The School of Fashion Technology (SOFT), Pune, was established in 1998 by Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samastha (MKSSS) in collaboration with the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to identify and train future fashion leaders.

Affiliated to Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women’s University (SNDT), SOFT follows an integrated approach to teaching which, besides regular lectures and demonstrations, includes market research, market and industrial surveys, and craft documentation.

The institute was awarded a five-star rating by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) that certifies the degrees granted by SOFT as equivalent to those of international degree-granting institutions.

“One of the greatest advantages we have at SOFT is that we have a vision which is driven by industry needs. We have many established industrialists on our board who are aware of the changing trends, and we at SOFT incorporate these into our courses to meet the new demands,” says Manju Hundekar, principal, SOFT.

With the vision to keep up with fashion, SOFT introduced a BSc degree in fashion apparel design (FAD) seven years ago when there were very few courses in fashion designing.

“Today FAD is recognised by leading fashion designers, industrialists and academics, many of whom serve as consultants to ensure that the curriculum is industry-oriented and practical in its application,” says Hundekar.

FAD emphasises on the essentials of design as well as production and manufacturing processes of apparel. Students are shown how fashion works, from an analysis of its history to trends and cycles, components of colour and fabric, and line and shape.

Postgraduate courses include apparel production and merchandising management (APMM), fashion designing and clothing technology (FDCT), and computer-aided textile design (CADT).

To widen their horizon, SOFT girls are taken to remote parts of the country to study traditional arts like phulkari and kantha and work with local artisans. Students also travel abroad to attend international events and keep abreast of the latest trends.

Recently, around 60 SOFT students were taken to Premiere Vision in Paris, one of the biggest fashion events of the world.

“It was a great experience. A student couldn’t have asked for more. We also got to meet some fashion designers who were inspiring,” says Allison D’Souza, a final-year FAD student.

The school’s five-year plan lists out more courses and further collaboration with foreign-based fashion institutes. SOFT is busy setting up a programme in fashion communication and a postgraduate diploma in fashion retailing, both to be offered by the next academic year.

“We feel that there is a great demand for people in the media who are well-versed in fashion, whether it be photography or journalism and our degree course meets these needs. Fashion retailing is another area that is growing very fast,” says Hundekar. Some other courses on the cards include craft design and development.

SOFT will soon tie up with an Italian fashion institute and, in a unique experiment, students from Italy will study courses designed by SOFT. “They were so impressed with our course structure that they wanted to learn from us,” says Hundekar.

One of the main features of the course is the internship programme. Students work closely with an industry for over six weeks and submit a final report. Some end up working for the organisations they intern with.

Kanchan is one example. “I did my internship with Arvind Brands Ltd and got a job offer from them. Now I have joined their payroll as a designer,”she says.

Recognising the importance of links between education and industry, the placement cell of SOFT organises interactions for their students with representatives of various apparel and textile companies. Students are also encouraged to seek and maintain links with the industry for future career opportunities.

“We have a campus recruitment cell, and most students get good placements. This is because of the faculty members who are pro-active when it comes to training students and educating them about what is best for them,” says D’Souza. Some of the students have gone on to find work with famous designers like Rina Dhaka, Ritu Beri and Rocky S.

SOFT students are also taught by “guest faculty members” from all over the globe. “We have one of the best faculties in India and our guest faculty members include well-respected people from the US, the UK, Italy and other countries. And these people visit us several times a year,” emphasises Hundekar.

With about 600 students on a sprawling 5,000-square feet campus, SOFT has hostels which can accommodate around 2,000 girls, so students from outside Pune have no problem finding a place to stay.

The institute is equipped with a computer centre that has the latest software tools, state-of-the-art machinery, design studios, art rooms, cutting, sewing and finishing labs, dyeing and printing labs, and a weaving studio. The institute library subscribes to the world’s leading fashion-forecast services, audio-visual collections, journals and research reports.

The entrance examination assesses the candidate’s managerial ability and creativity. The fee for a single semester can vary between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000.

“Fashion institutes across the country charge exorbitant fees, but despite incurring infrastructure cost, we have kept the fees at a level that can be paid even by middle class families,” says Hundekar.

The school also has a scholarship programme in place. “Our proudest moment was when one of our scholars, Madhavi Deshapande, worked with ace fashion designer Neeta Lulla for the film Jodhaa Akbar,” says the principal.

SOFT students’ talent do not end with fashion — some girls have won national-level basketball and table tennis tournaments. A former student, Amrita Thapar, also won the Miss India-Universe contest.

From designing clothes to wearing them, they have done it all at SOFT.

Vital Statistics

WHAT IS IT? A school exclusively for women offering courses in fashion technology.

WHO’S THE BOSS? Manju Hundekar is the principal.

WHAT does it offer? A BSc degree in fashion apparel design. Postgraduate courses include apparel production and merchandising management, fashion designing and clothing technology and computer-aided textile design.

WHere is it? SOFT Campus, near Cummins Engineering College, Karve Nagar, Pune-411052.

Website: www.soft.edu.in

V. KUMARA SWAMY