Dehradun design school students present unique collections

The topics deliberated upon under the umbrella topic Sustainable Fashion and Handloom: Potential and Scope were Potential of Handloom in Fashion, India Handloom Brand Initiative by ministry of textiles, and Entrepreneurship/Skill Development in the context of Handloom.

The panel discussion was followed by the Fashion Presentation – Atelier de Couture. It was a collaboration with DCI where handloom denim fabric for two rounds was provided by DCI. The toil of endless days unwound the creativity of the budding designers chiselled into beautiful apparel and accessories.

The collections presented by the students included Mosaic, a collection with which the student designers paid their gratitude to nature for its resources and the artisans for intertwining the yarns on handloom to give the uniquely woven fabrics. Somber look, subtle colours and a grounded story is what this collection defined in its elegance.

The Verve collection was a free spirited collection which celebrates Bohemian saga as its inspiration. In this round the budding designers repurposed denim and crafted the collection by reusing the denim garments and giving them a new avatar by innovative techniques. Weave patterns, trousers converted to skirts and jackets, pockets crafted into beautiful patches, and many more interesting elements have made this round very hip hop and vivacious.

The Efflorescence collection was inspired by the elements of nature and had various different perspectives for its elements to create gorgeous designs. The budding designers experimented and handcrafted each single piece of accessory from wearable to avante garde by picking the various elements like the butterflies, flowers and leaves by reusing the old denim into these organic shapes. Organdy, beads, pearls and macramé were used to compliment the evergreen denim.

The inspiration behind the Blue Alchemy collection came from the era when the Satyagraha movement for indigo started in India for self sustainability by Mahatama Gandhi against the British Raj. The garments are adorned with beautiful effects of traditional Indian tie and dye and Japanese shibori techniques in various light and dark hues of indigo for remarkable effects on handloom denim.

"It was a unique and creative collection designed by the students of fashion design. I believe that the students will gain a lot from the esteemed panelists from the industry and design world and will focus on developing business acumen to become successful entrepreneurs. The need of the hour is to develop entrepreneurial skills, creativity and business acumen. Develop market savvy products and go for branding; this is how a major contribution can be achieved through efforts by our younger generation," said Nitin Bhadauria, additional secretary, MSME, Uttarakhand government.

"India handloom brand is a strong and inherent concept that the ministry of Textiles has started for making a strong hold for our artisans and spread the message of our rich tradition of weaving. It is opening many windows where for industry, design professionals and students can pitch in and contribute towards its success. Well Known brands are endorsing this concept by making products from handloom fabric. E – Commerce is the call of the day and the artisans have to be given this platform to proliferate the products in the national and international markets," said Arvind Sahai, chief manager, commercial, National Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC).

"Sustainability is a way of life and sustainable fashion is a very unique concept which is a growing trend. Within a span of almost two years the students of fashion design, GEHU have shown immense potential and with Atelier De Couture, they have finally nailed it by proving that their creative and practical abilities are unmatchable. The collections are not only appropriate for the ramp but at the same time they have enormous potential to carve a niche in the market internationally. This will make the students create a strong foothold in the industry for them which will prove beneficial for their careers," said Rajesh Dudeja, founder, DCI. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India