A New Era in Fashion Designing and Education

“I don't design clothes, I design dreams” as Ralph Lauren had once stated, we too design a dream, a dream of boasting about our own fashion industry, comprising of globally acclaimed brands and we as a nation, would beam with pride. The dream is no longer a fantasy but is in the making of a reality. We have come a long way from the time when children’s clothes were the products of their mother’s wondrous weaving expertise, when fashion was a term seldom acknowledged by most. Yet not many could have prophesied the introduction and need for fashion in our society. Today, it doesn’t require a keen observer to notice how fashion is associated in our lives, for even a simple garment worker tries to keep up with the latest trend as allowed by her meager salary.
This transformation didn’t occur overnight and was backed by several individuals and institutions who worked effortlessly to promote fashion and help those interested in fashion education to pursue their dream.

The first of such institutions is INIFD – an international design institute that was launched in Bangladesh in 2002 at Banani. A sister concern of Giant Management & Services Limited, the core aim of the institution is to help those students who are deprived of fashion education rather than making a large profit, mentions Sharmeen Hassan, the executive director of INIFD. ‘Today everyone wants to make their own fashion statement as opposed to before when whatever was available at the malls was considered to be fashion’ says Sharmeen. She explains that there is a lot more to fashion designing than what people perceive, there is much to learn including lessons on the history of costumes, the different eras etc. Aside from the minimum requirements, students have to sit for an entrance test before enrollment. Scholarships are given to meritorious students.

INIFD has a fine environment and rich laboratory & library facilities. ‘It is a brilliant institution for studying fashion with an experienced faculty; students willing to join should work hard and the results will speak for themselves’ says Nusrat Fatema, a student of INIFD.
It is a widespread misconception that students studying fashion will end up being unemployed, but Sharmeen explicates that individuals with a background in fashion are required in garments, buying houses and may open their own boutiques. ‘Teaching at INIFD is a pleasure and the enthusiasm of the students is amazing’ says Kazi Kamrul, who teaches Graphics and also says that the institution is a promising one for fashion education.

Eight students from INIFD participated in ‘The Lakme Next Gen Designer Search 2007’ - the first televised competition held for designers in Bangladesh, and three made it to the top ten of the competition.

The institution which stated off with merely twenty five students has palpably come a long way and Sharmeen has soaring expectations ‘I dream that one day my students will design clothes for grammy winning celebrities’


Pearl Fashion Institute (PFI) started in Bangladesh in March 2006 at its Baridhara campus. It is a branch of Pearl Academy of Fashion, India and is affiliated with the prestigious Nottingham Trent University, UK. PFI is a leading institute which provides quality education and includes mostly recognized international faculty members. It occupies a four storey building and provides a tranquil atmosphere for studies with a proper library & well equipped laboratories for sewing, graphics etc. Scholarships are available for commendable students. ‘The industry for fashion in Bangladesh has tremendous possibilities and it is just a beginning’ says Rajat Bhattacharya, the executive director for PFI. He also assures that there are incredible opportunities for employment in the sector.
‘People misconstrue the garment industry to be only producing jackets or sweat shirts, but they fail to see the glamour involved’ mentions Rajat. He says that every country is driven by youth and it is the young generation who will take this industry forward. ‘Bangladesh has had a consistent positive growth in the garment industry which is an exception and it will sustain itself with the help of trained professionals who we help to make at PFI’ states Rajat. He also adds that if Bangladesh has such local professionals a giant amount of foreign currency will be saved for the country and help the economy massively.
‘It is extremely gratifying and fulfilling to be working at PFI. To be able to see my students become successful is a gift’ says Garima Sribastaba, the head of academics at PFI and adds that with the international access that PFI has, students need not worry of employment.
‘At PFI job assurance is 100%’ says Prokash Dash, a graduate from PFI who is currently an executive merchandiser at Beximco. ‘PFI not only focuses on academics but also trains students for the work place and gives emphasis on learning English’ He adds.
Archana an international consultant and a visiting faculty at PFI says ‘PFI is a very interactive institution and the system of studying is quite unlike from what students are habituated to in colleges or universities and the commitment of students is remarkable’

The time has come for an evolution in our country. Be it fashion, music or art, but one should be able to choose the career of his/her desire. Nurturing ones talents can help a person to gain the true zest one needs for success. The basic reason for spending nearly one-third of a person’s life in education is to obtain a respectable job, but if satisfaction at work is unattainable, is there really any joy in working? Occupations are not just restricted to engineering and medicine, as our society may have one believe, but it is us who can alter this disturbing trend and make a difference. With fashion schools such as INIFD and PFI, the choice is yours.




INIFD:

Location: 41, Kemal Ataturk Avenue (5th Floor), Banani.
Courses: fashion designing, Textile designing, manufacturing, marketing, merchandising, pattern making and grading
Minimum Requirement: ‘O/A level’ or H.S.C
Duration: 6 month courses to 2 years of Advance Diploma.
Fees: Tk. 22,000 (6 months) - Tk. 42,000 per year depending on course.
Contact: 9893510, 9862341

Pearl Fashion Institute (PFI):

Location: H#11, R#6, Baridhara.
Courses: Fashion designing, merchandising, production technology, marketing, clothing technology, knit wear merchandising.
Minimum Requirement: ‘A level’ or H.S.C
Duration: 1-2 years depending on course
Fees: Tk. 90, 000 – Tk. 205,000 depending on course
Contact: 8857763, 9887419