The programme, a joint project of the All India Council for Technical Education and the U.K. India Education Research Initiative (UKERI), has been taken up at the Government Polytechnic College for Women and Glasgow Kelvin College, Scotland. A collaborative training programme in garment design between India and Scotland is opening up new vistas in contemporary fashion design.

A team of faculty members and business development executives from the Glasgow Kelvin College are there to explore the possibilities of a continuation of the training programme and new business development proposals.

This training programme is a celebration of Paisley pattern, which had originated in Kashmir in the 11th century and has been developed by U.K. weaves in Paisley, a town in Scotland. They are keen on improving their skills in textile designing and traditional surface enrichment from this college in India, said Director of Business Development, Glasgow Kelvin College, Alastiar McGhee.

The training programme woven around Paisley pattern was taken up in partnership with Renfrewshire Council and the Paisley City of Culture 2021 Bid Team. An event, Textile Reflections, held in Paisley in January 2016, celebrated the outcomes of this unique Indian/Scottish programme.

It all began in the summer of 2015, when staff from the Fashion Design and Manufacture programme at Glasgow Kelvin College visited the Government Polytechnic for Women in Guntur as part of a UKIERI – AICTE funded project promoting learning co-operation and skills exchange between the two colleges in fashion and garment design.

The entire project has been themed along the iconic design that originated in India and was subsequently manufactured by the weavers of Paisley, a Scottish town close to Glasgow Kelvin College, in the 19th century. The design became known worldwide as the Paisley Pattern and the town of Paisley is now one of the project partners.

Principal of the college and coordinator of the community college B. Nagamani said that the team would review the curriculum of the course and also explore the possibility of continuation of this partnership. On Tuesday, the team would meet Principal Secretary, Technical Education.