Tuesday 29 December 2015

Whistling Woods School of Fashion and Design – 2015

The year 2015 has been a significant year for us! With newer innovations in the global fashion industry, with unique trends coming to the fore, our students too have played a significant role as aspirants, who eventually will join the force with their creative brilliance. Our students have creatively put in the training that they have received at our institute and has gone far and wide to gain appreciation and applaud from the fashion industry!



For us, the year 2015, started with the 2nd Edition of Future of Fashion Forum: The Future of Fashion Forum – a unique one-day event was conceptualized by Whistling Woods International School of Fashion and Design in the year 2014. The event was started with an objective to enable a conversation between aspiring fashion professionals and the industry experts. Renowned fashion professionals from across the country come to share their learning and experiences, thus offering holistic insight on the actual industry/market scenario, to the youth. This in turn also helps the experts to gauge the potential of the promising talents, who will soon emerge as the trend-makers and trend-setters in the fashion world.




Condom Couture Fashion Show: Skore Condom’s initiative to raise awareness against AIDS was not only a noble event, but also brought together young promising talents, who got the opportunity to voice their opinion on the tabooed notion of sex, through their creative brilliance! Our students created garments made of non-lubricated condoms.  The show-stopper at the event, Mugdha Godse, walked the ramp in a gorgeous attire created by our students.


1st Graduation Show – AIYANNA 2015: This event showcased the talent and expertise of our first batch of students. Our students created an entire line of collection, based on the learning they have received while pursuing the 2 year Diploma course in Fashion Design at our institute. The show was adjudged by acclaimed fashion designers, who heartily appreciated and acknowledged the brilliance and uniqueness portrayed in each of our students’ creation.



Participation in Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, 2015: Our students got the opportunity to showcase their creativity and talent at the very famous, Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, 2015, Mumbai. Our students created an installation using traditional Indian textiles, handloom weaves, prints and embroideries from all the Indian states. This installation brought forth the rich heritage of Indian Handloom & Textiles and was a definite step towards promoting the Art of Indian Traditional Textile.



Overall, it's been a great year for us! As we are all set to welcome the new year, we are sure that the coming year will be even more grand and brilliant! 

Monday 22 June 2015

Fashion for the Monsoon

“Fashion in the rains” – Sounds a little fuzzy, but if done well with proper apparels and accessories, this season offer a lot to showcase your style quotient!  Fashionistas come up with quirky fashion trends to suit the weather without compromising on comfort and style.

Light & Airy: Wear light fabrics. chiffons, malmals and georgettes are best suited for the rains. Light and airy and dries fast, just in case you get drenched!


Short & Splash: Old denim tucked in a dark corner! Get those out and cut it to get pro-weather shorts to play in the puddle. Printed or colour block capris are another option to go with, which spares you the hassle of folding up the full-length trousers!

Stylish Hair-do: Rains make hair turn dry, frizzy and dull. Cut them short for a monsoon makeover! However, if you cannot let your long flowy hair go, oil and wash them regularly and tie it in a bun or a chick high ponytail or braids.

Saviour of the Season – Umbrellas:  colourful or printed, foldable or the long ones – an umbrella is an indispensable and one of the most stylish accessories that you can swear by in the monsoon.  Strike a statement with attractive umbrellas all the way! 

Coats for the Rains: Walk in style with transparent or color-blocked raincoats. Raincoats top the list of must-haves for the rainy season. Whatever you wear, don’t forget to put on the raincoat to save yourself from getting drench and step out like a boss!

Footsy Fun: Right footwear will go a long way to let you walk in the rains without having to think twice! A pair of light flip-flop or a pair of colorful rubber gumboots can add to your style quotient in a funky way. 

Attractive Accessories:  Bright neon colored waterproof bags and belts, colorful scarves, funky hair pins, wristbands to add an extra style quotient.

This monsoon, with funky and colourful wearable, enjoy the rains like never before.

Thursday 11 June 2015

Significance of millinery and accessory design

The word ‘millinery’ immediately transports you to the bygone era, doesn’t it? After all, millineries are typically the antiquated artisans whose skill sets were passed down from one generation to the other. But, as years passed by this art started fading away, and was clubbed with accessory designing.

In fact, today accessory designing encompasses four items:

              -          Bags

              -          Footwear

              -          Jewellery, and

              -          Millinery

The person involved in accessory designing takes care of things right from developing the concept to the production.

For this, designers are expected to look at the creative process by gathering research to generating ideas into a product line. 

Also, as an accessory designer one has to specialise in construction techniques and the essential tools of the trade, which are different from dress designing.
Largely, the products are based on 2D pattern and 3D modelling techniques, which explain in detail the required prototyping.It is observed that accessory designing encompasses the old and new techniques. It is based across aspects such as hand-finishing and machine embellishment techniques.

Accessory designing requires finesse and a deep understanding of the subject. This is especially true for milliners. For instance, when milliners are making bespoke hats, they have to meet the client directly to discuss their requirements. They also need to be perfect while taking measurements.

Further, all accessory designers including milliners are closely involved in choosing the core elements such as fabrics and other raw materials. After this, designers trim the fabrics and add necessary details to enhance the look. In case of hats, the fabric might need some hand steaming into shape orcorrection with a hydraulic machine, in case of mass-production. This method of adding finishing touch is called blocking.

In short, accessory designers and milliners are key to the industry for they bring specialised skill set, such as:

• Creative and imaginative eye with good artistic skills
• Good understanding of proportion, fabrics and design

• Deep understanding of technical processes, good communication and business skills

Fashion institutes like Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion enable to be adept and skilled in millinery and accessory design and bring a whole new dimension to your career in fashion.

Tuesday 9 June 2015

Understanding Editorial Fashion


If you understand words like culottes, tuli tops, moccasins like A, B, C or if you have an eye and ear to spot fashion trends, then it’s time you opened doors to a career in editorial fashion.

Editorial fashion is about spotting trends from various sources and giving informed decision to your readers. Many fashion bloggers and journalists are now becoming editorial fashion specialists.

Yes, it’s a glamorous job, but one always needs to be on the cue and have a tenacity to spot these trends. Here, are few pointers to get you started…


Sport the right attitude

To be the voice of fashion, one needs to have a sound reputation. This will only come through knowledge, determination, focus and patience. So, whatever you do…write or research approach it with passion and aim to create a niche for yourself. In this fast-paced world of fashion, it is important to have an edge so as to stand outfrom the competition. Further, it's keyfor you to be a good listener and leaner. As an editorial fashion writer, it’s essential that you train yourself continuously. Finally, always keeps smiling and be upbeat about things. Everyone loves to interact with happy and energetic people.

Set targets:

As a starting point, it’s important to have a clear idea about what you want to achieve in the long run. This will give you a defined path and a chance to make every new opportunity brilliant. It's also a good way to stay motivated during those dull days.

Get a strong foundation

Passion is of course the key in editorial fashion. But, along with passion it’s important to have the right experience.The best way to start is by working with established bloggers or fashion publications. This will help you understand the dos and don’ts of spotting trends and its analysis.

Networking

To grow in the fashion industry, it’s important to have good contacts with retailers, store managers, bloggers and journalists. The fashion industry thrives on building the right contacts; so don’t shy away from networking. Remember, it’s okay to make the first move; as you never who might open the right door for you.
  
Lastly, don't underestimate the power of knowledge. It’s important to learn the basics of fashion, its history and the evolution. So, immerse yourself in the world of fashion by understand the industry as a whole. You can look for schools like Whistling Woods Neeta Lulla School of Fashion that will give you a good grounding in the fashion industry. 

Thursday 4 June 2015

Insight in the Field of Fashion Merchandising

Fashion merchandising as a career is gaining prominence in the contemporary fashion industry. Knowledge is power, therefore, before entering the field of Fashion Merchandising it is best be aware about the field. And, to get you started, here are some insights in the creative field of Fashion Merchandising.

What is Fashion Merchandising?
Fashion Merchandising is a board term that encompasses the business side of the fashion industry, from retail to advertising. It involves buying, pricing, marketing, displaying, and selling apparels or accessories.



What is the role of a Fashion Merchandiser?
The role of a Fashion Merchandiser is diverse and vast. Their responsibility is to get the right merchandise, in the right place, at the right time, and in the right quantities. A Fashion Merchandiser is also a buyer who selects what items will be stocked in a store. This merchandiser is, thus, expected to have basic understanding of the fashion history, market trends and customer sensibility. A Fashion Merchandiser also plays a key role in deciding the pricing and marketing strategy of a brand.

                              

What it takes to be a Fashion Merchandiser?
For one, a merchandiser should have a knack for understanding the creative side of fashion designing along with having a head for business. Then, a merchandiser must also have good knowledge about styling, advertising, marketing and brand management.

How to be a Fashion Merchandiser?
Undertaking formal education in a fashion school like Whistling Woods- Neeta Lulla School of Fashion is the first step in building a career in the field of Fashion Merchandising. In a fashion school like Whistling Woods- Neeta Lulla School of Fashion, an aspiring merchandiser will gain knowledge key aspects of merchandising like visual, retail, export, which covers the vast field of ‘Fashion Merchandising.’    





Monday 1 June 2015

Techniques and Importance of Pattern Drafting

Pattern Drafting is an important part of fashion designing and requires immense skills and practice. Pattern drafting is where pattern pieces are drawn on paper according to body measurement which becomes the foundation for designers to create garments. There are several techniques that professionals use, some of them are:

Tracing: This is one of the simplest technique that is used. In this technique a garment (similar to what a designer wishes to create) is placed flat on a paper and the pattern is traced. Some space is left to add seam of the garment. The tracing technique works best for garments with minimum shapes and is one of the best technique for beginners.



Creating a Sloper: This is a slightly complicated technique in pattern drafting. Slopers, also referred to as ‘block patterns’ or ‘fitting shells’, are extremely close-fitting garments with no ease movement. A sloper is the building block from which a designer can create any number of patterns. There are two ways to acquire a sloper: one is to find numerous free sloper patterns online or can be created from scratch. Creating a sloper from the scratch requires a good knowledge for math and geometry.



Software: Nowadays, professionals mostly use softwares to create pattern drafting. Some of the best softwares that professionals use are DesignSew, Pattern Master, Gerber Accumark, and more that are introduced in the industry every day.



These techniques for pattern drafting have been followed by professionals for quite a while now. But pattern drafting as a profession is still in its nascent stages. Even though some of the techniques have been used for decades. However, things are changing for the aspiring designers. Today pattern drafters are gaining importance in the world of fashion designing. There are various avenues that are opening up as observed by Amol Chettiar, Faculty of Whistling Woods - Neeta Lulla School of Fashion. He says, “Pattern drafters are the architects of fashion designing and tailors are the one that make the designers dream come true. Designers, today have realized this which has led to various career opportunities like a consultant pattern drafter, professional pattern grader, and garment technologist.” 

Watch this video to, learn what industry experts have to say about a career in pattern drafting.





Monday 25 May 2015

5 Steps to Garment Construction

Garment construction is one of the key aspects of Fashion Designing. Here, the most important thing is the sequence that is used to construct or manufacture the garment. The fashion industry has identified a standard sequence for Garment Construction, which is as follows:


Sketch/Design: This is the first step in most designing aspect. However, in garment construction along with sketch, designers draw up ‘working drawings’. These are detailed sketches that lay out the measurement and pattern of the garment.



Production Pattern: Here the pattern maker creates the design on a standard ‘pattern making paper’. The tissue paper pattern is the most commonly used technique in the industry. In the later stage, the tissue paper pattern becomes a blue print for designers to create the garment.

Grading: The purpose of grading is to determine the perfect size of the garment. Pattern sizes are usually large, medium, and small, but when graded manually the graders have to alter the pattern at each and every point, starting from armhole to neckline. 

Market Making: In this step the fabric yardage is determined as per the style of the garment. Nowadays, there are computer softwares to determine the amount of fabric that is required to create a garment.



Sewing: This is the final step and common to all designing aspects. This step involves sewing the fabric together using different techniques and assembling different parts of the fabric to create the final garment. 
 
These five steps are just a precursor to this subject. Garment Construction requires great understanding and knowledge. The finesse can be acquired through a formal education in institutes like Whistling Woods International- Neeta Lulla School of Fashion. Here, an aspiring designer can explore different techniques in garment construction along with venturing in different avenues of fashion designing.

Tuesday 19 May 2015

Historic Indian costumes and weaving techniques

Fashion draws inspiration from the past and historic costumes. Therefore, an aspiring designer needs to be well-aware about the subject of ‘Historic Costumes’. The study of fundamentals of historic Indian costumes gives resourceful insights to the students regarding fashion of a particular era. They can understand the fabric used in ancient times and the culture of the period. Understanding historic costume can trigger a student’s imagination to create something incredible. For example, the historical costumes of the Mughal period have inspired designers to reinvent sherwanis, churidars, and anarkalis.
              


But along with understanding historic costumes, understanding the weaving techniques that were used is also imperative. The basics of weaving are same today, as they were centuries ago. The two most important weaving techniques that an aspiring fashion and textile student should absolutely know about are the handloom and the power loom. Knitting follows the suit and holds high significance in historic costumes. Crochet, also adds to the list. Though not originally Indian, Crochet has evolved to be a significant technique in Indian fashion over generations.

Historic costumes and the weaving techniques are two of the most important topics for students of fashion and textile designing. The first draws inspirations through cultures of different eras and the latter gives an understanding of how fabrics were made. This knowledge is like raw material to an aspiring designer which provides an idea of the fabric, the draping capabilities, elasticity, and the prosperities of the fabric. As Jaishika Ratanpal, Faculty of Whistling Woods- Neeta Lulla School of Fashion says, “This is studying the evolution of fashion, how a garment evolves from a single drape to complete garments and without this knowledge a designer cannot design a new garment or fabric.”

Watch Jaishikha Ratanpal speak on evolution of historic costumes and why it is essential.






Thursday 14 May 2015

Six Basic Steps of Draping

Draping is the art of creating a garment by arranging the fabric around a dress. This is usually done by using the fabric’s natural fall. For the uninitiated, draping involves techniques like pleating and gathering to create a dramatic effect. However, to master this art one needs to understand the basics. To help you go through this process, here are six basic steps for draping to get you started:

Prepping





The first step is to have accurate measurements of the garment. Next, ensure to mark the centre line of the dress by using a tape. This helps to keep the draping even across the dress.

Sketch: 


Preparing a sketch of your garment always helps in designing. But, in this form it gives you a clear idea about how you need to go about the drape. Here, your sketch will help you understand how to best manipulate the fabric in order to get the dramatic effect.  

Muslin: 


This fabric is flexible in its thickness and volume. Thus, giving you a chance to experiment and play around as you desire.

Pinning: 


Pinning is a process in which you pull the folds of the fabric together to create the draping design. Pinning will give you a good idea of how the garment will look after completion.

Basting the Fabric: 


Once you are finished with draping and pinning, the next step is to baste the fabric. Here, you can either sew the fabric to the foundation piece or you can sew the fabric itself to complete the draping process.

Trimming: 


The last step is common across designing techniques. Trim off any excess fabrics that may remain after you are finished with draping. The raw edges of your draping should always be hidden neatly in the seams.
  
Each of the above steps are designed to help make the process of draping easier and develop your draping skills. Another thing that can help you refine your draping skills is a fashion school like Whistling Woods International- Neeta Lulla School of Fashion. Here you can explore various aspects of draping and many other crucial techniques used in fashion designing.


Thursday 7 May 2015

The Rise of Fashion Bloggers

Fashion bloggers have become an influential force in the fashion industry. From small indie designer to the elite of fashion industry, these bloggers cover ever significant occurrence in the fashion world.

Starting in the early 2000, bloggers shook up the fashion business by changing the way fashion was viewed. Masses of people started following social media around this time and blogs became one of the major mediums of communication. Fashion bloggers started presenting a platform for the consumers to interact and connect. Also, buying habits of almost 31% of people were influenced by fashion bloggers as they held power to shape the public perception of a brand. Realising this, big fashion brands started incorporating fashion bloggers in their marketing initiatives. Even fashion magazines like Vogue, EELLE, GQ, and others started tying with well-known fashion bloggers.

                  
               Kristina Bazan
Leandra Medine

Today, fashion bloggers are seen as A-listers at some of the key shows. For instance, Louis Vuitton invited Fashion Blogger Kristina Bazan for its Gstaad opening. Also, Marc Jacobs Intl, for their Marc Jacobs runway show collaborated with prominent blogger Leandra Medine. Even, Dolce & Gabbana promoted their limited-edition Light Blue fragrance through this blogger network. In India, too, this trend is catching, where famous fashion bloggers like Miss Malini, Rhea Gupte, and Ruhi Sheikh have become a regular at fashion weeks.

    
Miss Malani
        
   Rhea Gupte


 
Ruhi Sheikh




Similarly, hundreds of bloggers today make and break fashion trends. Some of the most prominent ones are Wendy Nguyen’s ‘Wendy’s Lookbook’, Leandra Medine’s ‘Man Repeller’, Christene Braberich’s ‘Refinery29’, and Jennine Jacob’s ‘Independent Fashion Bloggers’. 
             
           Wendy Nguyen

Jennine Jacob




Monday 4 May 2015

Inspiring Fashion Trends from the 1980s movies

In our last blog, we highlighted some iconic fashion trends influenced by the movies in the 50s. This week we move ahead in time and explore the trends from the 80s. The era of stirrup pants and other such iconic trends were immortalised by some of the greatest movies, such as:

American Gigolo: 


Fashion in films usually focuses on women’s apparels, but American Gigolo defined men’s fashion in the 80s. The stylish power suits designed by Giorgio Armani and worn by Richard Gere started a generation of men adopting silk, linen, and Italian cotton suiting. The Armani wardrobe remains a touchstone for well-dressed men till date.

Flashdacnce: 


Starring Jennifer Beals, Flashdance, inspired fans to wear leg warmers and leotards as a fashion accessory.  The movie also pioneered the trend of oversized sweat shirts with one shoulder on display. In fact, the inspiration for this trend is still visible in the reappearance of leggings and asymmetrical detailed outfits. 

Desperately Seeking Susan


This film starring the ultra-fashionable pop star, Madonna, introduced the girly-punk that ruled the decade. The movie not only popularised, but showed new ways of wearing mesh tanks, bustier as a top underneath the blazers, chunky jewellery and heavy makeup.  

Pretty in Pink


The movie is about a young girl with talent for sewing, unique sense of style and passion for vintage. As the story suggests, the movie created huge fashion trends -- from ladies gym inform to linen suits. Undoubtedly, the movie made a huge wave of fashion trend among the younger generation.

Slaves of New York


This movie features a green faux fur coat, which was an instant hit in the fashion circuit. Stephen Sprouse, an American fashion designer, designed the clothes for Slaves of New York. The green coat, the eccentric hats and the overall avant-garde style of the designer created fashion trends, which were remembered in the fashion circuit for a long time.

There were other movies like ‘Wall Street’, ‘Liquid Sky’, ‘Heathers’, and ‘The Breakfast Club’ that created some iconic fashion trends in the 1980s.  


Thursday 30 April 2015

Five Memorable Fashion Trends Inspired by Movies

Movies have played a very important role in setting fashion trends for generations. Here some unforgettable fashion trends that have inspired designers till date:

The Seven Year Itch: 


This movie, which ruled the trends of 1950s, showcased the whimsical fashion sense of Marilyn Monroe. Her iconic dresses, especially the white halter that that was blown up over a street vent, has now become a legendary symbol of sensuality.

Funny Face: 


Audrey Hepburn set a trend through her movie ‘Funny Face’. In the movie, Audrey plays the girl-next-door who goes on to becoming a fashion model. In Funny Face, she introduced the all-black look with her black turtleneck, black cigarette pants, and black pair of flats. And, this trend was followed for generations.

Cat on the Hot Tin Roof: 


In this 1958 movie, Elizabeth Taylor created quite a sensation with her white cocktail dress. Still popular in the fashion circuit, this white chiffon keen-length halter neck dress is considered as an embodiment of elegance.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s: 


The ‘Little Black Dress’, which was designed by Coco Channel in the 1920s, gained popularity when Audrey Hepburn wore it in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ in the 1960s. The dress created such a huge trend that even till date the ‘Little Black Dress’ or ‘LBD’ is a staple in most wardrobes.

Annie Hall:


The 1977 ‘Annie Hall’ created yet another popular trend, when Diane Keaton wore all men’s suit with style. This fearless experimentation in fashion quickly caught on, and women all over the world were seen following this trend.