Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Shifting Paradigms
The gap in Indian fashion seems to be getting wider and the bubble is busting soon. The examples of Koutons and Vishal had fairly deep impact on the clothing industry and it seems that innovation is going to be the key for enduring success. Indian story is really very interesting the Trends are too fast and they fade away also quick. There has been brands that have seen their peek during 80 and 90 are now somewhat even vague memories. What does all this means, it simply means a need for sustainable business models that can survive the rapid change. And world over the speed is going to be one critical element as Kishore Biyani said speed@though NOT light and this will certainly be the change agent. I truly believe that any Neo models shall refer the Multi-Cultural and Multi-Ethnic routes to ensure its success and redefining the classic assumptions as new techniques. Lets explore few more and see what value it adds to the future. Indigenous ways are the best ways to invent future and we shall explore it. India's is not a country of only snake charmers and slums but its a nation that has order in chaos, it has diversity in unity and it has a legacy as old as human civilization. It's only matter of recognising it and exploring a bit. The discussion will continue...
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Welcome Zephyr-Lifestyle
Welcome to the most exotic range of lifestyle product design and home accesories by Ms. Iti Tyagi, a designer who has passionately pursued her interest to build this area. The lifestyle education is not available at present anywhere in the world and probably her contribution and experiences will share the best of "Lifestyle Thoughts" for emerging economies. Hope you will learn more visiting www.zephyr-lifestyle.blogspot.com
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Value based education
The value based education encompasses across caste, creed and geographical boundaries. Today GOI is emphasizing at "Sarv Siksha Aviyaan" a scheme through which the education shall be imparted to all. Though my belief is that with "Knowledge Economy" in progress and with new modes and methods of channels of communication, systems and processes the basic literacy will be mandatory for all to operate or function in the times to come. Therefore, future looks promising as far as education is concerned and in my opinion all will be educated NOT necessarily literate by 2020.
The second issues are of the past generation of Netas managing the Future, but are they able to see the future through their past framework? In my opinion the new education also needs to be imparting to our parliament members for future and concerns for tomorrow. Everyday when I read newspapers, I feel that there are some basic pet subjects which are the favorite passé of our politicians rather than something concerning country/world’s growth and progress. Today no matter what one studies or practices but the basic education shall address few basic issues such as quality of life, equal opportunity to all caste & gender, sustainable culture & society, sustainable and livable environment etc. I’m looking forward to such a school that will give "Value Based" education for mankind and not for an individual.
The second issues are of the past generation of Netas managing the Future, but are they able to see the future through their past framework? In my opinion the new education also needs to be imparting to our parliament members for future and concerns for tomorrow. Everyday when I read newspapers, I feel that there are some basic pet subjects which are the favorite passé of our politicians rather than something concerning country/world’s growth and progress. Today no matter what one studies or practices but the basic education shall address few basic issues such as quality of life, equal opportunity to all caste & gender, sustainable culture & society, sustainable and livable environment etc. I’m looking forward to such a school that will give "Value Based" education for mankind and not for an individual.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Costing Vs Pricing
We have been debating over this issue for many years now and "Costing" for Indian Market will have to be defined in a very different way. I remember the first time I travelled to Europe and I was paying all the expenses in Euros, interestingly I used to convert all the expenses in INR and the reach of those products looked out of my pocket, some products were reasonably priced such as footwear, perfumes, accessories, clothing etc. others like beverages, food and many other items were exorbitant. The similar approach has been taken by the international brands in India that they are still pricing it based on their European and American cost models, which in my opinion will not last for too long. Their pricing includes their cost as per European/American value+transportation+import duty+other though they might be manufacturing in India OR SriLanka. The base for pricing is based on their company's expenditure model in their countries. Work out a local office, base the prices realistically and see the conversions, otherwise THEY will have to increase sale period from present 3-4 months to 10 months. All objects OR brands can't be fitting into objects of desire kind of Model. They will have to meet utility pattern and discretionary income as per the geography and customs of people at large.
Today you look at cinema tickets, dinner at five star hotels, luxury shopping, and many other activities and you realise that cost of those activities are based on international pricing that are uniform but not localised. One needs to look at the perceived value of these products, experiences and activities in the domain of cultural context. The costing must consider the perceived value of various products, its utility and function and income increase over past decades in order to have a derive correct pricing. The brands and companies needs to look at this aspect that will derive a true global consumption.
Today you look at cinema tickets, dinner at five star hotels, luxury shopping, and many other activities and you realise that cost of those activities are based on international pricing that are uniform but not localised. One needs to look at the perceived value of these products, experiences and activities in the domain of cultural context. The costing must consider the perceived value of various products, its utility and function and income increase over past decades in order to have a derive correct pricing. The brands and companies needs to look at this aspect that will derive a true global consumption.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
BATCH 95-Brainstorming on Fashion Education Today
All of us have studied fashion during pre-quota apparel & textiles trade, and post quota the world has entered in different sphere of business mechanism. The world in fashion and apparel have had a paradigm shift in last two decades. We are the generation who has studied fashion in pre-quota regime and have learnt the lessons that was taught with some old examples. Its been almost more than a decade where we have practiced & operated in various domains of fashion industry and have witnessed the world moving from knowledge to creative economy. Therefore i would like to invite all my batch mates of 1995 onwards to come forward and contribute towards new knowledge building and sharing our experiences on a single platform. There is another generation in making and our views will help them changing the way things are going at present, it will also help educational institutions to evolve new pedagogic approach, teaching methodologies, course curriculum in contemporary fashion and design education in the country today. I look forward to all of my classmates and batch mates participation in the first brain storming session of "BATCH 95" to be held on 12Th March between 5.00-7.00 pm. I hope that it we be a great endeavour started by any batch towards contributing and sharing real life experience.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Seven Men
Seven Men had been my dream project since my NIFT days, the entire inspirations were based on a legendary Japanese photographer's NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY, where his camera exposure ranged from 4-8 hours in the most exotic planes of earth, the geographical locations were deserts, sea, craters, mountains, jungles etc. All of them signify only one thing to me and that was TIMELESSNESS. That enabled me to imagine a world that has no concept of time, its a world that looks standstill but it has dynamics of itself. That was the world that evolved the most exotic "seven men" and they were the warrior, the saint, the poet, the philosopher, the architect, the traveller and the flamboyant magician. Philosophically there are also the integral seven characters of a human being and his response to different context where his roles vary.
Seven is associated with seven days, seven stars, seven rishimunis, seven rivers, seven gods, number seven and many such universal facts that are sacred and must. The evolution of these seven men are the evolution of mankind and evolution of new species that holds each of us together and for a purpose to redefine LIFE in more holistic terms.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Legends of Fashion
Last year with the death of ace designer YSL and now with Alexander McQueen the fashion industry has got a major set back, i have grown up hearing there names and infact my knowing or orientation of fashion begun with John Galliano and Alexander McQueen. I'm not sure how it will impact the fashion industry by it has certainly impacted my thinking sphere. They were true legends of fashion and i heartily recognise their contribution to ever growing fashion industry.
Their ideologies and style of working has left deep impressions in the heart of fashion followers and they are sure the most desired and loved fashion designers for young generation. i missed watching his show at London Fashion Week in 2006 and i do regret it. Both of them has been the founders of "New look" of fashion after god Dior and their fashion contribution must be taken into new generation. Let's all fashion weeks, fashion professionals, fashion students, fashion houses, fashion hubs and fashion savvy across the world pay tribute to these legends.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Pedagogy for Fashion Courses
The method and way of teaching the design and fashion related subjects has been very controversial all these while, and there is no defined rule that is for especially creative programmes. The pedagogy needs to be evolved in tune with the new context where we are mentors more than teachers. The information is available and one can pick it up from anywhere and everywhere, the speed of the latest information is no more a constraint and our roles are shrinking as a teachers to organize knowledge to our students.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Mediocre Design Ecosystem
The Indian Design and Fashion ecosystem needs to move out of the mediocre approach, the biggest and critical challenge today to develop world class ideas into reality is that we don't have either world class conversion mindset OR capabilities. The true struggle to ideation to reality begins there.
For instance, if we want to develop a basic fashion product, it requires variety of fabrics and materials, accessories, trimmings, quality manufacturing, finishing and other processes. The biggest limitation comes when you start dealing with people who are going to be converter or realizer amongst these processes. I as a designer intends to develop the product, the fabric is silver finish fabric. Now who in India manufactures it, I need a fastening that is not the age old button or zippers, I need the zip to be a plastic file concealer, who will supply me that. i need a boning that would held my collars near to ears to fit in communication devices, who will be able to produce them. All of these limitation brings ordinary products and even i have brilliant ideas they get stored in my notebooks and sketchbooks.
Whereas China today has cultivated ecosystems along with the thinking and design capabilities. Sourcing, development of such areas, transportation, systems and processes are all culminated to the design schools in China. Their ability to have realization capability is India's innovation limitation. We need to understand these needs and begin our work to felicitate the chains of our present ecosystem and training and development along with innovative thinking will play a big role rather than justifying to work always under limitations.
Lets look at creating a design ecosystem that will enhance our imagination for futuristic outlook, and lets not confine imagination by the confined context, reality of ecosystem needs makeover for sure.
For instance, if we want to develop a basic fashion product, it requires variety of fabrics and materials, accessories, trimmings, quality manufacturing, finishing and other processes. The biggest limitation comes when you start dealing with people who are going to be converter or realizer amongst these processes. I as a designer intends to develop the product, the fabric is silver finish fabric. Now who in India manufactures it, I need a fastening that is not the age old button or zippers, I need the zip to be a plastic file concealer, who will supply me that. i need a boning that would held my collars near to ears to fit in communication devices, who will be able to produce them. All of these limitation brings ordinary products and even i have brilliant ideas they get stored in my notebooks and sketchbooks.
Whereas China today has cultivated ecosystems along with the thinking and design capabilities. Sourcing, development of such areas, transportation, systems and processes are all culminated to the design schools in China. Their ability to have realization capability is India's innovation limitation. We need to understand these needs and begin our work to felicitate the chains of our present ecosystem and training and development along with innovative thinking will play a big role rather than justifying to work always under limitations.
Lets look at creating a design ecosystem that will enhance our imagination for futuristic outlook, and lets not confine imagination by the confined context, reality of ecosystem needs makeover for sure.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Dynamic Games
I remember that video games originated when we grew up adults from adolescence. They had all kind of modules mostly related to combat, wars and associated to violence. Similarly the world has complete shift, when bar codes were taken over by RFID, everything has become real time and the supply chain systems got dramatically changed. World moved from "STATIC to DYNAMIC".
Recently, i had witnessed the new age games like "Farm Ville", "Pet Ville", etc. on the facebook, all are range of dynamic games. My outlook to these modules, they are excellent teaching tools for kids, they exhibit various products hence the image vocabulary can be enhanced, they are real life situations therefore an application of mind can be tested and evolved in real contexts, entrepreneurship, civic sense, holistic approaches to various context, knowledge building and change management. All these can be taught without making the learning boring and dead. These dynamic games have lots of potential to evolve as full time teaching games which can be used at school & college levels. For example a course on production technology & management can be very well taught through such mediums which often are the most boring classes. Similar approaches can be adopted for other programmes. Retailers can adapt modules like pet ville for consumer interface and satisfaction. In my opinion such dynamic games will surely change the way we look at training in future.
Recently, i had witnessed the new age games like "Farm Ville", "Pet Ville", etc. on the facebook, all are range of dynamic games. My outlook to these modules, they are excellent teaching tools for kids, they exhibit various products hence the image vocabulary can be enhanced, they are real life situations therefore an application of mind can be tested and evolved in real contexts, entrepreneurship, civic sense, holistic approaches to various context, knowledge building and change management. All these can be taught without making the learning boring and dead. These dynamic games have lots of potential to evolve as full time teaching games which can be used at school & college levels. For example a course on production technology & management can be very well taught through such mediums which often are the most boring classes. Similar approaches can be adopted for other programmes. Retailers can adapt modules like pet ville for consumer interface and satisfaction. In my opinion such dynamic games will surely change the way we look at training in future.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Clothing for habit: custom to customization
Clothing is apparently the most symbolic cultural product of civilization. It speaks a silent biography of an age and makes explicit the ethos of an individual and his milieu the way few other products can attempt. With the emergence of the knowledge economies, the new millennium has also witnessed the ushering in of the ‘Experience Economies’ wherein the modern day consumer lays strong emphasis on the experiential value accorded by a product or service. He has more discerning and selective, giving significance to a multitude of parameters in a product such as aesthetics, comfort, performance and value. Global culture and the new age as it emerges are making new demands on Apparels and their design. From the embellished romantic historic to the “Organic” to the “New Age” and finally solemn, minimal and yet high-tech, the travelogue of design has taken crucial turns to reach the contemporary. With emergence of a global culture and a global consumer, Fashion and design today has new paradigms to explore and new societies to cater to. How deep it can go and how widely it can assimilate concerns of tomorrow, shall be determined by how well we design and merchandise. Fashion is popularly known, as a particular idea or concept accepted by majority of people, may it clothing or lifestyle, ideas, thoughts or opinions (often used phrase “In a particular fashion” which also means mannerism to a certain extent). Almost in every part of life word “fashion” has a prime role to play. But fashion is mostly presumed as clothing and personal adornment, or components of lifestyle. Though it has a larger definition than its popularly accepted meaning (mostly an adjective). Desire and fantasies doesn’t only govern fashion (way of adoption) and personal adornment, but function and habits (settled tendency or practice) infuses substantiality and perceived value to such cultural product. Habits - from clothing to culture Keeping a lot of papers in the shirt pockets, slanted pen fastened in shirt placket, pouch hung across the chest, trouser bottom folded, sleeves rolled up showing biceps, shirts half inserted in trouser waist, trousers clinging down the waist, t-shirts worn inside shirts (no matter whatever the season is), top two-three buttons opened in shirt/ kurtas, handkerchiefs folded diagonally becoming hair bands etc. and many more (psychologically each of them may have some or the other connotation or relevance).... many may wonder, from where these habits have originated?
Interestingly, these customization have evolved out of human needs and zest to personify their belongings, their interaction and understanding in terms of utility and relevance (Various manuals do talk about the utility of various functions imbibed within the gadget, and also precaution note etc. but does any manual talk about where to keep, at what angle shall it be kept during usage, and how much pleasure would it hold and so on). Interface between the user, object and environment generates set of rituals, which we perceive as habits (During 17th and 18th century a lot of mannerism use to deal with issues of good or bad habits, primarily originated of cultural and religious milieu, a differentiating factor amongst the cultured and non-cultured). These customs and rituals (neo-habits) have originated with the changing sense of belongings, lifestyle pattern, means and modes of communication, interactivity to the real and virtual world and many such issues. Do our clothes really serve what are required in new-age lifestyle, and the “intermediate”***** patterns of living? *****Somesh Singh, and Himanshu Vaidya had mentioned elaborate lifestyle pattern in “Intermediates future of fashion”, a research project in Indian menswear. Self Image- in search of Individualism One may wonder why “habit factor” is emphasized, though other attributes are equally important which constitute fashion and trend. Habits are predominant cause, that effect’ utility and usability pattern, be it physical, behavioral or perceptual. For example: Plastic Money, I-pods, Hand held devices (PDAs), Cell phones and many such new nuances have become the integral part of daily life, which requires extensive care and protection. Their regular use has created newer Patterns of habit and interactivity towards clothing. Do we remember any single garment that accommodates these gadgets comfortably? Many may agree or disagree to this fact, and many Brands and Companies may claim that they have already provided POCKETS or AREAS, which takes care of such issues (Scientifically incorrect).
One of the recent surveys (personal contact method used amongst more than 100 students and faculty at NID and local people at Ahmedabad) revealed that 90% of people have quoted “difficult” to accommodate these gadgets in the existing garments and it may be due to the lack of ergonomically correct details. Ergonomics: A department of Science that deals with Physical Behavior (Body dimension, age, weight etc.), Physiological behavior (How body works in different conditions, work postures etc.), and Psychological Behavior (Interaction with space, colors, textures etc). In short, the relation between user, product and environment. Input from Dr. Subir Das, Ergonomist, National Institute of Design.
Habits here have larger connotation than what is accepted as a common practice. And these habits evolve particular behavior pattern, which identifies a “Cult” and creates a sense of “Individualism” amongst most of us. These may be borrowed from the surroundings, experience or extracted from elder ones or has inherited through generation. (The debate here is not over good or bad habits, but understanding its importance in order to bring necessary change in fashion and design). In this context, we would differ from traditional concept of market segmentation that perhaps include variable/s like group of people belonging to similar geographical regions, behaves in similar manner, follows similar rituals, accustom similar social and cultural formats, opinions and set of beliefs and vice a versa. An often habit assimilates these features. (Physical, Behavioral and Perceptual). This new theory of market segmentation is based on habits rather than any other factual evidence. However this segmentation needs contemporary design solutions to address problems rather than following traditions. Centuries are evident of change with the evolving context; even fashion today needs to be reinvented through new forms and meanings with modern value system, new beliefs and opinions and most importantly the new avatar of “Modernism” (Contra sexual, metro sexual and new emerging gizmos of fashion). Adaptation and fashion Looking into the theories of fashion, trickle-down theory, trickle-up theory, and trickle-across theory 5th edition, from concept to consumer, Gini Stephen Frings, what creates fashion, as FADS or CLASSICS are the endurance period? The time, change and acceptance are the three characteristics for its popularity and acknowledgement.
Let us look at a very basic evolution pattern, in fashion that could very well support the above reasoning: 15th to 18th century fashion; the concept of beauty and adornment from the look, silhouettes, fabrics and detailing and overall body accessory was elaborate, voluminous, intricate and a well devised mannerism to carry. The luxury of time before industrial revolution allowed such detailed, elaborate and ornamental look. (The definition of “luxury” has many meanings, but the quoted one is to do with ample amount of time for recreation) The social and cultural value system had its’ own impact and influence. Most significant characteristics for a costume like appearance were the concept of “Waist”. Popularly known as empire line (or closer to it) during the period. With the industrial revolution and emergence of “Middle Class” the concept of city demanded more functional look that could well accommodate working habit and culture. Waist came down from the traditional “empire line” to more anatomically correct waist. But the detailing remained same. Further with the world war-I and emergence of “Ready to Wear” Industry, the new look dropped “Waist Story” further. Interventions of scientific methods and processes redefined sense of belongings based on contemporary needs. Still what remained same is the detailing of garments. Post world war with the evolution of “New LOOK” proposed by ace designer Christian Dior, the concept of modern waist came in place. This was somewhere closer to navel. “Hippy Look” in 1960’s further added the spice to the “waist story” and what we see today in most of trousers and bottoms are the version of “Hipsters”.
Such sea changes didn’t enable garment details to modify i.e. as pockets, hem, belt etc. The drop of waist over past centuries has affected tremendously the use of pockets, especially the back pockets. In present context even, how many people still put their wallet and belonging into the back pocket? It has remained a style feature but no more a functional unit.
Details as mentioned are many if one analyzes, that essentially needed modification with the ergonomic comfort based on changing HABITS. A new design breed should emerge that caters to the need specific fashion and brings comfort to today’s wearer. Style: custom to customization Habits are custom and style becomes customization, styles are the feature that distinguishes a product from universal to personal form. With today’s lifestyle pattern most of our habits has become a custom, whether it’s a morning bed tea, daily activities, a journey within the city, professional works, meetings and discussion, recreation and entertainment, family activities and so on, never ending… Most of these customs are borrowed ones, (since the concept of story telling that use to be the medium in past to cultivate such tendencies habits with appropriate justifications, are now diminished, most things today has self discovered meanings) and then customized as per our emotional and physical needs. In fashion, the sense of personifications has even evolved different mannerism for the wearer to wear these ensemble based on acts and activities. Saree, one of the most popular Indian attire, customizes itself in various drape forms that suits personal needs and regional values. The customization in most products has been added in terms of symbols or signs or functional add on. Later these ideas become source/s of inspiration for majority of designers and fashion leaders. Contemporary clothing as well adds personal touch through, shirts shaped at side seams to be more fitted, cluster of top pockets to accommodates stationary and papers of designers, zipped up side pockets for bike or two wheeler riders, stole turned in face masks for women in Ahmedabad, captioned printed t-shirts describing one’s ideology etc.
Custom due to habits varies categorical in case of men and women, college goers or a professional, housewives or an entrepreneur, and in almost all professions. Style may have its own virtue, though needs to sustain value and relevance. Habits may treated subdue, yet creates panorama of cultures and cult. Does the value system prevail the way it was? How can a fashion remain universal when the niche and heterogeneity rules the segmentation? There are many more unanswered questions like this, which needs answer not immediate but in time to come. "Fashion need not be fickle".
Interestingly, these customization have evolved out of human needs and zest to personify their belongings, their interaction and understanding in terms of utility and relevance (Various manuals do talk about the utility of various functions imbibed within the gadget, and also precaution note etc. but does any manual talk about where to keep, at what angle shall it be kept during usage, and how much pleasure would it hold and so on). Interface between the user, object and environment generates set of rituals, which we perceive as habits (During 17th and 18th century a lot of mannerism use to deal with issues of good or bad habits, primarily originated of cultural and religious milieu, a differentiating factor amongst the cultured and non-cultured). These customs and rituals (neo-habits) have originated with the changing sense of belongings, lifestyle pattern, means and modes of communication, interactivity to the real and virtual world and many such issues. Do our clothes really serve what are required in new-age lifestyle, and the “intermediate”***** patterns of living? *****Somesh Singh, and Himanshu Vaidya had mentioned elaborate lifestyle pattern in “Intermediates future of fashion”, a research project in Indian menswear. Self Image- in search of Individualism One may wonder why “habit factor” is emphasized, though other attributes are equally important which constitute fashion and trend. Habits are predominant cause, that effect’ utility and usability pattern, be it physical, behavioral or perceptual. For example: Plastic Money, I-pods, Hand held devices (PDAs), Cell phones and many such new nuances have become the integral part of daily life, which requires extensive care and protection. Their regular use has created newer Patterns of habit and interactivity towards clothing. Do we remember any single garment that accommodates these gadgets comfortably? Many may agree or disagree to this fact, and many Brands and Companies may claim that they have already provided POCKETS or AREAS, which takes care of such issues (Scientifically incorrect).
One of the recent surveys (personal contact method used amongst more than 100 students and faculty at NID and local people at Ahmedabad) revealed that 90% of people have quoted “difficult” to accommodate these gadgets in the existing garments and it may be due to the lack of ergonomically correct details. Ergonomics: A department of Science that deals with Physical Behavior (Body dimension, age, weight etc.), Physiological behavior (How body works in different conditions, work postures etc.), and Psychological Behavior (Interaction with space, colors, textures etc). In short, the relation between user, product and environment. Input from Dr. Subir Das, Ergonomist, National Institute of Design.
Habits here have larger connotation than what is accepted as a common practice. And these habits evolve particular behavior pattern, which identifies a “Cult” and creates a sense of “Individualism” amongst most of us. These may be borrowed from the surroundings, experience or extracted from elder ones or has inherited through generation. (The debate here is not over good or bad habits, but understanding its importance in order to bring necessary change in fashion and design). In this context, we would differ from traditional concept of market segmentation that perhaps include variable/s like group of people belonging to similar geographical regions, behaves in similar manner, follows similar rituals, accustom similar social and cultural formats, opinions and set of beliefs and vice a versa. An often habit assimilates these features. (Physical, Behavioral and Perceptual). This new theory of market segmentation is based on habits rather than any other factual evidence. However this segmentation needs contemporary design solutions to address problems rather than following traditions. Centuries are evident of change with the evolving context; even fashion today needs to be reinvented through new forms and meanings with modern value system, new beliefs and opinions and most importantly the new avatar of “Modernism” (Contra sexual, metro sexual and new emerging gizmos of fashion). Adaptation and fashion Looking into the theories of fashion, trickle-down theory, trickle-up theory, and trickle-across theory 5th edition, from concept to consumer, Gini Stephen Frings, what creates fashion, as FADS or CLASSICS are the endurance period? The time, change and acceptance are the three characteristics for its popularity and acknowledgement.
Let us look at a very basic evolution pattern, in fashion that could very well support the above reasoning: 15th to 18th century fashion; the concept of beauty and adornment from the look, silhouettes, fabrics and detailing and overall body accessory was elaborate, voluminous, intricate and a well devised mannerism to carry. The luxury of time before industrial revolution allowed such detailed, elaborate and ornamental look. (The definition of “luxury” has many meanings, but the quoted one is to do with ample amount of time for recreation) The social and cultural value system had its’ own impact and influence. Most significant characteristics for a costume like appearance were the concept of “Waist”. Popularly known as empire line (or closer to it) during the period. With the industrial revolution and emergence of “Middle Class” the concept of city demanded more functional look that could well accommodate working habit and culture. Waist came down from the traditional “empire line” to more anatomically correct waist. But the detailing remained same. Further with the world war-I and emergence of “Ready to Wear” Industry, the new look dropped “Waist Story” further. Interventions of scientific methods and processes redefined sense of belongings based on contemporary needs. Still what remained same is the detailing of garments. Post world war with the evolution of “New LOOK” proposed by ace designer Christian Dior, the concept of modern waist came in place. This was somewhere closer to navel. “Hippy Look” in 1960’s further added the spice to the “waist story” and what we see today in most of trousers and bottoms are the version of “Hipsters”.
Such sea changes didn’t enable garment details to modify i.e. as pockets, hem, belt etc. The drop of waist over past centuries has affected tremendously the use of pockets, especially the back pockets. In present context even, how many people still put their wallet and belonging into the back pocket? It has remained a style feature but no more a functional unit.
Details as mentioned are many if one analyzes, that essentially needed modification with the ergonomic comfort based on changing HABITS. A new design breed should emerge that caters to the need specific fashion and brings comfort to today’s wearer. Style: custom to customization Habits are custom and style becomes customization, styles are the feature that distinguishes a product from universal to personal form. With today’s lifestyle pattern most of our habits has become a custom, whether it’s a morning bed tea, daily activities, a journey within the city, professional works, meetings and discussion, recreation and entertainment, family activities and so on, never ending… Most of these customs are borrowed ones, (since the concept of story telling that use to be the medium in past to cultivate such tendencies habits with appropriate justifications, are now diminished, most things today has self discovered meanings) and then customized as per our emotional and physical needs. In fashion, the sense of personifications has even evolved different mannerism for the wearer to wear these ensemble based on acts and activities. Saree, one of the most popular Indian attire, customizes itself in various drape forms that suits personal needs and regional values. The customization in most products has been added in terms of symbols or signs or functional add on. Later these ideas become source/s of inspiration for majority of designers and fashion leaders. Contemporary clothing as well adds personal touch through, shirts shaped at side seams to be more fitted, cluster of top pockets to accommodates stationary and papers of designers, zipped up side pockets for bike or two wheeler riders, stole turned in face masks for women in Ahmedabad, captioned printed t-shirts describing one’s ideology etc.
Custom due to habits varies categorical in case of men and women, college goers or a professional, housewives or an entrepreneur, and in almost all professions. Style may have its own virtue, though needs to sustain value and relevance. Habits may treated subdue, yet creates panorama of cultures and cult. Does the value system prevail the way it was? How can a fashion remain universal when the niche and heterogeneity rules the segmentation? There are many more unanswered questions like this, which needs answer not immediate but in time to come. "Fashion need not be fickle".
Innovating Fashion Education
Introduction
Fashion is a social phenomena common to many fields of human activity, thinking and action. The term innovation may refer to both radical and incremental changes to product, processes or service. And fashion innovation means radically redefining ideas, products and services to term ‘fashion” at large. To achieve so training such professionals are Herculean task. The major challenge in today’s fashion and design education is to invoke such thought processes in nascent fellows who can create possibility in impossibilities, opportunity in competitions, and simplicity in complexities.
“Fashion” has moved beyond the regular stream of glamour to commodity. Creative economy has splurged radical thought processes within the domain of innovation, and so are the challenges. Recently I had an opportunity to hear a greatest example of innovation; it was about the famous ‘bulb’. There were more than fifty inventors to bulb alike, but the one who commercialized was Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931), an inventor and a businessman who connected imagination with reality and gifted light to the whole world. The similar approach is required today by fashion industry where amongst value addition radical thinking becomes core of the business. It requires professional who can create new system, processes and methods to leverage existing industries. Besides employing fashion stylists the industry requires next generation of Fashion Innovators who could lead them. The Most fashion designers earn between $14,000 and $1, 00,000, but a radically new concept may fetch millions of dollars to its founder, company and stake holders contributing new knowledge and wealth creation. Therefore “Innovative Fashion” would create value, efficiency and alternative knowledge in the time to come.
Evolving Fashion Education
Globalization and the onward march from knowledge to creative economy have brought immense challenges and opportunities to fashion educators world-wide. To prepare students for successful and rewarding career means preparing them to compete in a global economy. Fashion education therefore demands its Students, Faculty and Institutional Culture, a unique blend of Conceptual, Aesthetic and Application domain. The new pace requires skilled manpower with strategic overview and creative thinking.
As the industry evolved so is the fashion education, early 90’s the focus of fashion education was catering to the manufacturing sector of exports/international market and domestically few fashion designers became well known entrepreneurs (i.e. Rohit Bal, J J Valaya, Ritu Beri etc). The domestic market then was much customized and specific to limited clientele and majority of fashion houses, boutiques were family run, industries were following International trends. The curriculum was primarily focusing on discussing international cases, styles were more westernized and the graduate level education were generic with technical emphasis on design, patternmaking and production know how. The origin of NIFT shaped fashion education to be more authentic/professional career than being considered vocational or home science.
Late 90’s brought a dramatic change in fashion industry, with evolution of FDCI and “India Fashion Week” launched, a platform to share creative aspirations and innovation. This initiative brought all the designers and buyers together that helped industry organize further. On the other hand domestic players in apparel came with their own brands/stores across the country; the organized retailing started occupying its place, and the education demanded more dynamic designers who can understand psyche of domestic market, have ability to connect creative aspirations with business/market realities. This increased demand of skilled & creative professionals forced institutions to become multi-campus to churn more quality professionals every year, to cater to cluster and sectoral specific needs of India. The curriculum and programme/s being offered were made sector specific. (For e.g. NIFT opened seven centers all across India, Chennai saw origin of many leather design programmes and institutes, NIFT-TEA was opened at Tirupur to cater design needs for knitted apparels and NIIFT, Mohali to serve to Ludhiana and Jalandhar.)
During this period most fashion courses lasted for three years, which blended artistic and technical side; some courses included working in the fashion industry, to give students a taste of commercial fashion process. Others offered the chance to visit fashion industry abroad. At the end of final year most students showcased their work to prospective buyers and employers. People who want to become top designers worked with other designers to gain hands-on experience. The past ten years have witnessed demands of professional and human resources development for an expanding fashion economy.
Post 2000, the whole perspective changed from manufacturing to creative economy, the education shifted towards catering largely to indigenous needs. Fashion education devised new curriculum that could create multifaceted fashion professionals, who can innovate system enterprise, business models, and largely products. The disruptive thinking became dominant to such learning processes. More focus was laid towards research based education and higher PG Programmes to develop more specialized knowledge. “Design” and “Innovation” became key areas with continuous technological developments. This era redefined fashion education from”Style/Concept” to “Design and Innovation led” which could bring more novel opportunities to entire value chain. The fashion became more connecting force amongst people globally with their lifestyle and culture. As design took its mammoth leap, the industry and world understood the importance of Indian design and designers and henceforth National Design Policy announced by GOI in 2007 gave “Design and Innovation” much boost and significant position. And National Institute of Design got recognized as India’s first design university.
Multifaceted Fashion Cube
Fashion in design education is like a cubical that has multiple faculties, equally important and connects each other; it looks like a magic box which can reveal so much once opened. Our continuous “cross learning***” created “Fashion innovators” who can function to various domains of fashion industry and can continuously work towards innovative method and processes. This shift originated a unique approach of teaching Fashion/Apparel at NID, a value based learning system. The pedagogical mix at NID was to achieve right balance in theory and practice to create newer knowledge and produce innovativeness. These curriculums clearly defined the position of “Multifaceted Generic” and “Inquisitively Specific” learning that assimilates wider and deeper perspective, a holistic approach to evolve as creative entrepreneurs. The institutional culture of cross learning has been to achieve “New Fashion Hybrid” with multi-lateral knowledge. These “out of wall” experiences contributed by faculty and students of Apparel Design at NID will henceforth suggest on how classroom exercises have become business realities. I’m going to share few cases thereafter.
*** Cross learning in domain of design is a culture where various disciplines like communication, Industrial, Textile and Fashion, Information create cross-idea exchange to make any learning more strategic and holistic.
“India” to “Innovative Fashion Week” (IFW)
The split of fashion week was a controversial subject to Fashion Fraternity, but on positive note it gave opportunity to plenty of young designers and designpreneurs. Be it “India fashion Week” at Delhi or “Lakme Fashion Week” in Mumbai. A genre of young aspirants started producing break through innovation, high quality work and continuous New Product Development. These places evolved as a creative zone which could foster innovative ideas to non-stop and fast changing fashion industry.
This innovative work of Rahul and Firdos begun at the end of their final year at NID, when they started with conceptualizing reversible garments which could be worn from both sides and can bring more value addition to Kerala Textiles, to connect modernity with tradition.
This approach evolved garments which could be worn from both sides with different silhouette and styles when worn from either side. This attempt excited them further to romanticize with Bandhani for redefining and reinventing the fit phenomenon. The stretchable character coming out of Bandhini gave the garments a better fit and even fit to different sizes. These designs largely attracted national and international buyers and promoted the traditional craft globally with more functional and aesthetic value. And finally range of seamless garments this season stunned everyone; these new patterns could fit contours of women body better than even highly tailored clothes. Today these ideas have fetched them business worth half a million in just two years and a queue of buyers awaiting what’s next.
Innovations for the Fashion Industry
The Branded and Retail industry which grew as a very competitive and saturated market, to bring more product diversification and innovative ideas to create differentiation in the existing product range were key challenges to be taken up by these new professionals. Fit for Indian Size has been a thorough challenge for apparel industry, and especially clothing for large sizes has been vacant area of opportunity. Making this “fat fashion” more trendy, smart and affordable could cater to almost one fourth of market size. Diversification in fashion can bring specialized clothing categories suiting to different segments for specific occasions i.e. beachwear, festive wear, resort wear, active sports, sporting, climbing etc. Even the anthropometric study conducted by many of our faculty and students here become vital for industries to redefine the fit problem and issues.
Our student Moushumi Ghosh explores the language of geometry. It’s an outcome of a rendezvous between the elementary geometrical forms and the complex form of the human body. There’s no need for sizing, as it is up to the wearer, to adapt themselves to as many silhouettes one can discover in the garment. Sizing an entire population is effective way of optimizing for mass production. What if -we add a little twist and borrow the fact that mass exists in many sizes an people love to make individual statements and build forms which are easy to manufacture and can travel the peripheries of abstraction. Something like a sari, this drapes with people’s imagination.
Textile student Geetika explored folding garments that can fit into cigarette/small box taking ideas from basic folding techniques. Today the complexity of traveling from one location to another has become more tedious and carrying volumes and loads of apparel is complicating it even further more. This innovative endeavor is to create fashion line that could fit in small bags (size of hand bags) which can accommodate 10-12 ensembles. Extremely light weight, easy to maintain, and extremely fashionable.
And my Paunch proof TM shirt for oversized, a problem that have been bothering almost every wearer. This initiative made them look slimmer than their actual mass, ergonomically functional and a new definition/dimension to sizes for fat and obese people.
Connecting Ends-Fashion as Medium
Creativity is quoted as something “Unique, Original and Novel” that connects society at large with most modern to craft and rural parts of the world. Today with the intervention of Design with latest technology has created a seamless world. And the future challenges are also to train manpower in these geographical proximities which are still considered third world.
One of such initiatives taken up by NID was to design High Altitude Clothing (Team Members: Prof. P.B Jhala, Somesh Singh and R.S Rajsekaran) using angora wool. It has been incredible exercise which helped small clusters of Uttranchal/Himachal connecting to most specialized fashion industry. The development both supported by NID and IPR was done by using Plasma technology which redefined Angora wool’s (eight times warmer than Marino wool) application in varied fashion products. This new technology which uses air as base also became highly cost effective and made these angora fibers stronger, smoother, reduced shredding, and made easy to spin. With use of plasma technology angora fiber became more users friendly, easily maintainable and more productive. We applied this new development for both army and high altitude clothing. And in much social perspective it provided larger opportunity to these angora weavers to fetch better marketplace and value for products.
Alternative Fashion- Road less traveled
A global classroom has been a great learning ground for the young fashion professional that can practice or Contribute new/alternative knowledge to domain of fashion. These alternative sector hold largest market share of clothing and textiles and are relatively more functional fashion sectors For example: Lingerie and Intimate Wear, Maternity wear, Police and Army clothing, Medical and Healthcare clothing and clothing for physically disabled. Many of our projects and classroom exercises gave new shape to these areas.
As a designer for New Gujarat Police uniform I had an opportunity to look closely at “Police” a fear factor for common men, taking into consideration all functional aspects and working conditions of these police personal I realized that I can’t do much to their job profiles but can contribute to clothing which may perhaps make feel them better. The new designs developed at NID has provision to accommodate set of belongings like, PDA’s, Wireless Devices, and Smart Technology devices with chalan books and stationeries. The new fits are more customized to different sizes and body types. Uber-cool uniform that would make the policemen feels cool in summers. These new cotton-blended fabrics would be wrinkle free, with Photo chromatic and Radium badges for better visibility. The fragrance finish is to ease the stress of policemen working for long hours and under diff. climatic conditions and geographical terrains. These uniforms give great protection from bacteria, dust and UV rays.
Student Neelam Prabhugaonkar’s clothing design for Deaf and dumb children with interactive technology helps them communicate with people who can hear, by means of electronics in garments. This garment makes their life a little easier, while trying to communicate with people who can hear.
The garment integrates a battery-run ‘voice-recorder and playback device’ with its design features. The device is capable of recording up to 8 sentences/words which can be played back individually at the push of a button. These recorded inputs are not permanent and can be replaced with different sentences/words. The parents or the teacher can record anything ranging from basic questions to names of the child’s friends. This gives the child the freedom to catch a person’s attention, specifically call out a person by his/her name in a group or to ask for a few things without resorting to sign language. This technology is inbuilt within the garments and easy for wash and care.
Binata Lahiri disposable garments using non-woven fabric have been primarily designed for patients who need not have to give their uniforms for laundering every time at the hospitals or medical centers. These bacteria free clothes reduce the complexities of patient’s clumsy life and make them and their relatives’ life much easier. These bio-degradable apparels even don’t cause harm to the larger environments. And give non woven industry a new market to explore and work towards.
Sonal Kabra evolved medical clothing for arthritis patients. Arthritis causes pain and eventually disability due to inflammation of the joints. The design details cope with the pain and frustration of getting dressed and undressed daily. The range of attractive clothing designed by her not only gives them an ease of dressing but also enhances their physical appearance. This helps in maintaining their self-esteem and confidence.
The Future: I-Clothing (Individual to Intelligence)
Clothing and Fashion is moving from adornment to intelligence, it has become counterpart that takes care of all individual needs and aspirations, be it information or knowledge, biological body, pulse impulse, or interactivity to outside environment. I-fashion has upsurge newest of technology, evolving intelligent/smart clothes and accessories with inbuilt communication and information, moving server, GPS, multi-sensory intelligence etc. This I-factor would soon emerge to be the greatest convergence to self and the world around.
NID student Prasenjit Kundu had invented Smart Electronic Jacket which provides massage/ warmth/entertainment to the wearer as soon as you switch on the vibrators inbuilt within the jacket. “Smart apparel” for busy corporate professionals which is able to provide a multi-sensory experience of complete “Rejuvenation” with personal and quick refreshment, and reduces physical and mental stress. This men’s jacket gives instant relaxation to professionals during office hours or even while traveling.
Kranti Kiran a student of MIT, U.S with NDBI, NID has been working on ClimaControl TM , an intelligent technology embedded within the uniforms which could control temperature in clothing that can sustain human beings to an extreme outside temperature, for instance in 45-50 degree C it can still provide a temperature worth 25-30 degree Celsius through digital control. And at extreme altitude where the outside temperature is very low it can still keep you as warm as you want.
Fashion is a social phenomena common to many fields of human activity, thinking and action. The term innovation may refer to both radical and incremental changes to product, processes or service. And fashion innovation means radically redefining ideas, products and services to term ‘fashion” at large. To achieve so training such professionals are Herculean task. The major challenge in today’s fashion and design education is to invoke such thought processes in nascent fellows who can create possibility in impossibilities, opportunity in competitions, and simplicity in complexities.
“Fashion” has moved beyond the regular stream of glamour to commodity. Creative economy has splurged radical thought processes within the domain of innovation, and so are the challenges. Recently I had an opportunity to hear a greatest example of innovation; it was about the famous ‘bulb’. There were more than fifty inventors to bulb alike, but the one who commercialized was Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931), an inventor and a businessman who connected imagination with reality and gifted light to the whole world. The similar approach is required today by fashion industry where amongst value addition radical thinking becomes core of the business. It requires professional who can create new system, processes and methods to leverage existing industries. Besides employing fashion stylists the industry requires next generation of Fashion Innovators who could lead them. The Most fashion designers earn between $14,000 and $1, 00,000, but a radically new concept may fetch millions of dollars to its founder, company and stake holders contributing new knowledge and wealth creation. Therefore “Innovative Fashion” would create value, efficiency and alternative knowledge in the time to come.
Evolving Fashion Education
Globalization and the onward march from knowledge to creative economy have brought immense challenges and opportunities to fashion educators world-wide. To prepare students for successful and rewarding career means preparing them to compete in a global economy. Fashion education therefore demands its Students, Faculty and Institutional Culture, a unique blend of Conceptual, Aesthetic and Application domain. The new pace requires skilled manpower with strategic overview and creative thinking.
As the industry evolved so is the fashion education, early 90’s the focus of fashion education was catering to the manufacturing sector of exports/international market and domestically few fashion designers became well known entrepreneurs (i.e. Rohit Bal, J J Valaya, Ritu Beri etc). The domestic market then was much customized and specific to limited clientele and majority of fashion houses, boutiques were family run, industries were following International trends. The curriculum was primarily focusing on discussing international cases, styles were more westernized and the graduate level education were generic with technical emphasis on design, patternmaking and production know how. The origin of NIFT shaped fashion education to be more authentic/professional career than being considered vocational or home science.
Late 90’s brought a dramatic change in fashion industry, with evolution of FDCI and “India Fashion Week” launched, a platform to share creative aspirations and innovation. This initiative brought all the designers and buyers together that helped industry organize further. On the other hand domestic players in apparel came with their own brands/stores across the country; the organized retailing started occupying its place, and the education demanded more dynamic designers who can understand psyche of domestic market, have ability to connect creative aspirations with business/market realities. This increased demand of skilled & creative professionals forced institutions to become multi-campus to churn more quality professionals every year, to cater to cluster and sectoral specific needs of India. The curriculum and programme/s being offered were made sector specific. (For e.g. NIFT opened seven centers all across India, Chennai saw origin of many leather design programmes and institutes, NIFT-TEA was opened at Tirupur to cater design needs for knitted apparels and NIIFT, Mohali to serve to Ludhiana and Jalandhar.)
During this period most fashion courses lasted for three years, which blended artistic and technical side; some courses included working in the fashion industry, to give students a taste of commercial fashion process. Others offered the chance to visit fashion industry abroad. At the end of final year most students showcased their work to prospective buyers and employers. People who want to become top designers worked with other designers to gain hands-on experience. The past ten years have witnessed demands of professional and human resources development for an expanding fashion economy.
Post 2000, the whole perspective changed from manufacturing to creative economy, the education shifted towards catering largely to indigenous needs. Fashion education devised new curriculum that could create multifaceted fashion professionals, who can innovate system enterprise, business models, and largely products. The disruptive thinking became dominant to such learning processes. More focus was laid towards research based education and higher PG Programmes to develop more specialized knowledge. “Design” and “Innovation” became key areas with continuous technological developments. This era redefined fashion education from”Style/Concept” to “Design and Innovation led” which could bring more novel opportunities to entire value chain. The fashion became more connecting force amongst people globally with their lifestyle and culture. As design took its mammoth leap, the industry and world understood the importance of Indian design and designers and henceforth National Design Policy announced by GOI in 2007 gave “Design and Innovation” much boost and significant position. And National Institute of Design got recognized as India’s first design university.
Multifaceted Fashion Cube
Fashion in design education is like a cubical that has multiple faculties, equally important and connects each other; it looks like a magic box which can reveal so much once opened. Our continuous “cross learning***” created “Fashion innovators” who can function to various domains of fashion industry and can continuously work towards innovative method and processes. This shift originated a unique approach of teaching Fashion/Apparel at NID, a value based learning system. The pedagogical mix at NID was to achieve right balance in theory and practice to create newer knowledge and produce innovativeness. These curriculums clearly defined the position of “Multifaceted Generic” and “Inquisitively Specific” learning that assimilates wider and deeper perspective, a holistic approach to evolve as creative entrepreneurs. The institutional culture of cross learning has been to achieve “New Fashion Hybrid” with multi-lateral knowledge. These “out of wall” experiences contributed by faculty and students of Apparel Design at NID will henceforth suggest on how classroom exercises have become business realities. I’m going to share few cases thereafter.
*** Cross learning in domain of design is a culture where various disciplines like communication, Industrial, Textile and Fashion, Information create cross-idea exchange to make any learning more strategic and holistic.
“India” to “Innovative Fashion Week” (IFW)
The split of fashion week was a controversial subject to Fashion Fraternity, but on positive note it gave opportunity to plenty of young designers and designpreneurs. Be it “India fashion Week” at Delhi or “Lakme Fashion Week” in Mumbai. A genre of young aspirants started producing break through innovation, high quality work and continuous New Product Development. These places evolved as a creative zone which could foster innovative ideas to non-stop and fast changing fashion industry.
This innovative work of Rahul and Firdos begun at the end of their final year at NID, when they started with conceptualizing reversible garments which could be worn from both sides and can bring more value addition to Kerala Textiles, to connect modernity with tradition.
This approach evolved garments which could be worn from both sides with different silhouette and styles when worn from either side. This attempt excited them further to romanticize with Bandhani for redefining and reinventing the fit phenomenon. The stretchable character coming out of Bandhini gave the garments a better fit and even fit to different sizes. These designs largely attracted national and international buyers and promoted the traditional craft globally with more functional and aesthetic value. And finally range of seamless garments this season stunned everyone; these new patterns could fit contours of women body better than even highly tailored clothes. Today these ideas have fetched them business worth half a million in just two years and a queue of buyers awaiting what’s next.
Innovations for the Fashion Industry
The Branded and Retail industry which grew as a very competitive and saturated market, to bring more product diversification and innovative ideas to create differentiation in the existing product range were key challenges to be taken up by these new professionals. Fit for Indian Size has been a thorough challenge for apparel industry, and especially clothing for large sizes has been vacant area of opportunity. Making this “fat fashion” more trendy, smart and affordable could cater to almost one fourth of market size. Diversification in fashion can bring specialized clothing categories suiting to different segments for specific occasions i.e. beachwear, festive wear, resort wear, active sports, sporting, climbing etc. Even the anthropometric study conducted by many of our faculty and students here become vital for industries to redefine the fit problem and issues.
Our student Moushumi Ghosh explores the language of geometry. It’s an outcome of a rendezvous between the elementary geometrical forms and the complex form of the human body. There’s no need for sizing, as it is up to the wearer, to adapt themselves to as many silhouettes one can discover in the garment. Sizing an entire population is effective way of optimizing for mass production. What if -we add a little twist and borrow the fact that mass exists in many sizes an people love to make individual statements and build forms which are easy to manufacture and can travel the peripheries of abstraction. Something like a sari, this drapes with people’s imagination.
Textile student Geetika explored folding garments that can fit into cigarette/small box taking ideas from basic folding techniques. Today the complexity of traveling from one location to another has become more tedious and carrying volumes and loads of apparel is complicating it even further more. This innovative endeavor is to create fashion line that could fit in small bags (size of hand bags) which can accommodate 10-12 ensembles. Extremely light weight, easy to maintain, and extremely fashionable.
And my Paunch proof TM shirt for oversized, a problem that have been bothering almost every wearer. This initiative made them look slimmer than their actual mass, ergonomically functional and a new definition/dimension to sizes for fat and obese people.
Connecting Ends-Fashion as Medium
Creativity is quoted as something “Unique, Original and Novel” that connects society at large with most modern to craft and rural parts of the world. Today with the intervention of Design with latest technology has created a seamless world. And the future challenges are also to train manpower in these geographical proximities which are still considered third world.
One of such initiatives taken up by NID was to design High Altitude Clothing (Team Members: Prof. P.B Jhala, Somesh Singh and R.S Rajsekaran) using angora wool. It has been incredible exercise which helped small clusters of Uttranchal/Himachal connecting to most specialized fashion industry. The development both supported by NID and IPR was done by using Plasma technology which redefined Angora wool’s (eight times warmer than Marino wool) application in varied fashion products. This new technology which uses air as base also became highly cost effective and made these angora fibers stronger, smoother, reduced shredding, and made easy to spin. With use of plasma technology angora fiber became more users friendly, easily maintainable and more productive. We applied this new development for both army and high altitude clothing. And in much social perspective it provided larger opportunity to these angora weavers to fetch better marketplace and value for products.
Alternative Fashion- Road less traveled
A global classroom has been a great learning ground for the young fashion professional that can practice or Contribute new/alternative knowledge to domain of fashion. These alternative sector hold largest market share of clothing and textiles and are relatively more functional fashion sectors For example: Lingerie and Intimate Wear, Maternity wear, Police and Army clothing, Medical and Healthcare clothing and clothing for physically disabled. Many of our projects and classroom exercises gave new shape to these areas.
As a designer for New Gujarat Police uniform I had an opportunity to look closely at “Police” a fear factor for common men, taking into consideration all functional aspects and working conditions of these police personal I realized that I can’t do much to their job profiles but can contribute to clothing which may perhaps make feel them better. The new designs developed at NID has provision to accommodate set of belongings like, PDA’s, Wireless Devices, and Smart Technology devices with chalan books and stationeries. The new fits are more customized to different sizes and body types. Uber-cool uniform that would make the policemen feels cool in summers. These new cotton-blended fabrics would be wrinkle free, with Photo chromatic and Radium badges for better visibility. The fragrance finish is to ease the stress of policemen working for long hours and under diff. climatic conditions and geographical terrains. These uniforms give great protection from bacteria, dust and UV rays.
Student Neelam Prabhugaonkar’s clothing design for Deaf and dumb children with interactive technology helps them communicate with people who can hear, by means of electronics in garments. This garment makes their life a little easier, while trying to communicate with people who can hear.
The garment integrates a battery-run ‘voice-recorder and playback device’ with its design features. The device is capable of recording up to 8 sentences/words which can be played back individually at the push of a button. These recorded inputs are not permanent and can be replaced with different sentences/words. The parents or the teacher can record anything ranging from basic questions to names of the child’s friends. This gives the child the freedom to catch a person’s attention, specifically call out a person by his/her name in a group or to ask for a few things without resorting to sign language. This technology is inbuilt within the garments and easy for wash and care.
Binata Lahiri disposable garments using non-woven fabric have been primarily designed for patients who need not have to give their uniforms for laundering every time at the hospitals or medical centers. These bacteria free clothes reduce the complexities of patient’s clumsy life and make them and their relatives’ life much easier. These bio-degradable apparels even don’t cause harm to the larger environments. And give non woven industry a new market to explore and work towards.
Sonal Kabra evolved medical clothing for arthritis patients. Arthritis causes pain and eventually disability due to inflammation of the joints. The design details cope with the pain and frustration of getting dressed and undressed daily. The range of attractive clothing designed by her not only gives them an ease of dressing but also enhances their physical appearance. This helps in maintaining their self-esteem and confidence.
The Future: I-Clothing (Individual to Intelligence)
Clothing and Fashion is moving from adornment to intelligence, it has become counterpart that takes care of all individual needs and aspirations, be it information or knowledge, biological body, pulse impulse, or interactivity to outside environment. I-fashion has upsurge newest of technology, evolving intelligent/smart clothes and accessories with inbuilt communication and information, moving server, GPS, multi-sensory intelligence etc. This I-factor would soon emerge to be the greatest convergence to self and the world around.
NID student Prasenjit Kundu had invented Smart Electronic Jacket which provides massage/ warmth/entertainment to the wearer as soon as you switch on the vibrators inbuilt within the jacket. “Smart apparel” for busy corporate professionals which is able to provide a multi-sensory experience of complete “Rejuvenation” with personal and quick refreshment, and reduces physical and mental stress. This men’s jacket gives instant relaxation to professionals during office hours or even while traveling.
Kranti Kiran a student of MIT, U.S with NDBI, NID has been working on ClimaControl TM , an intelligent technology embedded within the uniforms which could control temperature in clothing that can sustain human beings to an extreme outside temperature, for instance in 45-50 degree C it can still provide a temperature worth 25-30 degree Celsius through digital control. And at extreme altitude where the outside temperature is very low it can still keep you as warm as you want.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Changing Reality
Fashion and Design has been highly influenced by the cultural factor. Lately it seems that media and internet has been taking over to become the interactive reality centers, whether it's newspapers, magazines, internet, television etc. If I look at my daily interaction with these mediums, Internet accounts for 60%, Cellphone 30% and Television and Newspapers 10% and the information soaked in my brain have the combination of all these mediums. Therefore my subject of design research or trends are influenced by the imaginations captured by these virtual reality information centers that i've absorbed from morning to evening.
Can i be creative in this given situation? Yes i can but in a free context rather than inspired context, my ideas must not be culminated with the influences i ve registered from the influences from morning to evening. In old times the significance of "Chintan" was based on isolating self from the material and surroundings in order to think out of box solutions, the timings for chintan used to be from 4-6 am in the morning known as "bramh period" of the day. The changing centers and aspirations of reality will see a lot of currupt creative brains rather than unique, novel and original.
The whole arguements leads us to establish a time table that can cultivate true creative thinking and can bring the best of knowledge and outcome, even education and curriculums needs to factor in such changes and give the students/learners some time to think creative having no influences and chintas around. We hope that we will be able to deliver quality education in this regard and evolve a curriculum that will bring in a new way of mentoring not teaching.
Can i be creative in this given situation? Yes i can but in a free context rather than inspired context, my ideas must not be culminated with the influences i ve registered from the influences from morning to evening. In old times the significance of "Chintan" was based on isolating self from the material and surroundings in order to think out of box solutions, the timings for chintan used to be from 4-6 am in the morning known as "bramh period" of the day. The changing centers and aspirations of reality will see a lot of currupt creative brains rather than unique, novel and original.
The whole arguements leads us to establish a time table that can cultivate true creative thinking and can bring the best of knowledge and outcome, even education and curriculums needs to factor in such changes and give the students/learners some time to think creative having no influences and chintas around. We hope that we will be able to deliver quality education in this regard and evolve a curriculum that will bring in a new way of mentoring not teaching.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Inspiring Traditions
Recently while watching the republic day parade, i had encountered glimpses of various states and traditions. How brilliant they are in terms of their overall tradition snd culture. Unfortunately the inspirations in fashion today are drawn from rest of the world but not largely india.
This 10000 yr OLD civilization offers so much to choose from, in textiles, motifs, ideology, philosophy, designs, and techniques. I'm determined to choose my inspirations from this vibrant culture. The best of the fashion and lifestyle products and services are based on Indigenous ethos only, whether ayurved, yog OR organic culture. The genere of vivid past brings montage of what is indeed needed for our designers to create a significant mark in international design scene.
It also offers the most creative solutions to our production technology and suppy chain management. To quote one such examples, China uses majority of the transportation for various goods still connected through rivers across the country. India is a large hub of rivers unfortunately there are hardly water in even those rivers. The ancient systems has KOAN in it, which had fine balance amongst nature and technology. There are many more examples I'll quote related to the above topic.
This 10000 yr OLD civilization offers so much to choose from, in textiles, motifs, ideology, philosophy, designs, and techniques. I'm determined to choose my inspirations from this vibrant culture. The best of the fashion and lifestyle products and services are based on Indigenous ethos only, whether ayurved, yog OR organic culture. The genere of vivid past brings montage of what is indeed needed for our designers to create a significant mark in international design scene.
It also offers the most creative solutions to our production technology and suppy chain management. To quote one such examples, China uses majority of the transportation for various goods still connected through rivers across the country. India is a large hub of rivers unfortunately there are hardly water in even those rivers. The ancient systems has KOAN in it, which had fine balance amongst nature and technology. There are many more examples I'll quote related to the above topic.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Learning Innovations
The first introduction i had with innovation during my child hood, i had been an average EQ child with some good skills in drawing and painting. The primary objective during my school days to go to school was to attend drawing classes and spend time in drawing room with our teacher Mrs. Manjula Singh. What we know today about art & skills is all her guidance and efforts to shape both the brothers. The creative thinking and skill development started from my school kendriya vidyalaya, Tughlakabad.
My first introduction to innovation started with observing my father doing "out of box" work during 1980's. He was a electronic engineer by profession with good knowledge in telecommunications. His approach to work on various things had always four primary objectives: 1. Highly cost effectice products 2. Grass Root elements and 3. Reusablity of junk and used objects always left for kabadivala's 4. Sustainablity. I remember distinctly that when our handpump was removed from one location in the house and shifted to another location, a lot of pipe was unused in the process. The boring of other handpump required thick gage pipe and therefore the residue to previous hand pump could not be used. He has then developed a range of furnitures made of those pipes, a cot which has interesting design elements, a coffee table and a book rack, the bore of the previous handpump was used as water absorbing & filtering drainage system known as "sokhta". His ability to transform these basic elements into meaningful ideas has been phenomenal, oftenly what we treat as garbage has been highly important to him. We often kept observing these developments and our minds started working on shaping things around us in more useable & functional based model within the given context. His designs of lamps coming out of "OLD dalda dabbas" or "clothes rack" made from broken bamboo & jute cots were some finest piece of work. This was our first interaction to innovation and design that convinced us to think lateral for rest of our lives.
My first introduction to innovation started with observing my father doing "out of box" work during 1980's. He was a electronic engineer by profession with good knowledge in telecommunications. His approach to work on various things had always four primary objectives: 1. Highly cost effectice products 2. Grass Root elements and 3. Reusablity of junk and used objects always left for kabadivala's 4. Sustainablity. I remember distinctly that when our handpump was removed from one location in the house and shifted to another location, a lot of pipe was unused in the process. The boring of other handpump required thick gage pipe and therefore the residue to previous hand pump could not be used. He has then developed a range of furnitures made of those pipes, a cot which has interesting design elements, a coffee table and a book rack, the bore of the previous handpump was used as water absorbing & filtering drainage system known as "sokhta". His ability to transform these basic elements into meaningful ideas has been phenomenal, oftenly what we treat as garbage has been highly important to him. We often kept observing these developments and our minds started working on shaping things around us in more useable & functional based model within the given context. His designs of lamps coming out of "OLD dalda dabbas" or "clothes rack" made from broken bamboo & jute cots were some finest piece of work. This was our first interaction to innovation and design that convinced us to think lateral for rest of our lives.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Media Coverage-Gujarat Police Uniform
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Gujarat-police-to-dress-in-style/399148/
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/new-uniform-still-a-dream-for-guj-police/387136/
http://www.vandeindia.com/gujarat-police-to-dress-in-style.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6449681.stm
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070315/asp/nation/story_7518823.asp
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Now-paunch-proof-dress-for-cops/articleshow/1623885.cms
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSDEL27258220070313
http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/comments/a_badge_a_billyclub_and_jasmine/
http://www.televisionpoint.com/news2008/newsfullstory.php?id=1204695816
http://www.policecars.us/thingsthatmakeyousaywhat.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200703/s1871242.htm
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2007-03-13-indian-police-hot-on-the-scent-of-crime
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Many-a-crossroad-between-cops-and-NID/articleshow/4544090.cms
http://www.highbeam.com/Cape+Argus+(South+Africa)/publications.aspx?date=200703&pageNumber=14
http://rantingsbymm.blogspot.com/2007/03/worlds-first-metrosexual-policemen.html
http://social.moldova.org/news/state-cops-to-smell-good-40435-eng.html
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/47809.html
http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/times-of-india-the/mi_8012/is_20070306/rose-cop-ahmedabad/ai_n39437336/
http://www.radioislam.co.za/news/2007/March%202007/News%2015.03.07.htm
http://www.clothes2order.com/read_news/170/2/Policemen_in_India_to_Receive_New,_Better_Smelling_Uniforms.html
http://www.theindiatree.com/forum2/index.php?showtopic=213&st=20
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/new-uniform-still-a-dream-for-guj-police/387136/
http://www.vandeindia.com/gujarat-police-to-dress-in-style.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6449681.stm
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070315/asp/nation/story_7518823.asp
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Now-paunch-proof-dress-for-cops/articleshow/1623885.cms
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSDEL27258220070313
http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/comments/a_badge_a_billyclub_and_jasmine/
http://www.televisionpoint.com/news2008/newsfullstory.php?id=1204695816
http://www.policecars.us/thingsthatmakeyousaywhat.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200703/s1871242.htm
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2007-03-13-indian-police-hot-on-the-scent-of-crime
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Many-a-crossroad-between-cops-and-NID/articleshow/4544090.cms
http://www.highbeam.com/Cape+Argus+(South+Africa)/publications.aspx?date=200703&pageNumber=14
http://rantingsbymm.blogspot.com/2007/03/worlds-first-metrosexual-policemen.html
http://social.moldova.org/news/state-cops-to-smell-good-40435-eng.html
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/47809.html
http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/times-of-india-the/mi_8012/is_20070306/rose-cop-ahmedabad/ai_n39437336/
http://www.radioislam.co.za/news/2007/March%202007/News%2015.03.07.htm
http://www.clothes2order.com/read_news/170/2/Policemen_in_India_to_Receive_New,_Better_Smelling_Uniforms.html
http://www.theindiatree.com/forum2/index.php?showtopic=213&st=20
Fashion Innovation
Imitation to Innovation-Fashion in Creative Economy-
India in next 10 years is going to be another trillion dollar economy, and with this envisioned growth and economic development it is essential to focus on the future now. Historically, the world economy has evolved from agrarian to manufacturing, manufacturing to service, service to knowledge and is now entering into a creative economy with patents, IPRs, innovations as the key economic drivers. Fashion too, needs creative & innovative thinking to become part of this new culture. Post independence, unlike wellness industry & automobile sector, fashion and textiles has registered the least number of patents and design registrations. The innovations in these sectors are comparatively low.
Indian Apparel Exports has recently achieved the benchmark of USD 10.8 billion and the domestic industry reaching USD 35.6 billion, the Apparel Industry largely comprising of small & medium enterprises needs innovative strategies to reach USD 25.0 Billion mark in the next 5 years. Even neighboring countries like Bangladesh, has achieved USD 12.0 billion in apparel exports due to innovative manufacturing approaches adopted by their companies. Simultaneously, Copenhagen talks failing on climate change brings new focus on “Eco-Friendly” fashion that can reduce carbon footprints significantly and cut the emission drastically. The largest retailers like Walmart, Nike, Carrefour and other leading brands have already started tying up with companies/manufacturers who can adapt these changing systems, processes & practices to create sustainable ecology & environment. The changing global business equation post quota, and with emergence of Asia as economic superpower calls for innovative strategies and futuristic outlook to create “New Ecosystems” that will drive future of Fashion Business.
The Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, under its TECHNOPRENEUR PROMOTION PROGRAMME (TePP) scheme has established new policies to support innovation, research & development for all the sectors. This TECHNOPRENEUR PROMOTION PROGRAMME (TePP) also offers immense tax benefits to the companies/entrepreneurs engaged in the “business of innovation”. The 21st Century has seen recent innovations that changed the world’s knowledge & information technology contributed by market leaders like Google, Apple, YouTube, Wikipedia and Twitter as front runners in business of innovation. In 2009, the brand valuation of Google was more than USD 280 billion, even ahead of largest fast food chain McDonald’s and other leading companies across the world. The strategic difference has been the continuous “INNOVATION” in IT. Best practices have been replaced by the “Next Practices” and innovation led approaches has changed “Concept to Consumer” supply chain. All these years Zara has been a classic example to avail “fast fashion” to it’s consumers in no time. Unlike other sectors, fashion has always been highly aesthetically driven, there is now a clear need to integrate the technical know how in order to create new supply chain models for the fashion industry.
The emerging context requires new labs like FASHION INNOVATION LAB at the “Institute of Apparel Management”, that is going to be future proof learning centres for students and industry professionals.
These labs will offer digital platform for virtual prototyping that covers ideation, story boarding, pattern engineering, marker making, virtual prototyping and virtual fashion show in a seamless flow, using Tukatech and other softwares. These labs will redefine the way, design and merchandising will be done in the times to come.
The innovations in the apparel sector shall deal with multi-faceted issues which can derive new meaning for fashion & Lifestyle Products in the future. These issues need wider perspectives, new methods & practices and altogether a new approach for contemporary product development:-
1. Innovating Design – “Tradition Vs Modernity” – Design has become a key factor in determining the life-cycle of products today. With the changing consumer’s taste & preferences, the life span of consumption of the fashion products has changed dramatically. Therefore, to evolve design in a fiercely competitive market, new techniques and technologies are needed. Design in fashion products today shall deal with two factors primarily i.e. value added factors that enhance the “aesthetics” and function/comfort that enhances the performance. The focus of the designers has been largely in aesthetics but the function remains stand still. The new technologies too have brought numerous innovations in yarns, fibers and end finishes. Dupont’s two way stretch that allows expandability in woven fabrics like knits. New development in Technical, Medical and Intelligent textiles has unleashed the fabric’s new “avatar”. These textiles can store information, control temperature, provide protection from the unwanted bacteria and viruses etc. and these innovations in the recent years have become the most popular global trends. Fashion designers are adding wires, circuits, and optical fibers to traditional textiles, creating garments that glow in the dark or keep the wearer warm. Meanwhile, electronic engineers are sewing conductive threads and sensors into body suits that map users’ whereabouts and respond to environmental stimuli. Technology has certainly taken a leap forward.
Environmentally, Bio-degradable textiles, Geo-textiles, Herbal and Organic textiles and re-usability have become the consumer desire, challenging apparel & fashion products to be more innovative. During the design and development of Gujarat’s Police Uniform as well as for the Indian Army, there has been a key focus to integrate Plasma & Nano technology in SUT (Special Utility Textiles). We had also introduced finishes like Fragrance finish for reducing stress, Anti-microbil to protect from unwanted bacteria, Anti-dust for easy maintenance, UV-protection from direct sun burn etc. in the uniform designs for these specialized sectors. Therefore, such technological intervention can very well enhance the design and performance of fashion and life-style products. The dragon skin for Bullet Proof Jackets etc has penetrated the new functional requirements. The new life-style requirements for the millennium generation needs pragmatic approaches in the printing techniques through digital technologies, new surface designs where crafts can be blended with latest machinery. Styling of garments which will have universal design sensibilities to match with the new context, personalities and market segmentation, creating a bouquet of looks for the blended consumers such as traditional, visibly modern and absolute modern. Intelligent clothing will hold the key to “Future of Fashion”, my students Kranti Kiran Vistakula and Prasanjeet Kundu had recently developed “ClimaGearTM” temperature controlling clothing, which can control desirable temperature at extreme climates (-40 degrees till +50 Degrees) and weigh nothing more than 750 pounds. Wearable computing is the generation next fashion statement, even brands like NOKIA has been developing intelligent clothing that are Multi-Purpose. Therefore, design needs a paradigm shift to look at future aspirations and context in order to adapt best to emerging needs.
Sizes Vs Fit - Fashion has moved significantly from voluminous/draped garment to second skin, and the “Visual Torso” of human body has changed significantly. As stated in my article, the 20th century fashion has redefined the “Concept of Waist”.
“Waist” popularly known as the empire line (or closer to it), during the 18th century, became more functional in early 19th Century to accommodate the working habits and neo-culture. Waist came down from the traditional “empire line” to a more anatomically correct waist. Post world war, with the evolution of “New LOOK” by ace fashion designer Christian Dior, the narrowest area in the Torso became the modern waist.
The “Hippy Look” in 1960’s, further added the spice to the “waist story” and what we see today in most of the trousers and bottoms are the adaptation of “Hipsters”.
Such sea changes didn’t enable garment details to modify i.e. as pockets, hem, belt etc. The drop of waist, over the past centuries has affected tremendously on the use of pockets, especially the back pockets. In the present context even, how many people still put their wallet and belongings into the back pocket? It has remained a style feature but no more a functional unit in trousers.
The modern consumer aspires to look “attractive” and the changing “self-image” of the millennium generation wants to pick up “Fit” rather than “Sizes”. The choices and the purchase decisions are driven by fit factors. Even the brand loyalty is largely determined by the fit factor rather than offering range of sizes. Thus, making it imperative to look at fit in a new manner for sizing the garments rather than continuing as S, M, L, XL, XXL etc. India’s first Fashion Innovation Lab provides digital platforms like “e-fit” to develop the new sizes for fashion industry. Such New age digital platforms enhances the visualization skills, offers virtual prototyping that enables ergonomically correct fits and forms. These platforms are extremely cost effective, offer immense flexibility to the user and saves time & effort dramatically for a new product development. Digital platforms like these are a key to the future of digital design & merchandising. Such technologies will only help evolve new genre of fashionable forms/fits for the fashion aware consumers.
Ergonomic Vs Quality –Quality in garments are always evaluated based on the physical characteristics such as wear and tear, stress test, color fastening, seam strength, abrasion resistance, endurance etc. Quality has no more a direct relation with the comfort of wearer. The future looks at clothing in a more ergonomically correct manner and only ergonomic variants will determine the quality and comfort of the user. Fit, Quality & Comfort are essential for changing user needs and their interface with personal belongings like i.e. electronic money, wallets, sun glasses, Key chains, Cell phones, PDA, IPODS etc. Such factors have encouraged even the leading companies to integrate communication devices, GPS, weight division seams, expandable seam, stretch textiles, anti-wrinkle, multi-purpose pockets etc. that works in different contexts, environments and climatic conditions. Paunch ProofTM for obese and overweight includes all aspects of physical & mental comfort and is highly ergonomically functional. One of the famous example is the research on the design and development of a Georgia Tech Wearable Motherboard™ (Smart Shirt) for Combat Casualty Care has led to the realization of the world's first Wearable Motherboard™ or an "intelligent" garment for the 21st Century. The Georgia Tech Wearable Motherboard uses optical fibers to detect bullet wounds, and special sensors and interconnects to monitor the body vital signs during combat conditions. Quality has no more remained as a physical characteristic but an ergonomic (physical & perceptual) variant.
Looks Vs Life-style –Ace fashion designer, Christian Dior in 1947 changed the entire perception of the new women by introducing the “New Look”. The “look” has morphed into a “lifestyle”, from “how it looks” to the “way it looks”. Fashion is no more just clothing but apparel, accessories, beauty, health and all factors constituting lifestyle that are part of the human needs and desire. These consumers are being identified by their lifestyle pattern. Their choices are not only governed by their physical profile but also by the lifestyle variables surrounding them. Whether its Metro-Sexual status or GenNext youth within the consumers, the “self image” is based on the lifestyle factors. The changing aspiration of the new age consumer needs a “lifestyle look” to be catered by the brands and companies. People living in urban cityscapes verses rural country sides, the “lifestyle look” needs to be clearly demarked. Therefore, “lifestyle look” is the emerging phenomenon for consumer segmentation in 21st Century.
The fashion forward needs innovation and the only way to inbuilt innovative ideas is to provide creative platforms & thoughtful leadership which can contribute towards this movement. The creative economy must see plenty of innovations NOT inspirations OR imitations for developing fashionably advance products. Future of fashion and apparel has to begin with “lateral thinking” rather than “literal thinking.
India in next 10 years is going to be another trillion dollar economy, and with this envisioned growth and economic development it is essential to focus on the future now. Historically, the world economy has evolved from agrarian to manufacturing, manufacturing to service, service to knowledge and is now entering into a creative economy with patents, IPRs, innovations as the key economic drivers. Fashion too, needs creative & innovative thinking to become part of this new culture. Post independence, unlike wellness industry & automobile sector, fashion and textiles has registered the least number of patents and design registrations. The innovations in these sectors are comparatively low.
Indian Apparel Exports has recently achieved the benchmark of USD 10.8 billion and the domestic industry reaching USD 35.6 billion, the Apparel Industry largely comprising of small & medium enterprises needs innovative strategies to reach USD 25.0 Billion mark in the next 5 years. Even neighboring countries like Bangladesh, has achieved USD 12.0 billion in apparel exports due to innovative manufacturing approaches adopted by their companies. Simultaneously, Copenhagen talks failing on climate change brings new focus on “Eco-Friendly” fashion that can reduce carbon footprints significantly and cut the emission drastically. The largest retailers like Walmart, Nike, Carrefour and other leading brands have already started tying up with companies/manufacturers who can adapt these changing systems, processes & practices to create sustainable ecology & environment. The changing global business equation post quota, and with emergence of Asia as economic superpower calls for innovative strategies and futuristic outlook to create “New Ecosystems” that will drive future of Fashion Business.
The Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, under its TECHNOPRENEUR PROMOTION PROGRAMME (TePP) scheme has established new policies to support innovation, research & development for all the sectors. This TECHNOPRENEUR PROMOTION PROGRAMME (TePP) also offers immense tax benefits to the companies/entrepreneurs engaged in the “business of innovation”. The 21st Century has seen recent innovations that changed the world’s knowledge & information technology contributed by market leaders like Google, Apple, YouTube, Wikipedia and Twitter as front runners in business of innovation. In 2009, the brand valuation of Google was more than USD 280 billion, even ahead of largest fast food chain McDonald’s and other leading companies across the world. The strategic difference has been the continuous “INNOVATION” in IT. Best practices have been replaced by the “Next Practices” and innovation led approaches has changed “Concept to Consumer” supply chain. All these years Zara has been a classic example to avail “fast fashion” to it’s consumers in no time. Unlike other sectors, fashion has always been highly aesthetically driven, there is now a clear need to integrate the technical know how in order to create new supply chain models for the fashion industry.
The emerging context requires new labs like FASHION INNOVATION LAB at the “Institute of Apparel Management”, that is going to be future proof learning centres for students and industry professionals.
These labs will offer digital platform for virtual prototyping that covers ideation, story boarding, pattern engineering, marker making, virtual prototyping and virtual fashion show in a seamless flow, using Tukatech and other softwares. These labs will redefine the way, design and merchandising will be done in the times to come.
The innovations in the apparel sector shall deal with multi-faceted issues which can derive new meaning for fashion & Lifestyle Products in the future. These issues need wider perspectives, new methods & practices and altogether a new approach for contemporary product development:-
1. Innovating Design – “Tradition Vs Modernity” – Design has become a key factor in determining the life-cycle of products today. With the changing consumer’s taste & preferences, the life span of consumption of the fashion products has changed dramatically. Therefore, to evolve design in a fiercely competitive market, new techniques and technologies are needed. Design in fashion products today shall deal with two factors primarily i.e. value added factors that enhance the “aesthetics” and function/comfort that enhances the performance. The focus of the designers has been largely in aesthetics but the function remains stand still. The new technologies too have brought numerous innovations in yarns, fibers and end finishes. Dupont’s two way stretch that allows expandability in woven fabrics like knits. New development in Technical, Medical and Intelligent textiles has unleashed the fabric’s new “avatar”. These textiles can store information, control temperature, provide protection from the unwanted bacteria and viruses etc. and these innovations in the recent years have become the most popular global trends. Fashion designers are adding wires, circuits, and optical fibers to traditional textiles, creating garments that glow in the dark or keep the wearer warm. Meanwhile, electronic engineers are sewing conductive threads and sensors into body suits that map users’ whereabouts and respond to environmental stimuli. Technology has certainly taken a leap forward.
Environmentally, Bio-degradable textiles, Geo-textiles, Herbal and Organic textiles and re-usability have become the consumer desire, challenging apparel & fashion products to be more innovative. During the design and development of Gujarat’s Police Uniform as well as for the Indian Army, there has been a key focus to integrate Plasma & Nano technology in SUT (Special Utility Textiles). We had also introduced finishes like Fragrance finish for reducing stress, Anti-microbil to protect from unwanted bacteria, Anti-dust for easy maintenance, UV-protection from direct sun burn etc. in the uniform designs for these specialized sectors. Therefore, such technological intervention can very well enhance the design and performance of fashion and life-style products. The dragon skin for Bullet Proof Jackets etc has penetrated the new functional requirements. The new life-style requirements for the millennium generation needs pragmatic approaches in the printing techniques through digital technologies, new surface designs where crafts can be blended with latest machinery. Styling of garments which will have universal design sensibilities to match with the new context, personalities and market segmentation, creating a bouquet of looks for the blended consumers such as traditional, visibly modern and absolute modern. Intelligent clothing will hold the key to “Future of Fashion”, my students Kranti Kiran Vistakula and Prasanjeet Kundu had recently developed “ClimaGearTM” temperature controlling clothing, which can control desirable temperature at extreme climates (-40 degrees till +50 Degrees) and weigh nothing more than 750 pounds. Wearable computing is the generation next fashion statement, even brands like NOKIA has been developing intelligent clothing that are Multi-Purpose. Therefore, design needs a paradigm shift to look at future aspirations and context in order to adapt best to emerging needs.
Sizes Vs Fit - Fashion has moved significantly from voluminous/draped garment to second skin, and the “Visual Torso” of human body has changed significantly. As stated in my article, the 20th century fashion has redefined the “Concept of Waist”.
“Waist” popularly known as the empire line (or closer to it), during the 18th century, became more functional in early 19th Century to accommodate the working habits and neo-culture. Waist came down from the traditional “empire line” to a more anatomically correct waist. Post world war, with the evolution of “New LOOK” by ace fashion designer Christian Dior, the narrowest area in the Torso became the modern waist.
The “Hippy Look” in 1960’s, further added the spice to the “waist story” and what we see today in most of the trousers and bottoms are the adaptation of “Hipsters”.
Such sea changes didn’t enable garment details to modify i.e. as pockets, hem, belt etc. The drop of waist, over the past centuries has affected tremendously on the use of pockets, especially the back pockets. In the present context even, how many people still put their wallet and belongings into the back pocket? It has remained a style feature but no more a functional unit in trousers.
The modern consumer aspires to look “attractive” and the changing “self-image” of the millennium generation wants to pick up “Fit” rather than “Sizes”. The choices and the purchase decisions are driven by fit factors. Even the brand loyalty is largely determined by the fit factor rather than offering range of sizes. Thus, making it imperative to look at fit in a new manner for sizing the garments rather than continuing as S, M, L, XL, XXL etc. India’s first Fashion Innovation Lab provides digital platforms like “e-fit” to develop the new sizes for fashion industry. Such New age digital platforms enhances the visualization skills, offers virtual prototyping that enables ergonomically correct fits and forms. These platforms are extremely cost effective, offer immense flexibility to the user and saves time & effort dramatically for a new product development. Digital platforms like these are a key to the future of digital design & merchandising. Such technologies will only help evolve new genre of fashionable forms/fits for the fashion aware consumers.
Ergonomic Vs Quality –Quality in garments are always evaluated based on the physical characteristics such as wear and tear, stress test, color fastening, seam strength, abrasion resistance, endurance etc. Quality has no more a direct relation with the comfort of wearer. The future looks at clothing in a more ergonomically correct manner and only ergonomic variants will determine the quality and comfort of the user. Fit, Quality & Comfort are essential for changing user needs and their interface with personal belongings like i.e. electronic money, wallets, sun glasses, Key chains, Cell phones, PDA, IPODS etc. Such factors have encouraged even the leading companies to integrate communication devices, GPS, weight division seams, expandable seam, stretch textiles, anti-wrinkle, multi-purpose pockets etc. that works in different contexts, environments and climatic conditions. Paunch ProofTM for obese and overweight includes all aspects of physical & mental comfort and is highly ergonomically functional. One of the famous example is the research on the design and development of a Georgia Tech Wearable Motherboard™ (Smart Shirt) for Combat Casualty Care has led to the realization of the world's first Wearable Motherboard™ or an "intelligent" garment for the 21st Century. The Georgia Tech Wearable Motherboard uses optical fibers to detect bullet wounds, and special sensors and interconnects to monitor the body vital signs during combat conditions. Quality has no more remained as a physical characteristic but an ergonomic (physical & perceptual) variant.
Looks Vs Life-style –Ace fashion designer, Christian Dior in 1947 changed the entire perception of the new women by introducing the “New Look”. The “look” has morphed into a “lifestyle”, from “how it looks” to the “way it looks”. Fashion is no more just clothing but apparel, accessories, beauty, health and all factors constituting lifestyle that are part of the human needs and desire. These consumers are being identified by their lifestyle pattern. Their choices are not only governed by their physical profile but also by the lifestyle variables surrounding them. Whether its Metro-Sexual status or GenNext youth within the consumers, the “self image” is based on the lifestyle factors. The changing aspiration of the new age consumer needs a “lifestyle look” to be catered by the brands and companies. People living in urban cityscapes verses rural country sides, the “lifestyle look” needs to be clearly demarked. Therefore, “lifestyle look” is the emerging phenomenon for consumer segmentation in 21st Century.
The fashion forward needs innovation and the only way to inbuilt innovative ideas is to provide creative platforms & thoughtful leadership which can contribute towards this movement. The creative economy must see plenty of innovations NOT inspirations OR imitations for developing fashionably advance products. Future of fashion and apparel has to begin with “lateral thinking” rather than “literal thinking.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
My Book on Fashion Innovation
I'm writing a book on fashion innovation, those who are interested in contributing their ideas are most welcome from across the world in the area of textiles research, fashion research, smart clothing, intelligent textiles etc.
Contents:
1. Introduction
a. Pre-Historic Civilization and Innovation
b. Origin of Basic needs
c. Evolution of Society & Culture
d. Clothing and Adornment
2. Origin of Innovation & Design
a. Clothing & Culture
b. Origin of Fashion & Design
c. Fashion Evolution
3. Elements of Fashion
a. Fashion Basics
b. Shapes, forms and structures
c. materials & textiles
4. Innovative thinking
a. Lateral/Creative Thinking
b. Ideation and Concept Building
c. Representation and Prototyping
5. Fashion Business
a. Design Management
b. New Perspectives to Manage Creative Businesses
c. Creative Branding
Contents:
1. Introduction
a. Pre-Historic Civilization and Innovation
b. Origin of Basic needs
c. Evolution of Society & Culture
d. Clothing and Adornment
2. Origin of Innovation & Design
a. Clothing & Culture
b. Origin of Fashion & Design
c. Fashion Evolution
3. Elements of Fashion
a. Fashion Basics
b. Shapes, forms and structures
c. materials & textiles
4. Innovative thinking
a. Lateral/Creative Thinking
b. Ideation and Concept Building
c. Representation and Prototyping
5. Fashion Business
a. Design Management
b. New Perspectives to Manage Creative Businesses
c. Creative Branding
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
