Indian Institute of Fashion & Design Chandigarh: Interview with Ms. Vimi Vansil (Director)

Indian Institute Of Fashion & Design (IIFD) Chandigarh is an autonomous college. IIFD offers diploma, advanced diploma, undergraduate, postgraduate and specialized programmes in the field of fashion and design. B.Des, M.Des, B.Sc, M.Sc, etc. are few of the programmes offered at the institute with specialization in different fields. For admission to the IIFD Chandigarh courses, aspirants need to first meet the course eligibility criteria and then appear for the IIFD admission process. Indian Institute of Fashion & Design provides scholarships to meritorious and bright students.

Careers360 in this interview with Ms. Vimi Vansil, Director IIFD Chandigarh. In her interview Ms. Vimi has shared various details about Indian Institute Of Fashion & Design vision, mission, courses, admission process, internships, placements, facilities, etc. Ms. Vimi has also answered various queries related to Indian Institute Of Fashion & Design student life. To know more about IIFD Chandigarh go through the complete interview of Ms. Vimi Vansil with Careers360.

Careers360: Tell us something about the institute; when it was set up, vision and mission.

Answer: The Indian Institute of Fashion and Design (IIFD) is a leading institute for fashion, textile, and Interior design education located in the beautiful city Chandigarh, India. Established in 2004, IIFD is committed to providing world-class education and training to prepare students for successful careers in the industry. Indian Institute of Fashion & Design is a college that operates independently. IIFD has gained several awards in their past years. A few of the awards IIFD has received include being ranked in the "Top 10 fashion design institutes in India" by ScopUp Magazine, receiving the "Best fashion Designing institute in Chandigarh" at International Glory Award by actress Madhuri Dixit Nene.

At IIFD, students can choose from a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, as well as short-term diploma courses. The institute offers programs in fashion design, textile design, and interior design, The IIFD also offers few special courses in Design. Such as Fashion Styling, Fashion Styling & Forecasting, Garment Manufacturing Technology (GMT), Theatre Costume Designing, Fashion Communication, 3D Fashion Design, Landscape Design, and Knitwear Design. These courses are guided by the top faculty member who has a very good experience in their fields and most of them are doing their PhD’s. At IIFD, the best resources and valuable experience are delivered to the students.

Vision - At IIFD we’re passionate about providing a high quality education in the field of fashion design, textile design, and interior design. We’re committed to creating a dynamic learning environment that encourages creativity, innovation, and collaboration. Our programs are designed to prepare students for careers in the fashion and textile industry by equipping them with the technical skills, industry knowledge, and business acumen required succeeding in this ever-evolving field.

Mission - Our mission is to nurture creative talent and provide them with the skills and knowledge required to excel in the industry. We strive to create a learning environment that fosters innovation, experimentation, and individuality while also ensuring that our students are equipped with the practical skills necessary to succeed in a competitive industry.

Careers360: Tell us something about the admission process?

Answer: IIFD admission process is designed to be very straightforward, to identify talented and motivated students who are passionate about designing. Our application process is very simple, using just a few steps:

• Application: Interested candidates can apply for admission online through the institute's official website or by visiting the IIFD Campus. The application form requires candidates to provide basic information about themself, including their academic qualifications and personal details.

• Eligibility: Candidates must meet the eligibility criteria for the program they wish to apply for. Eligibility criteria vary depending on the program and are outlined on the institute's website and in the admission brochure as well.

• Selection: The selection of candidates for admission is based on their academic performance, and a short personal interview.

• Offer of Admission: Successful candidates will be offered admission to the program of their choice, based on their Eligibility in the selection process.

Overall, our admission process is designed to be fair, transparent, and inclusive, ensuring that we select the candidates for our programmes and provide them with an education and real world experience that prepares them for a successful career in the fashion industry.

Careers360: Please share placement statistics with information on the average package, highest and lowest package, number of students placed and details of companies that have recruited.

Answer: We’re really proud to have a strong record of placements, with a consistently high placement rate year after year. We work closely with leading fashion companies and organizations to ensure that our graduates have access to the best job opportunities in the industry, as well as IIFD has a good reputation of delivery assured placement assistance in the industry. Our dedicated career services department and rigorous curriculum prepare our graduates to succeed in the highly competitive fashion design industry.

In the last academic year, we achieved a placement rate of over 97%, with a significant number of our graduates securing positions with top brands, retailers, and design houses. The average package for our graduates was around INR 5-6 lakhs per annum, with the highest package being INR 12.5 lakhs per annum and the lowest package being around INR 4.5 lakhs per annum.

Some of the companies that have recruited our graduates include Satya Paul, Marks & Spencer, The Textile Association (India), U & I International, Junior’s Fashion Week, The Times of India, Times Fashion, Redress, Fab India, among others. We also have a strong network of alumni who are working in leading fashion companies and who regularly visit our campus to recruit our students.

Careers360: What kind of infrastructure can students expect at the institute? Please elaborate?

Answer: At IIFD, We believe that a state-of-the-art infrastructure is essential for providing our students with the best possible learning experience. We have invested in good facilities at IIFD that are designed to provide our students with a learning environment that is both comfortable and conducive to their growth and development. Our campus is equipped with modern classrooms that are designed to facilitate effective learning, including a computer lab with the latest software and hardware, and a recreation room where students can unwind and socialize. We also have a fully equipped fashion laboratory with modern machines, tools, and equipment to provide students with hands-on training in garment construction and other related activities. The classrooms are spacious and well-lit, with comfortable seating and state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, such as projectors and sound systems. We also have well-equipped studios for our students to work on their projects and assignments.

Our Campus is well-stocked with a wide range of books, journals, and other learning resources, including online databases and e-books, which students can access from anywhere on campus. We also have a well-stocked stationery store on campus, where students can purchase everything they need, from pens and pencils to notebooks, sketchbooks, colours, Sheets and textbooks. This ensures that our students have easy access to the materials they need to succeed in their academic pursuits.

At IIFD, we understand the importance of providing a safe and comfortable living environment for our students. So we have a well-maintained girls' hostel near our campus, which is equipped with all the necessary facilities to ensure a comfortable stay for our female students. The hostel is spacious and well-ventilated, with separate accommodation facilities for students from different courses. The rooms are clean, comfortable, and fully furnished, with study tables, chairs, and wardrobes as well. We have an experienced team of hostel staff who ensure that all the basic needs of our students are met. The hostel has round-the-clock security; we also provide healthy and nutritious meals to our students, which are prepared fresh every day in the hostel kitchen and for our male students, we provide good recommendations for nearby PGs and flats that meet our standards and are located in safe and convenient areas.

At our campus or hostel, our team is committed to providing our students with a safe and secure environment, and we have taken several measures to ensure their safety on campus, including CCTV cameras, fire safety equipment, and 24/7 security personnel.

Careers360: There is a lot of stress that is being made with regard to interaction with the industry as well as companies that recruit. What are the steps being taken by the institute in this direction?

Answer: We believe that staying connected with the industry and keeping our students up-to-date with the latest trends and practices is essential for preparing them for successful careers in the fashion industry. Therefore, we have taken several steps to ensure that our students have ample opportunities to interact with industry professionals and companies that recruit.

Firstly, we have established partnerships with several leading fashion design companies, houses and organizations, which enable our students to gain exposure to real-world projects, internships, and employment opportunities. As part of our program and recruitment, we have many reputed fashion companies on-board, such as Kids Fashion Week, Times Fashion Week, Couture Runway Week, and many more. Our students get to gain real world experience of the fashion industry through participating in these events and exploring the industry first hand. We encourage our students to participate in national as well international events, competitions, and exhibitions, which provide them with valuable exposure to the latest trends and practices in the industry. This also enables them to showcase their talent and creativity on a global platform, which can lead to exciting career opportunities.

We organize regular guest lectures, workshops, and seminars featuring industry experts, fashion designers, and entrepreneurs as well as we organize multiple industry visits, where our students get the opportunity to visit leading fashion companies and observe their operations first-hand. This provides our students with valuable insights into the industry and enables them to learn from experts who have a wealth of experience and knowledge in the field.

Overall, at IIFD, we’re committed to providing our students with a world-class education that prepares them for successful careers in the fashion industry. By staying connected with the industry and providing our students with ample opportunities to interact with industry professionals and companies that recruit, we ensure that our students are well-equipped to succeed in the highly competitive world of fashion.

Careers360: Internships are now mandatory as per AICTE guidelines. Does the institute help students with this? If yes, how?

Answer: Yes, absolutely! An internship is an important part of the academic experience and provides students with exposure to the industry.

I understand the importance of internships in providing students with real-world experience and exposure to the industry. Therefore, we have a dedicated career services department that helps our students find internships and employment opportunities with leading fashion companies and organizations.

We work closely with our industry partners to identify internship opportunities for our students and ensure that our students have access to a wide range of internships in different areas of fashion design. We organize regular industry visits, guest lectures, and workshops, which provide students with opportunities to interact with industry experts & professionals and learn about the latest trends and practices in the industry. This exposure to the industry helps our students to be better prepared for their internships and future careers.

Overall, I would like to say that we are committed to deliver our students with a comprehensive education that includes practical experience and exposure to the industry. By helping our students find internships and providing them with guidance and support throughout the job search process, we ensure that our students are well-equipped to succeed in the highly competitive world of fashion design.

Careers360: Can you please share details if there is any collaboration with universities abroad?

Answer: Yes, we have established collaborations and partnerships with several leading universities, colleges and reputed companies abroad to provide our students with international exposure and the opportunity to study abroad. Our collaborations with these universities and colleges include student exchange programs, joint research projects, and faculty exchange programs. Through these collaborations, our students get the opportunity to study in a multicultural and diverse environment, gain exposure to international teaching methodologies, and learn about the latest trends and practices in the global fashion industry.

Some of our international collaborations include partnerships with universities in Europe, Asia, and North America. These partnerships enable our students to explore different cultures, gain new perspectives, and build global networks, which can be highly beneficial for their future careers.

Finally I like to say that by collaborating with leading universities abroad, we ensure that our students have access to international exposure and the latest trends and practices in the fashion and textile design industry.

Disclaimer: This content was distributed by Indian Institute Of Fashion & Design Chandigarh and has been published as part of Careers360’s marketing initiative.

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