Preserving desi arts through fashion

The institute has roped in well-known proponent of Indian folk arts Lakhi Chand Jain (42) to devise the syllabus. Jain is known for the revival of Mandana,a traditional Rajasthani painting,and inventing a new form of folk art called Pahuri. He is hailing from Pahur in Jalgoan of Maharashtra.

“On one hand,we have teenagers who are influenced by westernised fashion. Also,we have foreigners looking for different varieties in clothes with an ‘Indian touch’. It is a fact that fashion designers lack the knowledge and expertise in traditional,folk,contemporary and modern art forms. Our endeavor is to enable fashion designers to integrate Indian art with fashion,” said Jain.

Jain has devised a one-year part-time designing programme for freshers,who have passed HSC and intermediate drawing grade examinations,and for those who want to specialise in Indian art.

In the first quarter of the course,students will be taught various forms of designs,repeats,block paintings,screen paintings,embroidery etc. They will also be taught modern technology and digital printing. During the course,students will be given practical assignments along with demonstration workshops involving artists who are experts in respective fields. Assignments will involve designing Indian art on tops,T-shirts,saris,Indo-western outfits,traditional ethnic outfits and making fashion accessory using folk art. Rangoli,Warli,Mandana and Madhubani are some of the prominent art forms of India,says Jain.

“The course will introduce students to various art forms and they will be provided training in all the aspects,right from designing to production of apparels,” said Jain. He laments that traditional and folk artists are in their seventies and in two or three decades,there will be no one to practice these art forms. “This programme will keep several art forms alive,” said Jain.