Prof. Nikunj Naredi shares her vast industry experience and global fashion insights to create responsible designers of tomorrow

From working for an export house designing for top Italian labels like Gucci, Armani, and Valentino to helping women in rural India imbibe stitching and embroidery skills, Prof. Nikunj Naredi has done it all. She brings her 10 years of industry experience with export houses to Arka Jain University as the program coordinator of the Fashion Design Department. She now inspires students to up their Fashion game, responsibly and by staying focused on sustainability.

Prof. Naredi, a National Institute of fashion Technology (NIFT) graduate has always coupled her interest in designing with making a difference to the society. Working on Women Empowerment projects, like Act For Women program with Ammucare Charitable Trust, has been a passion. She then initiated a startup in Jamshedpur – Creative Roots, which helped women of the city understand different facets of fashion industry to design and create marketable products.

As a hands-on team leader, Prof. Naredi played a pivotal role in setting up Best Karma Designs Pvt. Ltd., a Garment export house in Mumbai. She was responsible for guiding a huge team of designers, merchandisers, tailors, pattern makers, fabric cutters, embroiderers to bring out the best in them. Mentoring is something she also does effectively as a Fashion Educator, a role that she has taken on for the past three years.

As a professional, Prof. Naredi has worked with clients in Italy, Germany, UK, USA, Europe, Middle East and Australia and has strong insight into global fashion. She has been to international exhibitions like Premiere Vision at Paris. Known for her eye for quality, design and technical details, the all round-industry expert believes in incorporating `on floor’ experience into the design concepts to provide practical cohesive training to students.

As she trains the future generation of Fashion industry professionals at Arka Jain University, she also remains an active member of its women cell and IQAC cell. “Every designer should aim to become a responsible designer and create sustainable fashion,” is her thoughtful mantra for all aspirants. She herself is playing a part in imbibing the ethics of thoughtful fashion into her students while offering them vast industry experience.