Stitch Apart

Spectacular and amazing are the two constant adjectives that were peppered all though the conversations made by a group of visiting students from the Walsall College in the United Kingdom last week.

Spectacular and amazing are the two constant adjectives that were peppered all though the conversations made by a group of visiting students from the Walsall College in the United Kingdom last week. Not just the Indian hospitality,but the students were particularly impressed with the traditional Punjabi embroidery,Phulkari,so much so that once back home they are all set to design a contemporary collection by incorporating the traditional embroidery. Its amazing how a traditional craft with such humble beginnings in a village finds its way on a luxurious product in an upmarket store. We got to experience Phulkari making first hand and its such a special and unique craft, remarked Laura-Kate Jewkes,one of the visiting students.

Here on a visit to the Mohali-based Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT),Jewkes and her classmates are all students of fashion design and part of a seven-member delegation under the United Kingdom India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI). Launched by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in 2006,UKIERI is a five-year programme which aims to substantially improve educational links between India and the UK so that in the longer term the two countries become each others partner of choice in education.

The team from Walsalls University of Creative Studies,led by their director of operations Deb Rajania,comprised of four students and two faculty members. Essentially its an education and cultural exchange program and a similar delegation comprising of a faculty member and four students,two each from the textile design and fashion design department would visit us later this month, informed Rajania.

Kicking off their 10-day visit,the UK students interacted with students and faculty at NIIFT and visited villages around Patiala. They also learnt how to embroider the Kashida stitch of Phulkari. We observed how the students were taken in by the charm of handmade garments. We also gave them inputs on the materials one can use,colour patterns and the designs of traditional motifs, informed Shweta Arora,associate professor (textile design) at NIIFT Mohali who would be leading the Indian delegation.

Though difficult to master,the students were enthusiastic about giving their interpretation of Phulkari albeit in a contemporary collection in the UK. Its intricate and ethnic embroidery but I feel it would look great even in a Western silhouette, reiterated a student who along with her team spent a couple of sessions practicing the stitch. Heres hoping Phulkari makes an impressive debut overseas.

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Stitch Apart

Spectacular and amazing are the two constant adjectives that were peppered all though the conversations made by a group of visiting students from the Walsall College in the United Kingdom last week.

Spectacular and amazing are the two constant adjectives that were peppered all though the conversations made by a group of visiting students from the Walsall College in the United Kingdom last week.