Tirupur: “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different,” French fashion designer Coco Chanel once said. It was one of the major learning points for six students from NIFT-TEA College of Knitwear Fashion, Tirupur, who visited Nuremberg-based fashion school in Germany last month.“The courses conducted by B5 Modeschulen Fashion School is all about ensuring that the students will be able to bring out fashion goods once they come out of the institution, that too as per the current fashion trend,” said one of the NIFT-TEA students who went to the school as part of the exchange programme. The programme is being carried out every year as per a memorandum of understanding signed between the two colleges.Five students from apparel fashion and design (Afd) department and one from garment designing and production (Gfd) department visited B5 Modeschulen Fashion School for 15 days this month.“Though we were also taught about designing and producing a garment, the contents were only patches and not ensuring a complete flow to make the student a fashion designer. But it is different with B5 Modeschulen,” said B Nandhini, an Afd student.“With refined education system, apart from equipping with advanced infrastructure, the German college, which also has the backing of its government, is providing exposure to European fashion market. Their students could access WGSN, one of the fashion trend forecasting company, and get to know the future trends and design their own products,” said B Jeyanthy, a faculty who also visited the college along with the students.“The six students were taught to make a garment based on the designs displayed in WGSN. We observed that the German students were not confined only to fashion garments, but they were concentrating on designing accessories too. Unlike in Indian fashion institutes, those students were provided with original materials to make the fashion goods,” said R Sarumathi, another Afd student.“German students are making garments in first year itself and their products are sold in the market. Their college provides them a platform to market their products, and the students will also get an opportunity to frequent fashion shows conducted by local retail outlets and other commercial organizations,” said S Jayadharanny, a Gfd student.Admitting that the education system here has a long way to go, Jeyanthy, who is head of the Gdp in NIFT-TEA college, said, “Despite various disadvantages, the students here get better opportunities to access the garment factories and learn the techniques practically, than those German students. It is important to develop culture where fashion designers thrive because the dollar city is predominately producing garments as per designs given by foreign buyers.”Meanwhile, the six students have spent Rs 1.3 lakh each on their own. “It is not possible for all the students to afford the expense. The government should come forward to sponsor these programmes, apart from providing support to raise the educational standards,” said the students.

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