Archive for November, 2009

Interior Designing and its Scope

Monday, November 16th, 2009

Interior is the reflection of peoples’ inner mind; interior is the reflection of the persons personality. So being an Interior Designer doesn’t only need a proper creativity, it demands to be a peoples’ person too. The real challenge for an interior designer lies in understanding and interpreting a client’s tastes and needs to create an environment that is functional as well as aesthetic. All this while working under a budget constraint, at least most of the time.
People tend to confuse interior designing with interior decorating. There is, however, a thin line of differentiation. Decorating involves the aesthetics of interiors, choosing furniture and accessories to create the look and feel of a room. Designing is a more specialised in-depth function which concerns the aesthetics as well as functionality of any living space. It deals with a whole range of areas — construction and finishing materials, interior design, selecting and placing of furniture, furnishings and other indoor objects, decoration of walls, floors, roofs and lighting designed to suit the client’s needs and taste. The involvement with the client is on a more personalised basis, more than a regular contractor who just builds four walls and hands it over to the client. The relationship lasts right up to the time when the final touches are added and the space is ready to be occupied.
In India popularity of the Interior Designing is success of story of very recent time and acceptance of it as a specialised profession is also quite new.
To become an interior designer, you can take up any stream of study at the 10+2 level and follow it up with a diploma in Interior Design. There are institutions offering reputed programmes in Interior Designing in India. Few of the Institutions are
•    School of Interior Design, Ahmedabad
•     J.J School of Arts, Mumbai
•    CEPT (Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology)
All of their programmes are recognised by the All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). National School of Design offers graduate diploma programmes in product and furniture design.

Some of the institutions in Karnataka are IITC, Bangalore; School of Interior Design, Bangalore; Karavali College of Interior Decoration, (affiliated to Mangalore University & recognised by the Govt.), Mangalore; National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Bangalore (which offers an undergraduate programme on interior accessories).

Fashion: East is meeting with west

Friday, November 6th, 2009

East has always rich and varied heritage of fashion. Especially country like India where diversity is so exotic that each region has its own unique native costume and traditional attire. While traditional clothes are still part of most of rural India, urban India is changing rapidly, with international fashion trends reflected by the young and glamorous, in the cosmopolitan metros of India. Fashion in India is a vibrant scene, a nascent industry and a colorful and glamorous world where designers and models start new trends every day.

Organized fashion industry in India has become a growing industry with international events such as the different Fashion Week and annual shows by fashion designers and fashion colleges in the major cities of India is almost become like regular events. The victories of a number of Indian beauty queens in International events such as the Miss World and Miss Universe contests have also made Indian models recognized worldwide. Fashion designers such as Ritu Kumar, Ritu Beri, Rohit Bal, Rina Dhaka, Muzaffar Ali, Satya Paul or Manish Malhotra are some of the well known fashion designers in India.

Recent time India became the favorite fusion place of western and eastern fashion culture. More and more contemporary western designs and designers are coming and working together to bring a new fashion world. The Indian dreamy goddesses are fusing with freedom threads of western style. India’s traditional handspun ‘Khadi’ is claiming centre stage with the western blended killer attitudes. Present India is truly becoming a place where East is meeting west in every aspect; and sphere of fashion is also not exception of it. The new trendy smart India is the new face of 21st century modern India with strong roots in its tradition.

Fashion trends in Contemporary India

Friday, November 6th, 2009

20th century India has came up with a more stable picture of the fashion business. The hype of magical mystic glamorous aura converted into more practical and pragmatic environment. In the 50s, 60s and 70s, the Indian fashion scenario wasn’t exactly colorless. It was exciting, stylish and very graceful. There were no designers, models, star or fashion design labels that the country could show off. The value of a garment was judged by its style and fabric and not by who made it.

It was regarded as ever so chic and fashionable to approach any unfamiliar tailor, who could make a garment for a few rupees, providing the perfect fit, finish and style. The high society lady, who wore it, was proud for getting a good bargain and for giving her name to the end result.

In 60s, tight ‘kurtas’, ‘churidars’ and high coiffures were a trend among ladies. It was an era full of naughtiness and celebration in arts and music and cinema, manifested by liberation from restriction and acceptance of new types of materials. The 70s witnessed an increase in the export of traditional materials outside the country as well as within. Hence, international fashion arrived in India much before the MTV culture with the bold colors.

Fashion shows shifted to competitive events each attempting to out-do the other in theme, guest list and media coverage. For any newcomer, the fashion business was the number one professional art that time.

In the 90’s, the last decade of the millennium, a move towards the drastic pairing down returned with ethnic wears (Today, ethnic wear market in India is accounted to Rs. 9000 crore). This led to the decline and the recession, the push to sell at any cost and keep staying in the limelight. With heavy cut throat competition and sound awareness of the client, the inevitable occurred. The price tags, which had once reached at a peak, began their downside journey.

At those times the downturn was not only being experienced in the price tags of the garments, but also in the business of fashion shows. More models, choreographers, make-up men, hairstylists and designers streamed down into their business.

The fun and party time in the Indian fashion scenario had not ended with this, but continued. It was a point, where it reached at a certain steady level and from there, in the beginning of the 21st centaury, with new designers and models and some sensible designing; the fashion hype accelerated its speed.

Brand Culture in Indian Fashion

Friday, November 6th, 2009

India is a country of diversity. With diversified culture and traditions it is existing for ages. People following various traditions live here, their way of dressing also differ from each other. The traces of Indians being fashionable can be found out from its ancient past also. As the changing time, fashions in India also never become static. And the images of that changing fashion mania is visible every where today.
The new trendy India is more cosmopolitan than region-specific. Different styles of traditional dresses of different regions have become the hot favorite across the country. Indian fashion scene is greatly influenced by its films. Contribution is so much that right from top designers to common mass follow them. As the mall culture is slowly and steadily growing in India. Many brands and private labels are launched in the Indian market. The first such retail outlet was Shopper’s Stop which launched India’s first multi-brand store in the year 1993. The specialty of such malls is that they offer a wide range of varied branded stuff, all under single roof. Some of the famous malls of India are Pantaloons, Westside, Lifestyle, Globus, etc. These retail outlets have also launched clothing line under private labels, manufactured and sold by them. For example- Pantaloons has many private labels under its brand like All, Fashion station and Mela. Some of the major private labels even operate as exclusive stores. The buyer gets an international shopping experience in such retail outlets. There are no nagging sales persons pressurizing the customers to buy.
Family stores are becoming hot favorite shopping hub for the middle-class and upper middle class shoppers. These stores sell garments of nearly all age groups and sexes. Apparels of various brands can be found in family stores. They are being considered as one-stop shopping destination. Roopam, Big Bazaar, Fashion station, V-mart, Maxx, etc are examples of some family stores.

Fashion Merchandising and its Scope

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

In the fashion merchandising major, students learn how to manufacture fashions consumers want, and effectively sell those fashions. Students learn to sell fashions in fashion merchandising programs that are most often found in departments of home economics/human ecology or of textiles and clothing, and occasionally in schools of business. Wherever the program is housed, students usually begin the major with classes in writing, speech, mathematics, history, social science, and natural science.
During the freshman or sophomore year, they take courses such as fashion analysis and textiles, which introduce them to the terms they need to communicate with others in the fashion industry and build their knowledge of fashion products. In advanced courses students learn to organize and operate a clothing retail business; to plan, promote, and manage merchandise inventories; and to calculate retail figures for a profitable business.
Merchandising students may also study historical and multicultural costumes, a field they later draws on to develop special promotions or store events that feature a particular line of merchandise.
Many programs offer internships or field experiences for college credit. Some also offer study tours of major U.S. fashion markets such as New York, Dallas, and Los Angeles, or of European fashion centers. Fashion merchandising students also gain experience using spreadsheets and data base programs on personal computers, which are important tools on the job. Group projects are assigned in advanced courses to help students become effective team players.
The major prepares students for managerial positions in fashion retailing and manufacturing. Through course work, they can prepare to manage a retail firm, to buy goods for a firm, or to work with designers in planning the overall fashion message for an apparel manufacturer. Fashion retailing is a highly competitive industry, and the pace is fast.
Potential Careers
Graduates of fashion merchandising programs have numerous opportunities for careers with department stores, specialty stores, and catalogs. Top students can land positions in executive training programs with major retailers; after the one- or two-year training program, trainees are promoted to buyer. Some typical entry-level jobs are: merchandiser for store or catalog; store manager; personnel manager; operations manager; fashion coordinator; journalist; information director for a fashion-related company or trade association; public relations director.

Jewelery Designing

Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

The fashion industry is expanding while setting up its own niche in the global market. In order to gratify to the rising demands of skilled manpower in this sector, ample of fashion institutes recommend miscellaneous fashion technology programs including jewelery design courses. The popularity of the jewelery design has captivated today’s fashion world. Work opportunities in jewelery design have even led to the establishment of certain institutes that offer these courses exclusively.

Under jewelery design courses, you will acquire knowledge of the various materials available to create jewelery pieces and learn the many possibilities of jewelery designs and develop skills to design, construct, and illustrate fashion jewelery creations. Besides the student of jewelery design will also learn to translate jewelery concepts into sketches and illustrations using freehand drawing techniques, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

Apart from meeting the eligibility criteria for admission to these Accessory & Jewelry design courses at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you should have some inherent qualities for successfully completing the courses. Besides being creative, you should have an eye for details and colors, love for fashion and technology-friendly attitude.

Few of the College that provide Jewelery Designing Courses are

Indian Diamond Institute
Katargam, Gidc, Post Box No: 508
Sumul Dairy Road. Surat- 395008
Gujarat

Indian Gemmological Institute
F-32-33, Jhandewalan,
Flatted Factories complex, near Jhandewalan Temple,
Rani Jhansi Road, New Delhi

ARCH Academy of Fashion Art Design
Plot No. 9, Govind Marg,
Opp. Block A, Malviya Nagar
Institutional Area, Jaipur-302017

Indian Diamond Institute
Katargam, Gidc, Post Box No: 508
Sumul Dairy Road. Surat- 395008
Gujarat

Gemmological Institute of India
29, Gurukul Chambers, 187-189,
Mumbadevi Road, Mumbai – 400 002.

Career in Interior Designing

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

Interior design has become an essential part of modern lifestyle. This necessitates the invention of a new course like interior design. Therefore many leading institutions are offering this course all over the world. Any person who has some creative imagination, style and originality, a career in interior design can be just right for him. This design technique satisfies both the creative fancies and the materialistic needs of the people, on the other hand it promises glamour, fame and achievement.

Career Prospects

The fast integrating world coupled with growth of the market economy and growing consumerism has opened a scope for the interior designers. They not only make the interiors eye-catching but also exploit the available space to the maximum. This is the reason why interior designers are in high demand these days.

Interior design courses open successful career in many areas. An interior designer can handle the designing project of private farms and houses. He can also design the interior of offices etc. One can also be employed as theater and set designers or exhibition designer after completing of the designing courses.

Few of the colleges that provide interior designing courses in India are

  • Anima Institute of Fashion, Corporate Office at 1 Shambhu Nath Pandit Street, Calcutta-700 020.
  • Apeejay Institute of Design (Affiliated to Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar), 54, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, M.B. Road, Near Batra Hospital, New Delhi-110 062.
  • Avinashillingam Institute for Home Science & Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore-641 043.
  • Birla Institute of Liberal Arts and Management Sciences, 5-A Sarat Bose Road (opp. Minto Park), Calcutta-700 020.
  • College of Art & Design (affiliated to University of Madras), No. 7, P.V. Koil Street, Aminjikaral, Chennai-600 029.
  • Exteriors-Interiors (in assn. with Jensen & Nicholson conducts courses in Computer Aided Interior Design) EDIT Institute, Mumbai. (Other centres-Bangalore, Calicut, Calcutta, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Mumbai, Pune).
  • II School of Arts, Fort, Mumbai-400 001.
  • Karavali College, (Affiliated to Managalore University), Menezes Towers, Urwa Store, Mangalore-575 006. Ph: 0824-455656;
  • National Institute of Fashion Design, 14-B, Camac Street, Calcutta-700 017.
  • Nirmala Niketan, 49, New Marine Lines, Mumbai-20.
  • Rachna Sansa, School of Interior Design, 278, Shankar Ghanekar Marg, Prabahadevi, Mumbai-400 025.
  • School of Interior Design, Institute of Enviornmental Design, Near Bhaikaka Library, Vallabh Vidyanagar-388 120.
  • Shree Devi College of Interior Design, Ballalbagh, Mangalore-575 003. Ph: 0824-456501, 456511;
  • SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai-400 020.
  • Sophia College B.K. Somani Polytechnic, Bhulabhai Desal Road, Mumbai-400 026.
  • South Delhi Polytechnic for Women, Lajpat Nagar-IV, New Delshi-110024.