Time to include designers in decision making in large companies. We need to review the business strategies of companies in the world market. Design does not anymore come second to technology and marketing teams. It has become integral to these processes.

 “We have the wrong business model in place. We’re working at short-term gains instead of long-term. We are not thinking of the community.” Don Norman explains.

 Example of this is the mobile phone. Every 2–3 years customers are buying a new mobile device instead of a good one. The problem is a relentless pursuit of short-term profits for companies.

So what can designers do?

Daily designer’s job includes mockups, interfaces, applications, user tests — but if we really want to have impact on the business strategy then we have to show a clear understanding of the impact of design on the business.

Who is the customer? It is People. People from different countries who are using our product. In fact, that does not work in this way. If we are in a consultancy or design firm the customer is the client. The customer is our boss or more accurately the boss of our boss.

There must be a sufficient number of designers who rise to the point where they’re in the decision-making capability of any organization. We need to present them a spreadsheet in which we show: “if you do this here it will increase in sales, increase in profits, increase in margin and decrease in service costs”.

One does not need an MBA degree to be heard by the senior management, one needs knowledge in basic business tools that can make impact through spreadsheets with special focuses- Consumer, Problems that can come up, Think of design as a system and finally test it fully. A three- step strategy can be adopted, check-watch-modify.

Shoutout to Inês Araújo for the illustration

We have got to “Make the Thing”, but what’s the right thing, at the right time?

This is not a new discussion, but it’s one we need to keep alive. Design is about putting things into the world, but there are reasons to rethink the urge to give birth to new stuff. The world is filling up, and the more we solve for our user the more niche and narrowly useful stuff we create on our planet.

And it’s not just plastics – it’s digital products and services too, which are filling people’s lives with noise. Perhaps the best design is that which has considered what not to make? Making is valuable, but at the right time, in the right place, and at the right ethic to figure out when to say “yes” and importantly, when to say “no”.

We expect high standards from the world when it comes to diversity. The common narrative is that diversity strengthens design because we bring many perspectives to the table.

We’re doing well enough on gender, but what about other parameters, like socio-economic factors, culture, and differing levels of ability or physical impairment? Should we be trying harder? In many cases the immediate desire for cultural fit often blinds us from the long- term benefit of hiring someone different to us. In order to be more inclusive we need to start pushing our working norms to include all types of people in our teams, our ideas, our personas, , our design practice as a whole.

This is an industry where the creative process is always on the line. Newness, innovation, value addition, kitschy have all to be achieved at once. Designs have to be manufacture friendly and raw materials easily accessible.

For fashion designers, one of the most challenging aspects of the business is the manufacturing process. The adoption of 3D printing, however, would make manufacturing quicker, easier and cheaper, lowering the barrier to entry for emerging designers across the globe.

3D printing will play a bigger part in fashion as it turns conventional manufacturing on its head. Instead of starting with some fabric and removing sections to create a desired shape or design, 3D printing begins with nothing and only adds material as the production process unfolds. “This is one of the biggest attractions for manufacturers as they can cut down on potentially vast amounts of waste.”

As more apparel, home furnishing makers adopt the technology, it has the potential to trickle down to the masses. 3D printing will facilitate differentiation and customisation, enriching the dialogue between the consumer and the designer, giving them a wider range of goods in quick-time than ever before.

Consumer Psychologist

Over centuries, items of use were determined by necessity to a ‘tell’ on our personalities. This has given rise to ‘people choice’ professionals, the Fashion Psychologists. They apply psychological theories to understanding that our choices impact not only our own emotions, but also those of the people we interact with.

Fashion businesses can use consumer psychology to make shoppers more willing to purchase certain products or services. This could include looking at details like packaging, shelf placement or advertising.

To become a fashion psychologist, or any psychologist for that matter, BSc is theoretically enough, but many courses are simply not in-depth enough. People who are interested in becoming fashion or consumer psychologists should study not only psychology, but explore other behavioural sciences like neuroscience, anthropology and sociology.

At present, these professionals are hired by some big brands, at some point, more and more brands will see the advantage and will be consulting either in-house or external behavioural experts.

Fabric Research and Development

Over the past few years, several major apparel giants from Nike have been sourcing or developing new technologies to create a new generation of materials that enhance the style, performance and sustainability of their products.

Major breakthroughs in fabric development occurred in 1958, when Lycra hit the market, followed by Gore-tex, which disrupted the outdoor and performance-wear sector. But recent years have also seen a wave of new innovation, such as the emergence of wearable technology and smart materials, which has been explored by companies including Ralph Lauren. We have heard their technology-enabled tennis shirts, which monitored the heart rate and stress levels of players at the US Open Tennis Championships in 2014.

While smart fabrics may still be in their infancy, it is a fast- growing market with new capabilities and is sure to play a more significant role in fashion, particularly given the emergence of the athleisure sector, which has led to a greater interest in performance materials. Smart materials have also opened up a whole new conversation around clothing and health.

For a career as a fabric developer, a degree in textile science or textile engineering is preferred.

Sustainability Expert

A lot many fashion companies are prioritising sustainability and putting sustainable business models at the heart of their organisations. This means putting focus on how they produce their products and hiring sustainability consultants whose sole function is to ensure that the company is doing whatever they can to integrate sustainable sourcing and environmentally friendly practices.

Companies need to constantly look for ways to incorporate more recycled materials into their products, drive innovative projects that cut our impact on the planet, and expand programs like Fair Trade that have a direct positive impact on the products made.

As customers have become more conscious of their buying decisions and companies need to be transparent in both environmental and social impacts of their supply chains. By pursing a green agenda from the beginning, brands will build immense loyalty amongst consumers, particularly millennials, who market experts say are more likely to buy a brand that supports a cause.

Personal Stylist

Personal styling was once reserved for Hollywood starlets, affluent socialites and top executives. But as e-commerce has become a dominant way to shop — 54 percent of consumers worldwide shop online weekly, tech-savvy retail companies are trying to democratise styling, just as Uber has granted everyone a private driver. The whole online shopping experience is becoming more impersonal with no tactile experience anymore.

As fashion and tech become more entwined, the role of a personal stylist has evolved to incorporate a more in-depth understanding of technology.  The role of personal stylist is to help software engineers and data scientists realise how a stylist makes decisions, so that they make algorithms and make personal styling become a great experience for the consumer.

In recent years, online styling services using intelligent algorithms to offer personal styling help have emerged, but instead of using only AI, robot -like suggestions, individual personal stylists will also be required by industries that can customize an individual’s needs. Fashion is one of the few industries that can provide such interesting career choices in the future.

It was during this period that quilted bedspreads also become popular in Europe. Quilts were decorated with beautiful and intricate needlework designs, and whole-cloth quilts show a rich repertoire of this work. As the name suggests, these quilts are made from one large piece of fabric, and are beautifully stitched with complex designs.

Quilting, defines the act of stitching together two layers of fabric between padding.  Quilting can be traced back as far as ancient Egypt. It seems that people wore quilted clothing as many as 5000 years ago.  In the British Museum is an ivory carving from the Temple of Osiris at Abydos found in 1903 which features the king of the First Egyptian Dynasty wearing a cloak that appears to be quilted.

The first quilt recorded in history is ‘The Tristan quilt’, that was made in Sicily ca. 1360-1400.

Many examples of quilts made in ancient Asia are available to us today, and patchwork quilts occur frequently. In Europe, quilts started appearing during the Crusades, when soldiers wore quilted armour when they went to battle, and the popularity of quilted clothing rose in Europe at this time. It was during this period that quilted bedspreads also become popular in Europe. Quilts were decorated with beautiful and intricate needlework designs, and whole-cloth quilts show a rich repertoire of this work. As the name suggests, these quilts are made from one large piece of fabric, and are beautifully stitched with complex designs.

Quilting as a craft came to America with the early Puritans.  Quilts were made in those early days in America to serve a purpose, to provide warmth at night and to cover doors and windows to help reduce cold.  Quilts were functional, with little time for women to create decorative quilts.  Often times money and other resources were limited so quilts were made with what was available, often old clothing no longer needed by family members.  Worn quilts were patched together or cut apart to make another usable quilt.  Those early quilts tell the history not only of early American quilting, but also the early history of the country.

In the early 1800s, whole cloth quilts became popular.  The beauty of these quilts was not in the fabric or colors but in the stitching and edging work done on them.  Applique became popular in the mid -1700s and peaked in popularity around 1850, but it was only the wealthy that could afford the expensive fabrics that went into these early applique quilts.

Quilting groups and guilds seem to be on the rise because women are wanting to have more “girlfriend” time with other quilters. I have spoken to quilter’s and one person said,” In my younger days, it was cross-stitch that I did and for the last 15 years, it’s been quilting”.

When World War II broke out, attention shifted to the tragedy of war. Women joined the workforce to fill the gaps left by men sent to war, and had little time to spend on quilt making and other crafts. When the war ended, women remained in the workforce, and during these years, store bought items were considered more desirable than homemade items.

However, this lull in quilting was short lived, and America experienced a revival in quilting in the 1970’s which is still ongoing. As America’s bicentennial approached, people started to take a new interest in their cultural heritage and the role of quilt making in that heritage, which impacted quilting in America enormously. It is at this time the Patriotic quilts were made to commemorate officers in bicentennial celebrations.

New tools and techniques, developed in the last 30 years, have had a major impact on quilting.

Over the years, quilting has developed into an art form of its own, and the beautiful and intricate designs of antique quilts can be seen on display in museums. Magazines and newspapers played a large role in reviving an interest in quilting during the Depression era, publishing new patterns and even putting together quilt kits, and today there are many magazines and books devoted to quilting, and these publications share new developments and trends in quilting. Computers and the internet has greatly impacted quilting around the world.

Software geared towards quilting design is continually being developed and Online quilting bees and chat rooms have sprung up all around the world as quilters share ideas and information with quilters on the opposite side of the globe. For someone new to quilting, the internet provides lot of resources and information.

Digital photography is also widely used in quilting today, as it provides new inspiration for quilters as pictures and photos are incorporated into quilts. The ability to print photos directly onto fabric has melded some aspects of quilting and scrapbooking together.

Quilting continues to evolve and expand beyond the traditional borders of quilting as new techniques and designs are developed. Technology will continue to impact this diverse art form, and as ideas are shared around the globe, the appreciation for quilting will continue to grow.

The Indian government has made considerable changes to its labor laws and simplified a number of processes. However, the textiles, clothing, leather and footwear sectors will still need to do some tightrope walking.

The Indian Parliament gave approvals to the government’s three labor codes.

Industrial Relations Code, 2020; Code on Occupational Safety, Health & Working Conditions Code, 2020; and Social Security Code, 2020

The government claims that these bills will bring in reforms to ensure easier compliance with labor standards worldwide. This, in turn, will help bring in foreign investment.

The code on Social Security Bill extends social security funds only to workers for app-based firms like Uber, Ola, and Zomato and unions claim there are grey areas here. They are often treated as independent partners who are not covered under most labor regulations.

The proposed bill on health and occupational safety helps only those working in factories, mines and docks and are not universal in nature, contend the labor unions, which have joined hands with the farmers in their protest against the farm sector bills.

The Indian textiles, clothing, leather and footwear sectors, collectively known as the TCLF sector, are priority sectors under the government’s’ Make in India’ initiative. The government hopes that comprehensive industrial reforms, including labor reform, will enable these labor-intensive industries to develop large capacities and economies of scale, translating into millions of poverty-alleviating jobs for marginalized sections of the population.

A major roadblock to building scale in the TCLF sector is the country’s labor law architecture—an opaque web of hundreds of labor laws at both Central and state levels, characterized by weak monitoring and enforcement at the local level. This convoluted system, played havoc in the hiring of permanent workers by employers to reduce their exposure to a burdensome labor regulatory regime. Just over 20 per cent of India’s workers are formalized and therefore protected under existing labor laws. Consequently, neither does the system protect workers from exploitative employers, nor does it facilitate growth of scale for businesses.

Recognizing this gap, led an effort over the past six years to subsume the existing legal patchwork into four central labor codes covering: minimum wages; industrial relations (IR); occupational safety and health (OSH); and social security.

While this process was under way, several states controversially proposed to suspend existing labor requirements to boost industries suffering from the covid-19 pandemic, but the Central government paused these efforts to focus on passage of the remaining three codes.

The first bill tabled was The Industrial Disputes (Gujarat Amendment) Bill, 2020. The bill allows industrial establishments with less than 300 workers to shut shop or retrench or lay off employees without seeking prior permission from the state government. Although this can be a good thing for manufacturers when markets fluctuate, but may not be attractive to foreign investors that are looking at big factories, like they are used to in Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia, China.

Therefore, it is imperative for the government and the private sector to not only ensure the reforms are implemented smoothly, but that they also defend the reforms against global opprobrium and ensure India remains attractive to foreign customers and investors. For Indian TCLF exporters, who already face accusations from unions and civil society organizations of exploiting their workers, they must ensure that the new reforms do not put them on opposing sides of such a critical issue with their buyers or they might end up losing the buyers outright.

If major international brands and retailers take a public position against the new labor codes, their local suppliers (Indian TCLF exporters) will be caught in a major bind. TCLF exporters will come under pressure from their international buyers to oppose major parts of the labor law reform, or at least work to have it modified to blunt global opposition and make it publicly acceptable. Letting the controversy fester would only discourage international brands from sourcing in India. This will be a very challenging tightrope to balance.

Both the government and TCLF exporters therefore need to recognize the oncoming danger and take proactive action accordingly. The reforms must not just be implemented, they must also be marketed by the government in various global forums.

This is an opportune time to undertake this effort as global brands and retailers are under severe pressure to relocate supply chains out of China and are looking at India as an alternative. China’s manufacturing strength is the scale it can provide, something which no other country can match. Today India is nowhere near China in terms of scale, but it is still the only country that has a large enough workforce that can provide similar scale as China in the future.

When one is creative, one is able to get the mind out of the doom and gloom, and it can be a fun way to explore new things. Sometimes, doing something different is a totally great way to change your mental health and wellness.

Repurposing of old items is a good way to create new clothing. If apparel is your way, then use Stoll Knit and wear machines to create new and innovative items, even build new trends from waste materials on these machines. If home linen is of interest, vintage quilts can be made from old pieces of clothing.

Being creative and trying new ventures is a good way to get out of one’s head, and by building new interests, one can be much happier expressing oneself. However, the fast-fashion industry has been killing the environment and is impacting humanity negatively by producing a succession of designer styles at a very cheap price, they aim to create fashion trends to keep sales going. But finding trendy fashion wear at the store and purchasing them only rewards one psychologically for a short time. And numerous researchers have shown that this mindless shopping can lead to a psychologically harmful effect. Basically, these fashion practices do not benefit our mental health.

For an environmentally conscious consumer, the task of updating one’s wardrobe and staying up to date with the latest fashion trends without the guilt of mindless shopping can be really daunting. Also, the increase in the number of style bloggers and the ever-rising power of social media creates a desire to want exactly what others want.

The guilt of indiscriminate shopping of fast fashion wears on an environmentally conscious person can disrupt their inner peace.

It can lead to anxiety, depression, and can give one a sense of worthlessness. Thus, an environmentally conscious person should ensure that they make conscious efforts to shop from sustainable brands. Sadly, the option of shopping from a sustainable brand is out of reach of some consumers due to the price tags that usually accompany these brands. However, some brands now have fashion wears that is available for an average consumer.

If we take a look at the effect of social media on our life now, it’s difficult to imagine living a life without it. Anywhere you turn, there’s often someone that’s engaging on one social media platform or the other Fast fashion, thrives on mass production. The trend created by social media is important for them to thrive. Anytime a consumer glances at an eye-catching trend on social media, it’ll create a desire in the consumer to purchase the product. However, this desire is a trap when yielded to as there will always be new trends.

Another cause of a mental health problem via fast-fashion is the fear of missing out (FOMO). Although this mental state has existed for some time, the launch of social media sites like Instagram and Facebook has exacerbated this problem. The idea of missing out on the latest fast-fashion trends can trigger anxiety, affect self-esteem, and create an unnecessary sense of demand.

The best way to recover from this fear is by having a sense of self-fulfillment and focusing on sustainability and environment.
The better thing will be to recycle clothing oneself into mix and match wear!

As a designer, one never knows when inspiration will strike.  Although one might feel inspired while working, it is normal while taking a break that we find ourselves inspired.

When we are not at work, our minds are clutter free and open to process experiences and to come up with new ideas. We can be inspired by random visuals that conjure an inspiring image. At times, visiting a monument, looking at old family pictures, going for an art show, a visit to an antique store or even architectural magazines can throw forth an idea in the mind’s eye.

Without our design inspirations, our creative juices dry up.  This often results in a ‘creative block’.  It is therefore very important to surround oneself with artistic inspiration in order to feed the imagination.

Things that inspire, fuels in us to think and feel the design we are going to create. We then ready ourselves to translate the idea in our work and energize it by creating a perfect balance and fit.   Inspiration assists me the best when I use certain brainstorming techniques, mapping out ideas with Computer Aided programs, sketches on grid paper or small samples.

As designers, we work hard to produce ‘fresh’, ‘new’, out of the box or even genius creations. Simple tools as motivational wallpaper on desktops, silencing the mind while sitting in the ‘comfort pose’, baking or cooking, gardening or simply walking in the park can ease in the Vagus nerve. This then helps the Frontal Cortex, the hub of creative thinking to do its job!

Inspiration often has an emotional impact on us and leaves us touched by wonder.  Our minds feel inspired to create.

Inspiration touches each of us in different ways.  One person may be inspired by a bowl of fruit while another is inspired by a person’s attire, a bridge over a canal, or the sky at nighttime.  Drawing upon our creative inspirations assists us to put together a campaign.

 It’s no secret that the creative industry can drain you of ideas, but I’ve found that creativity is like a muscle. If you don’t use it, it gets weaker. You must constantly use your creative muscle on Twitter Logo, send your ideas to Pinterest, Instagram or at the very least stimulate it on a consistent level, so that whenever you’re asked for a great idea, you can pull one out.

But how do you stay inspired and work that muscle on a consistent basis?

Have engaging Conversations with your Peers regularly. I have noticed that when I am able to succinctly express an idea, I’m most lucid and that idea gives rise to a design vision in my mind that gets energized on paper.

Consistently study the work of others and learn from them. Earlier, it was a lot more work one had to put into the ‘conception to product’ cycle. Now there are websites like’ Dribble’ and ’Muzli, that have brilliant pointers to give.

Surround yourself with great design. My desk and my house are pretty minimalist, but I surround myself with designs I love, I use Evernote, Dribbble, and digital storing solutions to capture the digital inspiration I stumble upon. Keeping inspiration all around me allows me to pull from that whenever I may need to, for a project or simply as an ongoing reminder of the great solutions that exist and to push myself to achieve that.

Take time to design for yourself. One doesn’t need to be an expert in all areas of design, one should have a fair idea about development, design, execution and marketing. If one can dabble in these, one can design and make many products.

Take time to design for yourself. I often design my own outfits. I use my skills to create contemporary jackets and outfits. The fun is using diverse materials to create apparel. I have been doing soft home furnishings for two decades now and find doing interiors for homes, looking for furniture, wall art a lot of fun.

 Staying inspired is something you have to work at.  It’s a little flame that needs to be fueled. You can do it by learning about someone’s great solution to a challenge that sparks your own ideas, or by sitting down to work on a side-project for yourself. Try to find something that works for you.

In some ways, inspiration feeds positivity. As designers, when we feel like we’re in the wrong spot or lack fulfillment, it can be due to the lack of inspiration. It can boil down to a lack of fresh ideas in the tank.

It is clear then, that if one is to stay motivated, one has to be inspired.

Colour sensation is a characteristic of human experience. Nature provides a particularly vivid display of color. We use colors in many varied ways; for clothes, paints, foods, lighting, cosmetics, paper, furnishings, and for identification and security. Despite our familiarity with it, there is no simple answer to the question ‘What is color, and how do we see it?’ We understand so very little of the complex processes involved in color vision. There are three main stages in the perception of color, but each one consists of numerous complicated processes:

(1) absorption of colored light entering the eye by the sensitive cells in the retina lining the back of the eyeball;

(2) transmission of nerve impulses from the retina to the brain via the optic nerve;

(3) interpretation of these signals when they reach the visual cortex in the brain.

To understand color, some knowledge of the nature of light is essential. Light is a form of energy usually considered as being propagated at high speed in the form of electromagnetic waves.

Even though today almost all the textile industry that deals with reading color, uses a Macbeth Lightbox, they all read color differently.

A large part involved in reading color is the differences in Dye stuff by different manufacturers; ambient temperature of the room where color is being looked at; the person’s knowledge and perception of how color is mixed and a person’s perception of variation from Pantone Chip being studied and above all what light is the color being seen: daylight D50, D65, D75, daylight horizon at 2300K, incandescent, cool white fluorescent, filtered near ultraviolet, U30 (3000K), U35 (3500K) and TL84. For instance, X-Rite’s filtered tungsten/halogen SpectraLight is an extremely close match to natural daylight.

There is a generic Color Index Classification that the Textile Industry follows but each uses different dyes in the process.

For example, Indanthren Golden Yellow RK is a vat dye manufactured by BASF (Badische Anilin und Soda Fabrik). ‘Indanthren’ is the brand name used for their range of vat dyes. ‘Golden Yellow’ indicates the color and the code ‘RK’ shows that this dye is a reddish yellow and applied using a cold-dyeing method. The letter ‘R’ stands for the German word rot = red (the dye is listed as CI Vat Orange

1) and the ‘K’ comes from the German kalt = cold. On the other hand, BASF manufacture Procion Red H-E3B. ‘Procion’ is their brand name for reactive dyes for cotton. All the Procion dyes with ‘H-E’ in the code are dyes with two identical reactive groups. Reaction of the dye with the cotton occurs under hot (‘H’) conditions. The ‘3B’ in the code shows that this is a bluish red (B = blue); bluer than similar red dyes with a code B, but redder in hue than dyes with a 6B in the code. In other cases, the alphanumeric code following the name of the dye may be of little or no value to the dye user.

Thickness of fiber also plays an important role in how well the color saturates in the fabric. Cotton may be easy to dye but the thickness of fabric determines how well the color has absorbed in the fabric to give full saturation.

Dyes should covalently bond to fabrics rather than only joining to the fabric by weak intermolecular forces. But each fabric takes dyes according to the yarn density and the type of yarn, so color will read different in all cotton yarn as against if it is blended with polyester or linen or rayon.

Light Ergonomics plays an important part in color reading too. This is the relationship between the light source and the individual.

The person reading color, needs to place color properly in the same position each time.

Color cannot be looked at in a hurry, the person has to sit comfortably before the Lightbox, place both the color to be matched and the correct color next to each other.

 The two should not overlap or the edges will read darker.

It is preferred that a cardboard stand be made that is a quarter in height of the lightbox.

The fabric and matching color should be place on this stand. This provides correct height and distance required for reding of color.

Ambient Temperature spikes and dips around the Lightbox can have a bearing on color visualization. If there is moisture or heat in the room, the color variation may show up. Heat or cold surrounding temperature can have the same alchemy that shows up on making color.

Warm colors advance and cool colors recede, affecting the perception of depth. This theory is based upon that fact that the eye adjusts when focusing on colors of different wavelengths. Red light waves have a longer wavelength than blue ones. An image containing both cool and warm colors would demonstrate contrast of temperature or warm/cool contrast creating more complex relationships between the color (warm colors can read cooler against a higher intensity warm colors and cool colors sometimes can advance against predominately warm palette).

Yarn Dyed fabrics that are woven in a warp and weft, where the same color is used, may show shifting hues. The play of light on the warp and weft of the weave may show deeper or lighter tints in the color, even when the two yarns are the same.

It would be best to surmise that color on Textiles has to be looked at keeping in mind the sensitivity that color offers and thereby the complexity is as good as the eye that sees it!

Recently Burberry has announced an initiative called ReBurberry Fabric to give away leftover fabric to fashion students in UK. Taking a cue from the industry leader, Group Shiva will be doing the same in India for the Home Decor segment with a notable difference.

We will encourage fashion students to think of original and sustainable designs. Group Shiva will help them with their fabric needs. It will help the young talent to take more interest in the segment and also help them to do more for the industry. 

This generation is more and more turning their back against fast fashion and favoring more circular and sustainable products designed with minimum waste and from recycled materials.

The group is investing a substantial amount in building equipment and practices to enliminate waste, and use it to produce sustainable products.