thoughts and high spirits I carried the load of my pretty bag and started my day with a classic smile. I rushed through the metro and headed straight to the college. As I moved towards my class, probably every new face I saw could hear me breathe heavily. I entered the class, greeted my new mates and took a seat to catch my breath. Within a moment, my teachers came in with a big smile and I could sense a lovely vibe of aspiring learners ready to embark on this new journey. The teachers introduced themselves and their respective subjects to us in a very semi-formal way. It was way better than I expected it to be. I enjoyed their session as they gave us an inside sneak peak of the industry we were going to step into.

Then arrived the snack break and we were served with some authentic Delhi street food alongside some soft drinks to fill in our young stomachs.

The seniors came in and initiated an ice breaker activity to help us interact and perhaps improve our social skills. We enjoyed playing different character roles, singing, dancing and mimicking comic characters.

international_college_of_fashion_logo

The college organized a few designer talks for us to get pumped up with inspiration and zing to work hard and brace ourselves for the course. The teachers seemed so determined and energetic to impart their knowledge to us. This gave me a feeling of satisfaction and that very moment I knew I came to the right place to learn. Down the week, the college had many activities for us. This helped us to get more comfortable with the college atmosphere.

Alumni students dropped in to share their experiences with us and we got a chance to clear out our doubts regarding different job/business aspects after college. The exposure we had in the first week was outstanding. We got exposed to the people from the industry and got to clear view of the life ahead waiting for us.

To be honest, in the beginning, I was a bit apprehensive about college life at ICF. But now, after 3 weeks I can proudly say I am at the right place. This place is a metal and it means education at its best. The teachers are hardcore and willing to give the best they’ve got. I hope to experience a wonderful educational journey with ICF along with memories to cherish throughout my life.

Moin Shaw BBA 2019 – 2022

Please follow and like us:
Posted on

The Pret Imperative

I became the head (Executive Director) of the FDCI, now nearly a decade ago. Our office was in an apartment in Saket, a common practice at that time. To reach the office on the second floor, we had to walk up the stairs and jump over a sleeping dog known for being aggressive when provoked. As I took up the onerous reins of the fashion industry in India, I realized that much like the dog, the gross artistic talent of Indian designers was immense but the fashion design industry was still in its infancy and had made a little impact at home in India, much less the World. Coupled with the rich Indian heritage and culture we should have been talking of a major industry. In reality, designers were living from hand-to-mouth and quite literally operating from their father-in-law’s house!

This is when I commissioned research through the well-known consultants KPMG to study the level of the current industry and also to benchmark the West where billion-dollar brands such as Giorgio Armani, Versace, etc. all mocked us. Surprisingly, my initiative did not find sympathetic support from the FDCI Board which, unfortunately, consisted entirely of designers who were sure they knew it all. The results of the study, however, were seminal.

In the West, the industry started at the top of the design totem with couture (exclusively one of a kind) remaining exclusive and relatively small. It did make a handful of designers personally rich but as an industry, it was nowhere, and it was extremely risky for investors. The industry grew as designers moved down the chain to diffusion – multiple but limited lines which were sold in studios with, most often, the designer himself in attendance. The real breakthrough came when a few enterprising designers pushed to move into pret-e-porter (ready-to-wear) available off the shelf and at affordable, even if premium, prices to a vast upper-middle-class!

The move to Pret was not easy.  Designers quickly realized that Pret required large numbers to make business sense. This required efficient factories, distribution to a large number of stores, marketing, etc. This was usually beyond the competence of designers and was also beyond their interest areas. This is the classic clash in a fashion business – how to mate the vagaries and subtleties of art with the heat and dust of a competitive marketplace. The solution, of course, was the partnership of the high-flying designer with down-earth businessmen. The partnership could be in the form of a joint venture with a corporate which could bring in finances and skilled managerial support. That is how the West got into the big leagues.

Unfortunately, we in India faced many hurdles on many sides. At the FDCI, to promote Pret, we instructed all participating designers to show only Pret collections at the India Fashion Week. However, this was easier said than done as designers still displayed what they were most comfortable with – couture! Those who did venture forth most often came up with watered-down lines of their couture lines or worse still, Western wear! We could see that Indian fashion had a long way to go to mature. Customers were also in a time warp where they valued the weight of the garment, the amount of embroidery or surface work done and hesitant to move beyond drapes.

On the creative side, designers had to learn, to their dismay, that pret is not a mini version of their couture collections with, say, a little less embroidery but required a fresh new approach and a totally new collection.

The other challenge at the FDCI was to get investors and corporates to partner Indian designers. The trouble was both ways – with designers and with Indian corporates.  From the FDCI we extolled Indian designers, but businessmen found it difficult to relate to persons who ‘got up only after 11 o’clock’, did not care much about business civilities and wanted to be treated as prima donna’s! On the other hand, designers could not accept that the corporates valued their business to just a simple multiple of one year’s sales rather than the hundreds of crores they thought they were really worth. Further, they found it unthinkable to sell their label, which was usually their own personal name, to an alien entity and risk the possibility of losing it entirely. The result was that potential corporates such as Raymond, who even launched a Designerwear chain called BE:, baulked from backing any designers. Instead, when expansion was called for, they preferred to buy out premium, mass brands which in the case of Raymond was Color Plus. It finally devolved on foreign businesses such as LVMH, who better understood the dynamics of fashion, to invest into Indian designers.

Luckily, the new breed of Indian designers, having much less baggage of yesteryears, is far more business savvy and are able to quickly appreciate business complexities. However, Indian corporates are still tardy at making investments in Indian designers as they are still uncomfortable with the risks of the industry and still face a less than robust retail infrastructure. The saving grace has been the VC’s and other foreign investors who have made that move. Today there are a handful of Indian designers who have made it close to the Rs 100 cr. annual turnover. This includes the like of Rohit Bal, Ritu Kumar, Sabyasachi, Tarun Tahiliani, Manish Malhotra and Anita Dongre. Of particular pride for us is Anita Dongre, whose pret labels and retail chains, Indo-western styled Global Desi (138 retail stores) and  Western-styled AND (125 retail stores) together with other labels add up to a solid Rs 725 cr per annum.

Although having less flourish or creativity than her brethren, Anita’s Dongre’s phenomenal success has been due to a relentless focus on Pret, sharing the business end of the stage with her MBA brother, Sawlani and the VC’s who put up the money. This is just a tip of the iceberg of what Indian fashion can do when everything falls in place. To be sure, there is still a long way to go but now the glass ceiling for Indian designers has been broken!

Vinod Kaul

Jt. Managing Director, ICoFP

Please follow and like us:
Posted on

India is a country with various cultures and tradition

It was around 1980s; the late 80s and the 90s saw a spurt growth of fashion in India.

It was only in 1999 that India showcased its first-ever fashion show. Of course, there existed many designers before the 90s but the fashion industry was never that widespread until the late 80s and 90s.

The main trademark of fashion in India is because of the Bollywood industry. Since its inception, people get really inspired and keep trying to copy the designer’s styles.

In the year 1986, the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India opened the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in Delhi with the help of the Fashion Institute of Technology in India.

The word fashion brings the glamour. There are 100s of designers now. Some are really popular and some are still expanding. India today is one of the mostly dense countries which are mainly giving a hand to the fashion industry in order to magnify.

The western culture has most influenced our fashion industry. However, Indian cultural fashion has not loosened its popularity too.

Our fashion industry has started to grow and is expected to propagate exponentially in the next two years.

The growing population itself is predicted to hand the fashion industry to develop manifold. The love for brand names has already gone crazy and that will increase the consumerism.

In a nutshell, it can be said that the Indian fashion industry is budding at a high pace. This industry is offering a wide range of opportunities to the creative people, artists, hard-working and innovative people.

There are plenty of job opportunities in this sector; so what I personally feel about this is that the Fashion Industry is totally going to be a professional’s career choice with a lot of fascination. Rest, the time will showcase what the industry beholds for us.

Saloni Sharma

BBA-FE (2019-21)

Please follow and like us:
Posted on

Trip to Jaipur

Recently, we, the students of international college of fashion, along with our faculty, went on an educational trip to Jaipur.
Jaipur, also known as the pink city, is full of visitors’ attractions, including the famous Amer fort, Hawamahal, Jal Mahal etc. Jaipur also offers a wide range of learning opportunities for fashion students like us, including educational workshops on block printing techniques, anokhi museum of hand painting, handicraft markets, etc.

Our trip was scheduled from 25th of March to 28th of March. On 26th we attended a workshop on a block printing technique called Dabu print, which involves use of a specially prepared mud mix with ingredients like babool tree gum, lime water and mud, etc. It is prepared in advance and is quick dried with the help of finely grated wood remains to speed up the process. All the students made their own products like stoles, scarves and dupattas through Dabu. A special feature of Dabu is that in the dyeing process, we only use natural dyes, no chemical dyes are used. Most widely found color is indigo, since it’s the most commonly found natural dye. In the workshop we had a hands-on experience of Dabu printing, which was an enriching learning experience as a fashion student.

On 27th we visited the Anokhi museum of hand printing. The museum is home to the history of various forms of hand printing and block printing, including techniques like Bagru print and Sanganeri print. The museum has on display different examples of historic clothing of India and parts of now Pakistan, the reasoning of why people wore what they did, in what areas, what season, etc.
All combined, this trip was full of new learnings, and we have now gained knowledge that is going to prove useful to us as students in the future. This trip to Jaipur opened new gates of opportunities and possibilities for us in the industry in future.

trip-to-jaipur

Please follow and like us: