NIFT to join hands with Institute of Fashion Design, Lahore

Apart from giving a major thrust to liberal trade between the two countries, India and Pakistan plan to join hands in the field of fashion designing, textiles and footwear through collaborations between their fashion institutes. The attempt is to come up with challenging and innovative fusion of fashion from both the countries and open new avenues and markets for their designers, including the textiles and footwear industries. The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and the Lahore-based Institute of Fashion Design are working on extensive exchange of fashion knowledge and expertise. “Our students and teachers can interact with each other and professional programmes can also take place in the future. There would be synergy between the two institutes. If plans work out, there will be collaboration between the two institutes,” Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said. Over 100 Pakistani top brands and fashion designers in categories such as fashion textiles, jewellery, designer furniture, handicrafts, home textiles and leather goods are showcasing their items at the four-day “Pakistan Lifestyle” extravaganza being held at the Pragati Maidan. Apart from fashion and textile designing, the government is also looking at avenues for the footwear industry. “There is a need to develop the footwear industry. In India, we have a footwear design institute and it is the need of the hour that such designing institutes should have a common linkage. We need our fashion designers to constantly interact with each other for which a common ground has to be created to share the knowledge,” Mr. Sharma added. Both the countries are even contemplating forming a common business council in the event of strengthening of economic ties. Zain Aziz of Sefam group, one of the largest fashion designing houses in Pakistan, said: “The collaboration would be good for business because a lot of youngsters are nowadays working in fashion houses.” Keywords: NIFT