Fashioning a dream vocation

Geetu Vaid

Fashion designing is among the most sought after career choices for those with a creative bent of mind. Those with a passion for designing have a wide variety of courses to choose from nowadays, both at the undergraduate as well as  PG levels. The UG courses are generally of four-year duration, while PG is a two-year term. Besides these, there are one-year short-term diploma courses also for students. “While a creative mind and an eye for colour, forms and textures hold the key to being  a good designer,   the importance of curriculum, training avenues and industry tie ups can’t be overlooked to excel in this profession,” says Antonio Maurizio Grioli, Head, School of Fashion at Pearl Academy. Antonio was in Chandigarh last week in connection with the Creative Career Conclave, organised by Pearl Academy to apprise students and parents from the region of the nuances of this field. 

Fashion designing is a rigorous course wherein learning and training continue 24x7 and students are expected to master different aspects of garment designing, whether it be cutting, knowledge of textiles, historical background of different garments, accessories, etc. Commenting on the fashion education scenario in India, Antonio said that there was a need to add momentum to the teaching and training modules of fashion courses. “Fashion is a fast-changing field and it is very important here to not only stay tuned to what is currently happening or trending, but also to be able to gauge what will be trending in the next five years. Students have to be prepared today to fit into the industry five years from now”. “It is this foresight that is missing in the curriculum at many places,” he added.

He also stressed upon the need for following a curriculum that is relevant on an international level. “In the digital era and information age, boundaries between countries and continents have become obsolete when it comes to fashion trends. “Sticking only to local materials and traditional designs are not going to take you far, so students need to have sufficient exposure to global trends and after finishing a course they should be able to assimilate the local  and traditional and the contemporary design sensibilities effectively.” 

Being a job-intensive course, it opens up a host of opportunities for students. They can work with brands and export houses, work as consultants with companies, oversee product development and quality-control operations, start their own lables, teach and even work on creating digital platforms and apps related to fashion styling. In short, this field allows one to not only design a product, but also work at one’s own job. 

Take note

Pearl Academy has commenced its admission process for the academic year 2018-19. The entrance test will be held on April 28 in Chandigarh. The last date of registration is April 23. 

The academy has recently introduced new UG and PG courses in Media & Communication and Advertising & Marketing and 50 per cent merit scholarship on tuition fee for these new courses is available to select students. 

Check out: www.pearlacademy.com.