An affinity for beautiful forms and a passion to nurture has led the doyenne of Italian fashion Angela Missoni to India to share the Missoni story and secrets of her success with aspiring designers and students seeking to make their mark in the fashion and design industry.
The co-owner and creative director of Missoni S.p.A. which is renowned the world over for its inimitable Italian flair, Angela Missoni is the Chief Guest of the 14th meeting of the International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI) which is hosted by Pearl Academy of Fashion in Jaipur from March 17-21, 2012.
While Missoni has yet to establish retail presence in India, the bold and distinct designs the house of Missoni is renowned for is constantly present on the red carpet and other significant events across India. Angela Missoni’s presence at the conference has given a tremendous boost to the students and faculty of Pearl Academy of Fashion, as her spirit to share and nurture has been the source of inspiration to scores of designers in Europe and beyond.
Angela Missoni, who is returning to India after a hiatus of 20 years, is fascinated with the pace of growth and sophistication of the design sector, and feels that India is poised to make its mark on the global fashion map.
“I am always very impressed when I see the potential of a creative talent and I like to support it by sharing my experience with young aspiring designers all over the world,” she said.
Missoni, who has been invited in India by the Pearl Academy of Fashion, is positive about the growing links in the world of fashion and design between India and Italy. Last year, PAF sent 44 students to the prestigious NABA Academy in Milan where Angela Missoni will serve as faculty from 2013. This year, more than 70 students from PAF will be part of NABA’s Summer School.
Internationalism is one of Pearl’s key pillars to provide an enhanced student experience. 1 out of every 16 students at Pearl gets an opportunity to be part of an international exchange. Additionally, a new course that will be introduced in the next Academic year – Professional Program in Luxury Brands – will entail a 4-week stint in Milan with exposure to top international luxury brands.
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Group Director of Pearl Academy of Fashion Dr A.K.G. Nair said, “We have some of the most creative minds amongst us, but exposure and access to the best resources, ideas and talent from around the world is key to success. Having someone like Angela Missoni share her experiences with our students is part of our efforts to create a truly global and relevant industry experience at Pearl.”
Meanwhile, Sharad Mehra, Chief Operating Officer of Pearl Academy of Fashion said, “The fashion and design sector holds immense promise, more so for talented individuals equipped with the right skills-set. This is especially critical with the increasingly globalized economy and the discerning taste of younger consumers who have changed the landscape of the industry. Diffusion lines and high street fashion requires having a pulse on economic and fashion trends, and industry icons such as Angela Missoni can help our students and faculty, along with the other participants understand the nuances and growth areas of this sector”.
Fashion and design, which was once deemed frivolous by traditionalists, is today one of the fastest growing sectors in India; valued at 294 Thousand Crore per annum. The biggest growth drivers are Fashion Accessories, Home and Interior, Apparel, Jewellery and Footwear.
And in tandem with the growth in the retail end, there has been increasing demand for suitable courses to meet the needs of the industry, and there is a gradual shift from conventional areas like Engineering, Health Sciences and Finance to Fashion. In the past decade alone, there has been a steady growth in demand for courses in this arena, with new subjects being added to meet the demands of the industry.
Home to some of the most evocative and vibrant motifs and designs, India is no stranger to the world of design. The increased focus on this burgeoning industry, which calls for talented individuals to meet the needs of the entire spectrum of the sector, has given rise to the importance of institutions that meet the needs of the industry.
A home grown entity with a 19 year heritage, PAF has over the years shaped the careers of scores of designers and entrepreneurs in areas ranging fashion design to fashion styling and image design, textile design, communication design, interior architecture and design, interior product design, jewellery design, fashion media communication, fashion business management, fashion retail management, fashion prouduction, fashion merchandising and much more. Nikhil Mehra, Mandira Virk, Abdul Halder, Manish Gupta, Rohit Mittal and Harangad Singh are among the leading Indian designers who have walked through the corridors of PAF.
Pearl Academy of Fashion, which has campuses in Delhi, Jaipur and Chennai, is set to open its fourth campus this June, in Noida, to meet the growing demand for high quality fashion and design programs that cater to the needs of the industry.