Educational Tour for IIAD students to Centexcel Export House.

It is of utmost importance that a student be exposed to real-life work environments and processes. Educational trips enrich their understanding of their subject and give them a better insight into what they can expect when starting their professional careers. At IIAD, we believe in a hands-on approach to education. Hence, as part of the curriculum, visits to various fashion and production houses are organised for the students.

On the 7th of September 2021, the Fashion Business Management department at IIAD went on an educational tour to Centexcel, a textile export house based in New Delhi. Centexcel undertakes the printing on fabric and exports the fabric as well as finished products overseas. This visit was attended by students in year 2 and 3 of the BA course and Year 1 and 2 of the MA course. They were accompanied by faculty members Ms. Megha Chauhan, Ms. Rachna Imam, and Ms. Shraddha Kochar. While on this excursion; the students got an in-depth understanding of how an export house functions. They understood the daily operations of such an export house and how the different aspects of production are carried out. Students learned about the various steps such as sampling, printing stitching and washing before products reach their final form.

The students learned about the block printing technique as Centexcel Export House has an in-house block printing facility. They discovered how and where the blocks are made and the process of such a printing procedure. In addition, they understood the use of binders, which help the colours bind to the material. Block printing is an arduous and expensive process, and the students got to see that firsthand. Students also participated in a block printing session where they used design blocks to make prints on fabrics while being assisted by Masterji, who is an expert in the field.

The students were excited that as part of their course, they get the opportunity to visit various organisations related to fashion to develop a better understanding of the work behind the scenes required to make a product viable in the market. They each got to keep the swatch of fabric they had created the block-print on, which brought a smile to their faces. The faculty members, too, were delighted with the outcome of the educational tour. Learning beyond the classroom is encouraged at IIAD and many such visits are organised throughout the year.