Aspiring designers dress up a mannequin during the exhibition at IIFT in Jamshedpur. Picture by Bhola Prasad

Jamshedpur, July 2: Innovation in traditional concepts was the highlight at the one-day exhibition organised by the students of International Institute of Fashion Technology (IIFT) yesterday.

Aiming to showcase the flavours of different states, the exhibition on ?Unity in Diversity?, by first year students, captured the dressing essence of the country. Bandhani skirts for Rajasthani damsels and lycra lungis and kurtas for Punjabi bride were some of the specialities on display at the exhibition. Accessories such as belts and bags with innovative prints and designs on them also were a part of the exhibition.

?The highlight of the exhibition was to showcase the diverse cultural patterns of India,? explained counsellor of IIFT Rita Agarwal. ?Therefore we chose a few states ? such as West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Kerala among others ? where the cultures are distinct.? After the shortlist, the students focussed on the methods of dresses and the customs prevalent in these states.

?The students got a feel of how each state has its typical culture and this helped them develop a sense of what material is used by the communities living there,? Agarwal said.

?This exercise was aimed at giving the students an idea of what are the typical textiles, embroideries, crafts and printing techniques used in the respective states.?