CHENNAI: All of Thiruvalluvar auditorium was buzzing with energy and excitement over the weekend. It was the Red Letter Day of the National Institute of Fashion Technology on Friday, and 175 students passed out this year. From Oriental, Goth, Bohemian spirit, fringe bags, Cinderella glass shoes, femme fatale, this day witnessed some marvelous and interesting designs showcased by students.
“We could only showcase a few of our students’ collections as the time didn’t permit beyond that,” said a proud Anitha Mabel Manohar, director of the institute. Apart from the fashion show, the director also spoke about their association with the Khadi and Village Industry Commission (KVIC) this year, where the students will be working with handloom weavers across the State for two weeks and will be learning and teaching them embroidery, stitching and ways to make handloom saleable.
“It is impossible to do away with handloom,” she said. “Replacing it with powerloom is not going to be of any help. Everyone must learn and enhance our traditional methods. We have been asking more and more students to go only for handloom and khadi. It is irreplaceable,” stressed Anitha.
Speaking of handloom, the students of fashion design also showcased their handwoven crafts. For instance, a few of their designs were inspired from the culture of Jharkhand and Awadh. “It is a great platform to learn and modernise your ancient clothing without having it lose its charm. There is still a lot more to learn and do,” said Gaurav Kumar, a student who won the award for ‘Best Outgoing Student’ at NIFT Chennai.
‘’We have also focussed on making use of recycled clothes, like denims,” said Anitha pointing out to the recycled denim collection showcased by a student. “Till date we have sent 974 students to the apparel and design industry. I hope the number increases with each passing year,” she added.