The Higher Education Review

Emerging as the new educational hub of the state of Maharashtra, Nasik hosts a good number of premier institutes of learning. Founded in the year 2003, International Institute of Fashion Design (INIFD) is one such institute that is situated at the heart of the city and aims to take education in fashion design and interior design to the common man of India. The institute focuses on preparing students for professional excellence in the design industry by providing the premier educational experience that fosters creativity, career focus and a global perspective.

“We promote students’ growth and self-development through student support services, programs, and activities. We provide students with a multifaceted educational experience,” says Tanbeer Bhatia, Professor - Fashion Department, INIFD Nasik.They conduct various workshops for personality development and extracurricular activities where students get handson knowledge not only in design, but also in different aspects of fashion.

“We organise guest-lectures periodically, where students get to interact with the established professionals of the industry,” adds Ms. Bhatia.

INIFD revolutionises the entire field of design education in the country, keeping in sync with today's rapidly changing dynamics of the fashion world. World-class education facilities, indigenous curriculum blending theory with practical experience and industry interface, and showcase help INIFD to stay ahead in the fashion design education. “We are supported by institutions like Istituto di Moda Burgo, Milan (Italy), an International leader in fashion education, and London School of Trends (LST), a premiere fashion school accredited by the British Accreditation Council (BAC). With rich experience in fashion and design industry and for our degree courses, we are affiliated with the country's one of the most prestigious universities,”
says Ms. Bhatia.

INIFD is the first and only design institute to present the GenNext show and handles the entire On Ground Implementation at Lakme Fashion Week for the past 16 consecutive seasons. Their students have now travelled the globe from Lakme Fashion Week in India to Fashion Week in London. INIFD’s annual graduating show ‘Aura’ not only gives the students a platform to display their collections and designs, but also help the students to meet their prospective clientele. “Based on the students' designing abilities and creativity, we will also give them an opportunity to showcase their work at Fashion Scout during London Fashion week,” says Ms. Bhatia. Fashion Scout is UK’s one of the largest independent showcases for emerging designers. Ms. Bhatia adds, “We nurture our students’ talent and creativity, which has resulted in the shaping of the

future fashion talent. Our students are prepared to take up a real career in the fashion and design world from day one.”

By providing an excellent mix of highly qualified faculty and unmatched course content , the institute ensures that their students are well prepared to step into this volatile world of Fashion and occupy positions of stature. “As a part of our pre-placement activities, we have a Mentorship Programme where alumni act as mentors to the students. Summer internships for students to get a preview of the corporate world and guest lectures, seminars, workshops of eminent fashion designers, celebrity costume designers, corporate and personalities from the fashion and allied industries are also conducted here,” says Ms. Bhatia. The students of INIFD have also benefitted from various sessions conducted at the centre, including Professional Portfolio Creation, Interview Skills, Soft Skills, Aptitude and Logical Reasoning, Current Affairs and General Knowledge, GD & PI. With salary packages ranging between Rs. 2.5 lakhs to Rs. 4 lakhs, 85-90 percentage of the INIFD graduates receive campus placement at various Fashion Houses, Fashion Designers, Export Houses, Manufacturing Units, Visual Merchandising and in other allied fields of the fashion industry.
The institute also has a Mentorship Programme where alumni act as mentors of the ongoing students. They inspire by sharing their success stories and prepare the ongoing students to face the challenges in the fashion industry. “The tips and tricks given by our alumni give an edge to our ongoing students,” concludes Ms. Bhatia.