WOW

Nine Indian fashion designers have been chosen to showcase their collection at the Montana World of Wearable Art (WOW) 2006 to be held in New Zealand as part of a tie-up between the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) and the New Zealand Tourism Board.

– link 

Ashish and Manish in London

Creation by designer Ashish Gupta at London Fashion Week (S/S 07)


Creations by Manish Arora at London Fashion Week (S/S 2007)

All photos from BBC.

NIFT students, among others asked to design posters for International Film Festival of India (IFFI) as part of a contest held by the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) – source

NIFT to open Rae Bareily center

NIFT is in the process of setting up a center in the campus of the National Textile Corporation in Rae Bareily. NIFT is to be set up with a budget of Rs. 12 crores and will enable students to persure fashion technology without look at other alternatives. This plan was announced by the Union Minister for Textiles Shankarhsinh Vaghela.

– source

NID to redesign Rajdhani trains

All those questions on how to improve the situation of the Indian Railawys in past CEED, NID and NIFT entrance tests have finally been answered in real life.

Western Railways is thinking of approaching NID to redesign the Rajdani so they can attract more passengers in this age of cheap flights.

‘The exterior of the train is dull. We want to make it attractive with vivid colours splashed on to the coaches of the fully-air conditioned train. That’s why are thinking of roping in the NID,’’ said a senior railway official.

Travellers are promised a jerk free ride, with more comfortable berths and  a new menu. Even the loos are being overhauled. This change is not just about comfort but also luxury.

Read the complete article here – link 

Investing in Textiles

The [textile] industry is one of the largest and most important sectors in the economy in terms of output, foreign exchange earnings and employment in India. It contributes 20 percent of industrial production, 9 percent of excise collections, 18 percent of employment in the industrial sector, nearly 20 percent to the country’s total export earnings and 4 percent to the GDP.

An interesting article on the growing scope of the Indian Textile Industry by Dr. Uday Lal Pai. – link 

Digjam

The textile outfit of SK Birla group, Birla VXL Ltd to give a boost to its readymade garment business, is planning to extend its fabrics brand Digjam to men’s apparel, group chairman Sudarshan Kumar Birla said here on September 17. – link

Fashion Journalism?

When I wrote a book of fashion, an erstwhile favourite aunt from Kolkata said, “Today our ancestors want to rise and spank you!”

I’m linking to an excellent post on Hindol Sengupta’s blog on what it’s like to be a fashion journalist today in India – link

NID gets into e- retailing.

Jharkhand will e-market its indigenous products with the help of National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad.

NID, an institute recognised by the ministry of science and technology and industrial research organisation, will help the state in hosting the e-marketing site.

The institute will also help assess the requirement of products and suggest designs to artisans.

‘The website will help potential buyers understand the art and craft of the state. The website will also carry details of the art objects, paintings, handlooms and other items,’ said state industries secretary Arun Kumar Singh.

‘NID will also help us understand the demand for local products in the global market and accordingly suggest designs,’ he said.

According to officials, NID has already been assigned the job to prepare the feasibility report of three kinds of paintings – Jadupatia, Sohrai and Paytkar.

The handloom, sericulture and handicraft departments will train artisans and painters to globally promote their works.

‘The indigenous products will be marketed online,’ said an official of handloom, sericulture and handicraft department.

Besides launching this website the government is planning to open emporia in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Copyright Indo-Asian News Service

Design Plus

Nationa Institute of Design’s (NID) quarterly magazine — ‘Design Plus’ — has been adjudged India’s second best bilingual magazine for 2006 by the Ministry of Home.

Published in Hindi and English, five-year old ‘Design Plus’ had bagged the top honours from the Ministry of Home for two consecutive years (2002 and 2003) at the Western Region level.