It is time for the chic fashionistas to strut their stuff.

It is time for the th

ird edition of the highly successful Bangalore Fashion Week which goes on the fl
oors starting July 22. This four day event will showcase the best collections fr
om designers adorned by the topmost models and attended by top celebrities. Fash
ion designers though form the most vital link of the ensemble. With so many plat
forms to showcase their designs and fashion cues changing often, designers have
to be on their toes to come up with something new and attractive every time. Cre
ativity, smartness, communication and crisis management abilities are needed the
most. A dynamic profession where if one finds a footing, fame and money is neve
r in short supply. Moreover there is space for everyone as long as creativity ke
eps flowing. So how does one become a fashion designer? With so many institutes
offering courses in fashion designing it becomes difficult to select the right i
nstitute. Adding to the complexity is the huge demand for fashion designing cour
se since this is one of the fastest growing sectors and with ample spotlight.
Fashion designing involves less of theory and more of practicalâ s with a lot of in
sight into communication techniques, etiquettes, management techniques and crisi
s handling abilities. Sikkim Manipal University Distance Education (SMU-DE) has
taken all these aspects in its course offering Bachelor of Science in Apparel an
d Fashion Designing (BScAFD). The course while focussing on elements of pattern
techniques and fundamentals of designing equally focuses on imparting of soft sk
ills and all aspects of marketing and advertising to ensure that its students ar
e best prepared to develop a solid footing in the industry. This six semester co
urse is complete with practical sessions, industry mentoring, specialisations an
d internships.
With a faculty boasting of extensive industry experience, teaching method has be
en made easy and simple with case studies, real life examples and visual aids fo
r accurate demonstration. The idea is to allow students to develop a holistic un
derstanding of not just the subject in question but the industry in itself, its
scope, limitations and challenges. SMU-DE students who have successfully complet
ed this course are now working with some of the leading apparel houses in the co
untry, a strong testimony to their level of preparedness and training.
Itâ s a bit cliché to think that all fashion designers work for apparel manufactur
ers, creating designs for men, women and children for mass market consumption. F
ashion designers may work full-time for one company, known as in-house designers
. They may work alone or as part of a team. Freelance designers work for themsel
ves, and sell their designs to fashion houses, directly to shops, or to clothing
manufacturers. Some fashion designers are self-employed and design for individu
al clients.
According to the Annual Reports (2006-2007), Ministry of Textiles, Government of
India, the domestic market will grow to the tune of Rs. 23,000 crores by 2010 a
nd generate an additional employment for approximately 12-17 million workers of
whom 5 million will be skilled in the same time span. That in turn adds up to a
sea of opportunities for talented individuals to excel. We at SMU-DE understand
the needs of the industry with an eye on the future and prepare our students so
that they can excel in the industry and carve out a niche segment of their own.