Lingerie design – among diverse research topics of PhD students at NIFT

Moving aside dull and boring topics for PhD studies, NIFTians at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) are keen on expanding their fashion sense by researching custom-fit garments as well as haute-couture.

Topics researched by NIFT students range anywhere from innovative and exclusive lingerie designs to making youth-friendly Kalamkari prints. This first-of-its-kind research in fashion technology is being conducted by a total of 30 students who are spread over various centres of NIFT. Some aspects on which they are collecting data and presenting a thesis include management of fashion houses, store locations, marketability of stores, retail as well as fashion and garments.  

Research topics of NIFT students also include functional finishing of a nurse’s uniform, design development and developing patterns for men’s wear. One student of NIFT is researching attributes which stores of luxury brands need to keep in mind so as to effectively display their collections.

A student of NIFT Hyderabad is working on traditional Kalamkari design and clothes but trying to replicate the same prints on crepe and denim, unlike the usual cotton used for this type of work. Another student in exploring the colours preferred by youth, while others are conducting extensive research on the texture and drape considered to be more comfortable as well as marketable to the masses with a keen emphasis on the youth.

Currently, with no upper limit on seats available for admissions, candidates are selected based on their proposed  topic of research. As per officials at NIFT, the course costing Rs 75,000 (per semester) attracts over 100 applications every year. NIFT centres all over the country offer the course; however, the head research officer operates from Chennai.