Italicising Fashion

According to the international marketing manager of the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED), an Italian fashion and design institute, Mauro Cavagnaro, "Milan is the foremost fashion Capital of the world."

Cavagnaro claimed that the institute was the biggest and the best fashion institution of Europe. He was recently in India to look at possibilities of admitting more and more Indian students to the institute, through agents in India.

Cavagnaro remarked, the biggest fashion school in Paris, which is considered as the melting pot of fashion, was smaller than the fashion theatre of IED. He said: "All the big brands in fashion belong to Italy; Paris is only a hub of 'couture' or fashion for the rich, while in essence, Italy is the country of real fashion."

"Italy has a newfound interest in India to recruit Indian students, who are bright and can easily mix with the Italians. At present, we are targeting almost 100 students from India every year.

This, according to him was in sharp contrast with the Chinese, who did not like to mix with anyone. Italians like Indians, for they are gregarious," Cavagnaro said.

At present, IED is focusing on recruiting Indian students for its one to three-year diploma courses in design, fashion and other related areas, which are being offered in English.