Belinda Bawa, the Great Illustrator

Fashion illustration has been around for decades, but it is only in recent years that this profession has been receiving the importance it deserves. The job of a fashion illustrator is to work closely with a fashion designer and illustrate on paper the ideas in the designer’s mind. For this, an illustrator’s creation can be as precise and detailed as possible or as vague as they please and add as much dramatics they see fit. An aspirant pursuing this career line can opt to join a fashion house, join a particular designer or just fly solo.

Fashion illustration in India still has a long way to go, but thankfully the foundation is already set. Belinda Bawa, a leading illustrator of our time, is one of the first known illustrators. It started with the design project for the film Devdas. Neeta Lulla who was working on the costumes for the film approached Belinda to create dramatic and elaborate designs. After this there was no stopping her from charting new heights.

Though a famous fashion illustrator now, she has done and experienced a host of other things. From teaching to writing, this talented lady has done it all. Her experience includes Visual Merchandising comprising names like Burlingtons at the Taj (Mumbai), Vikram Phadnis (Design Studio). Over the years she has supervised backstage with backstage managers Vahbeez and Delnaz in over fifty fashion shows for designers like J.J. Vallaya, Abu Jani, Sandeep Khosla, Neeta Lulla, Wendell Rodricks and Tarun Tahiliani among others. 

She worked briefly as a Fashion Consultant for Sheetal Departmental store. Accessory designing too falls under her profile. She designed and developed Avant Grade accessories for a collection presented in India, Dubai, UK for Vikram Phadnis, Neeta Lulla, Rohit Verma and others. She did not even leave writing; she wrote articles on fashion events and trends for a website.

Belinda’s illustration expertise was seen in films too. She did detailed costume illustration for films like Devdas, Kisna, Aisha and the list goes on. 

The illustrator even ventured into the field of teaching. She taught S.N.D.T. Women’s University as Asst. Professor to Wendell Rodericks for History of World Costume. Raheja University, N.I.F.T (National Institute of Fashion Technology), C.E.P.Z Institute of Textile and Fashion Technology, Mod Art Institute of Management along with which she conducted personalized workshop and crash courses in illustration and design. Belinda is currently a Faculty at Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion where she shares her experiences and expertise in the field of illustration with young aspirants.

Career in Fashion Brand Management

The market today has evolved into a more complicated and competitive affair and the fashion industry is no different. Creating a brand seems to have become a necessity, more so in the world of glamour. Everyone is in a race to create the best brand, which is why it plays an even greater role in the fashion industry where everything depends on the name, be it a fashion house or a particular designer. Names like Neeta Lulla, Rock S and Manish Malhotra are brands in their own right. Creating a brand is not everything, growing and managing it is the key to future successes. The designer may have a hand in creating the brand, but managing or branding is not their job. The fashion brand managers are the ones who fit this job description.

Before anyone ventures into this field, understanding the meaning of ‘brand’ and its distinction with branding is imperative. Brand and branding are not new concepts, but have been around forever. The only thing that has brought these terms to the forefront is that organizations and businesses have started realizing their importance now. There are various definitions for brand, but to sum it up in one line, brand is the identity of a product, service or idea of any organization. Brand is not just a logo or name, but something through which the customers recognize the business or organization and everything it stands for. Branding on the other hand is about building the brand. Identifying what the brand will represent is branding. 

In the world of fashion brand is everything; once a designer or fashion house have established their brands there is no going back. Versace, Gucci, Chanel are some brands that have built up an amazing branding. More and more fashion and luxury brands are emerging and in order to stay at the top a good brand manager is required. Their job description basically encompasses to come up with strategies that will ensure a secured space in the market for the brand and to recognize the target audience and their needs. 

An aspirant interested in pursuing a career in Fashion brand management should embark on the first step, which is obviously a formal education. But along with an education in management they need to know and understand fashion and its trends. Luckily there are institutes like Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion that have courses like MBA in Fashion Management that will help a student in becoming a specialist in shaping, renewing and communicating brand qualities with a singular focus.

Lights, Camera, Fashion!

Sun, sand, beach, films and fashion are synonymous with the Cannes Film Festival. The 67^th annual Cannes Film Festival started on 14^th May, 2014 and ended amid great fanfare on 25^th May, 2014. The festival showcased an array of the best films and everyone who is anyone in the world of cinema graced the red carpet of Cannes Film Festival. The Turkish film Winter Sleep directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan won the Palme d’Or award. 

The larger part of the festival is about fashion and so while the talented celebrities paraded the red carpet in hot couture the fashion police got down to business. From Nicole Kidman to Sonam Kappor to Ryan Gosling, everyone was dressed in their Sunday best. There were surprises; some good, some bad and some of which we are sharing here.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has had to face the music before for her choices on the red carpet. But the actor was a delightful surprise in her golden number. Mrs. Bachchan wore a Roberto Cavalli strapless mermaid cut gown that suited her just right. Her hair and makeup complemented her well while the bright lipstick added a pop of color. Her second appearance on the carpet was again in a Roberto Cavalli mermaid cut white gown, and though it looked similar it was equally stunning. For the amfAR gala she wore a champagne colored Armani Prive with crystal detailing that was accessorized just perfectly.  

 

Freida Pinto

The Slum dog Millionaire actress Freida Pinto brought glamour with her stylish outfits. Freida looked downright gorgeous in her Michael Kors nude tulle gown which was decorated with sequins with fluttering feathers. The wavy hair and bold lipstick completed her look. Her second appearance was breathtaking, simple and elegant. Wearing an Oscar de la Renta coral gown with gold sequin embroidery, the actress looked spectacular.  

Sonam Kappor

Sonam Kappor is one of the best dressed celebrities going around and she proved it yet again at the film festival. Donning an Elie Saab Couture with a strapless bodice and flowy pleated chiffon, she was a vision. She seems to like Elie Saab a lot as she picked another black sleeveless gown by the same designer. The beaded gown with appliqués and a Victorian style skirt was her best look yet. She gave a traditional touch with her Anamika Khanna couture. The dusty pink sari with elaborate beading and exquisite flower embellishment was definitely an eye catcher.

Jennifer Lawrence

This was just a very small dose of the fashion on the red carpet. There was Jennifer Lawrence who got the media’s attention with her beautiful outfits. 

Blake Lively

Blake Lively made a style statement with every appearance and Nicole Kidman was elegance personified. 

Nicole Kidman

The men were not far behind either, with Ryan Gosling and Robert Pattinson setting tongues wagging, just to name a few. 

 

                          Ryan Gosling                                           Robert Pattinson

All in all the Cannes Film Festival 2014 was an extravagant affair of creative film and fashion!

Career in Fashion Marketing & Fashion Communication

Fashion Marketing and Fashion Communication are two streams of the fashion industry that are not as extensively known compared to others, but are as critical career lines as any other in this industry. Most aspects of fashion designing needs highly sharpened creativity, but a fashion designer or a fashion house cannot run on creativity alone. This glamorous industry is incomplete without being business minded.

Fashion marketing is quite similar to marketing any product. Integrating brand into the product is something always popular in the fashion world for many popular retail fashion products. Fashion marketing can be perceived in two ways; one is marketing for the fashion conscious consumers and the other is marketing to distribution channels such as retail franchises. Fashion marketing basically focuses on promoting, publicizing and increasing awareness of a particular brand or designer. A person pursuing a career in this line should have the skill of strategically pushing a product into the limelight. A fashion marketer should be able to recognize the target audience and the needs of the consumers. This information will be the base point on which the strategies will be developed. Advertisements, public and media interaction, social media, events and magazines are used by a fashion marketer intelligently to create awareness. 

Fashion communication is an emerging career line that is gaining space in the market. It has a lot to do with the business side of fashion designing and so it is bound to share similarities with fashion marketing. As the name suggests, it is all about communication, or more accurately mass communication. In this globalized world and constantly changing trends where styles keep changing by the minute, communicating a particular brand or designer in a unique and impactful way is the priority. Through the use of mass communication, brand labels or designers are promoted. Just as it is with fashion marketing, fashion communication uses advertisement, promotion, social media, print and videos to get the message across.  

In order to gain successes in these two professions an individual needs to have a strong background in fashion education. They need to possess knowledge about every aspect of the fashion industry, the business as well as the creative part. The MBA in Fashion Management at the Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion does just that. Aspirants are introduced to the fundamental business concepts along with the application of commercial practice, which is required before entering the world of fashion. 

History of Indian Costumes & Textiles

India is a culturally rich land, where heritage is ingrained in every speck. The evolution of the various costumes and the ability to adapt western style has resulted in innovative contemporary designs. However, the simplicity of the bygone days should be remembered and revived.

Historically, clothes were only seen as a means of protection. Animal skin or other natural sources were used as clothing, but lead to newer means and also the climatic conditions played a critical role in the use of materials. In fact, the use of fabrics is traced as far back as the Indus Valley Civilization. Cotton was one of the first fabrics to be known to us; since the material is apt for the subcontinent’s climate, cotton was quite widespread. Spun, woven and dyed since prehistoric times, Cotton has been discovered in ancient Egypt and China. Long before the western textiles entered the scene Cotton was worn by Indians with matchless skill and the neighboring Mediterranean countries. Linen was said to be made during this time.

This knowledge that we possess today is based on the sculptures and paintings in caves left by the people of that time. Based on these tokens from history we can estimate their way of living, like there are images showing people wearing something that appears to be a dhoti. And from the fragments left it appears that the upper class population wore muslin with gold ornaments. 

  

Buddha wearing the Greek himation

Trade between the neighboring courtiers ensured the exchange of not only culture, but also goods that brought in different styles and fabrics. The 1^st century saw trade between Greeks and various other races. An example of this was seen in an image of Buddha wearing the Greek himation. 

Gupta's 

During Vedic times people were draped in three-piece unstitched clothing which continued in the Maurya and Gupta period. As trade exchanges increased, the exposure to different culture increased. Indigo was brought in by the Romans for dyeing and China introduced silk textiles through the Silk Road.

Maurya's

Weaving techniques were diverse out of which most have survived till date. Some of the weaves are Kasika Vastra and Jamdani from Varanasi. Designs and motifs varied and every region emerged with distinct techniques and styles.

The way people dressed at any given time in history is a glimpse into that era. The colors, textiles, motifs shape the costumes of a time in history serve as a reference point for all. For a fashion aspirant to be familiar with the fashions of different times in history is imperative and more so of their own country. We at Whistling Woods Neeta School of Fashion encourage this and hence our syllabus covers everything from current innovations to inspiring traditions. 

Careers in the Fashion Industry

There are multiple streams in the Fashion Industry in which an aspirant can dip their toes. Designing, Styling, Illustration, Fashion Journalism and Merchandising are the most prominent ones, but there are others that are still gaining ground. Career lines like Patternmaking, Textile Making and Production Management are some streams that have yet to be commercially famous. Like any other profession, being aware of all aspects of any career line is necessary, which is why we are here.

First up is Patternmaking as a choice of career. Every garment is created by assembling pieces of fabric together, thus a Patternmaker is the one who creates garment or apparel patterns. They are responsible for designing and creating different patterns that are used to create different types of garments. Patterns for garments are shapes that are cut out before an outfit is made. Different materials like fabric or plastic can be used, but a thin paper, also known as pattern paper, is preferred. A patternmaker has two options, either creates unique patterns for mass production or they can work closely with a designer to create custom patterns. There are four aspects that a patternmaker should be excelling in; conceptualizing, measuring, drawing and cutting. In order to achieve this, you need a formal education in fashion. 

Next in line is Textile Making, which is a relatively familiar field. Textile making comprises of weaving, knitting, crocheting or print. A textile designer will be involved with the production and supervision of these designs. The process is a transformation from raw material to finished garment. A course in textile making will enable you to understand the different types of weaves and more importantly knowledge about fabric, they way a fabric behaves and their characteristics. For a designer to experiment with different weaves a person should have a good sense of visual and design principles like color, composition and most of all, patterns.

Last, but not the least, we shall talk about Production Management. This line of profession is not creatively related to fashion designing, but a fashion designer heavily relies on a production manager. As the name rightly suggests, a production manager is the one who handles the entire show. It is a multi-tasking job and someone who juggles tasks well will find success here. Their organizational skills should be excellent because while a designer is drawing their next collection it is the job of a production manager to organize things. They have to handle the finance aspect too, like maintaining spreadsheets etc, so basically their job is to see that everything is running smoothly.

The good thing about the fashion industry is the various options it can offer to everyone. It is a perfect blend of creativity and business which creative minds and the business minded can explore. The various courses at Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion will let you explore variety of career paths both in designing and management. So read a lot, research even more and decide the stream you will choose to enter into this world of glitz and glamour!        

Colors Unknown

Blue, green, red, yellow, black… there is an endless list of colors, there are just so many! Most of us don’t pay attention to the lighter tones or deeper shades of a particular color; a red is just a red to us. From the color of the sky to the color of an eye, each color varies. There are colors that we may have seen countless times, but would be unaware of their actual names, placing them in generalized category. Here are some colors that most of us must have seen, but wouldn’t know the exact name.

Malachite

The first one is Malachite, a descendent of green. This vibrant version of green is derived from the carbonate mineral called Malachite or copper carbonate. The swirling patterns are associated with the semiprecious stone and the deeper shade of green gives a rich look. During the olden times the mineral was extensively used for green paints as it often varied in color. This hue is seen being painted throughout history, the Malachite room in Hermitage is one such instance. 

Monique Lhuillier's Malachite

It is widely used in décor, jewelry and even as an accessory along with designer apparel. At the Fall 2013 show of designer Monique Lhuillier, an impressive Malachite theme was employed with stunning gowns in rich Malachite hue on display.

Rose Madder                                         Madder Carmine

Rose Madder is yet another hue that is perceived as red. It is made from a pigment extracted from the common madder plant called as Rubia Tinctorum. Similarly, there is Madder Carmine which is commonly known as burgundy and sometime oxblood. Carmine is a term for deep reds that are slightly purplish, while still being close to red. The 2013 New York Fashion Week saw this shade turn up quite a lot.

Madder Carmine

Belonging to the blue and purple family, Periwinkle is another color that many are not aware of. Periwinkle is the name of a plant; it is linked to the cool blue flower of the vine-like evergreen. 

Periwinkle

The plant’s Latin name is Pervincire which means ‘to entwine’. Lavender blue is another name for it, or even pastel blue. For its 2012 Spring-Summer collection, Chanel’s Haute Couture displayed some of the best Periwinkles ever seen. 

Chanel’s Periwinkle

The color, Chartreuse is the point where the blue and yellow intersect. It has a rather interesting history attached to it. 

chartreuse yellow                                      green chartreuse

The color, Chartreuse is a lovely mixture of blue and yellow. It has a rather interesting history attached to it. The green hue resembled French liqueurs called green chartreuse, which was introduced in 1764, likewise chartreuse yellow is a yellow color mixed with a hint of green which resembled the yellow chartreuse liqueurs introduced in 1838. This color made news in Spring-Summer fashion shows a few years back. 

Cerise,  Xanadu, Amaranth, Fulvous, Eburnean, Smaragdine and Claret and  are just a few more names that go unnoticed. So explore the different hues, tones, shades, and tints and create something unique and vibrantly colorful! 

Make the write choice with a career in Fashion Journalism

Fashion is a huge industry, but not everyone belonging to this creative field has pocketed a degree in fashion designing. A large number of the population in the fashion world are indirectly but crucially related to the ongoing developments of the industry. Fashion Journalism is one such genre that may not be a direct branch of fashion designing, but is absolutely necessary for the field to thrive. 

Journalism is a familiar area but mixing fashion into it results in one of the most intriguing professional choices. There are a lot of writers with an eye for fashion who combine their skill sets and become a fashion journalist. Anyone who is writing, critiquing or reporting falls under this genre. Magazines and newspapers are the major outlet, but books, fashion related reports on television, online magazines, websites and blogs has also been a means of fashion journalism. 

The job description of a fashion journalist can vary according to their personal choices. Characteristically their work involves writing and editing articles, or to formulate and style a fashion shoot. They spend a good length of time researching and conducting necessary interviews. Covering fashion shows and being up to date with the current trends are also included under the job criteria. A fashion journalist needs to have a healthy and active communication with photographers, designers themselves and the public relations specialist.

The field must look like all glitz and glamour, but along with that it is backbreaking and one of the toughest jobs to succeed in. Besides the obvious writing skills and command over language, a journalist needs to be imaginative, resourceful and have the ability to understand fashion from a wider perspective. They should have the knack of expressing ideas and create an accurate impression of the fashion world. Knowledge is the key, and having the appropriate fashion knowledge will take a person far. Possessing knowledge regarding their techniques is very important. So undertaking a course in fashion will shape your perspective perfectly.

Meher Castelino

Though a rather new genre, it is not an unexplored area. Meher Castelino is a fashion journalist who has done exceedingly well. Another name that pops up is Nimisha Tiwari, Editor at Economic Times- Travel, Times of India. She strongly believes that academic guidance in this field not only helps in gaining a better understanding of the craft and the medium but also makes one confident of what needs to be conveyed to the wider audience. Fashion education and business is getting more organized and this is the best time to make the most of the varied opportunities available. Fashion Journalism has the potential to help you make a career. Knowledge in the subject will also help fashion journalists to make interesting and informative stories on the latest fashion trends to hit the market.

Nimisha Tiwari

In order to write accurately along with being engaging, understanding fashion is necessary. There are courses that will aid you in getting just that, like the courses at Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion that helps in understanding all aspects of the fashion industry.