The AFD Blog

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Kimaya to launch in the Middle East

The AFD Team — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 07:21:40 +0000

Pradeep Hirani plans to launch Kimaya stores in the Middle East as well as major Indian cities. The first stores will open in Kuwait, Dubai and in Ludhiana, New Delhi and Mumbai. He also plans to lauch a new brand featuring international designer in India. This announcement comes after Hirani attended the recently concluded London Fashion Week and the Milan Fashion Week.

This was the first time that an Indian buyer was invited to the Milan Fashion Week. Speaking on Indian fashion industry he said that India needs to become more corporatised and scale up on professionalism in order to be at par with international standards.

- link

Ravi Bajaj not in favour of India Fashion Weeks

The AFD Team — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 05:51:18 +0000

In the mad rush to see and be seen on the Indian fashion scene, Ravi Bajaj stands out like a quiet voice in the wilderness.

“Over the years, there have been a lot of changes in fashion. As far as
fashion weeks are concerned, they are good launching pads for budding
designers. But I am not in favour of participating in either Lakme
India Fashion Week or Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week because the
whole world is now coming to India. Moreover, I am catering to domestic
clients and not looking at exports.” – link

This makes one think – what is the purpose behind participating in a fashion week? Is it only to find an international buyer or does one keep to old business stategies that have worked for you in the past? What about domestic buyers and what role do they play in building a brand? Arre domestic buyers only important for budding designers?

Mr Bajaj seems content with or rather confident of the niche he has made for himself. There are other designers like Sharab Durazi whose mystery only works in favour, but this may not be the best strategy for even the most established designer, when more and more designers are crawling out of the woodwork looking for their space in the market.

Co-operation between Indian and Italy fashion wise

The AFD Team — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 10:44:37 +0000

A significant milestone was crossed with the unveiling of the FICCI Task Force Report on cooperation between India and Italy in the areas of Fashion, Design and Life Style Products, here by Shri Kamal Nath, Commerce and Industry Minister and Dr Adolfo Urso, Deputy Minister for Productive Activies and Foreign Trade (Independent Charge) of Italy.
The day was also marked by the signing of the multilateral Statement of Intent for launching of collaborative Certificate Programme – “Managing Fashion & Design Companies Successfully” – by National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, FICCI, Bocconi University, Altagamma and Confidustria, Italy.

- link

NIFT granted statutory status

The AFD Team — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 10:32:33 +0000

The National Institute of Fashion Technology Bill, 2006 has been enacted. After the President’s assent to the legislation as approved by Parliament in its previous session and its gazette notification, the legislation has come into force.

The Act aims at nurturing and promoting excellence in fashion technology. Its object is to grant statutory status to the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), which was set up by the Centre under the Ministry of Textiles in 1986.

- link to full story

Merchandising for Professionals

The AFD Team — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 10:29:56 +0000

The Pearl Academy of Fashion is launching a 6-month certificate course in apparel merchandising for working professionals. The course is planned for middle management level officials. The course will provide contemporary business and technology inputs relating to apparel merchandising covering the entire order process chain.

Director of Pearl Academy of Fashion, Chennai, S. Ramalingam said that the courses offered by the institute aims at meeting the growing demand for the training of the workforce in the fashion and textile design industries.

- link

K. C. Mahindra Award for Excellence

The AFD Team — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 10:20:05 +0000

Mahindra and Mahindra awards first runner up position for the K.C. Mahindra Award for excellence in automobile design to Mr. Shamit Srivastav from the Centre for Product Design and Manufaturing (CPDM), IISC, Bangalore. The second runner up went to a design team from NID.

Magpie, Art D’inox etc

The AFD Team — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 09:54:08 +0000

The value-addition has primarily come from design,” observes Pradyumna Vyas, principal designer at the National Institute of Design (NID) Ahmedabad, who has designed products for low-end player, Bangalore-based Salem Steel

The role played by NID in the recent wave of popularity for steel homewares.

- link

Indian army turns to NID

The AFD Team — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 09:42:20 +0000

Soldiers on the Siachen glacier can look forward to being in style. The army has contacted NID to design and produce clothing that can be worn on India’s highest battlefield where you are more likely to die of the cold than from enemyfire.

Read about the how NID plans to treat and strengthen Angora fibers for the Indian army.

- link