India’s first fashion-forward fellowship focuses on water stewardship

The first fashion fellowship is launched in India which is committed to water stewardship. This has been done to help the emerging fashion designer of the country to understand sustainable fashion.

Jewelry designer and spatial design strategist Riddhika Jesrani and the sustainability coach Rushva Parihar have conceptualized this fellowship while YWater and The ReFashion Hub are its superhead. Young designers, industry leaders, fashion businesses, artisans, consumers and textile bodies are the stakeholders of this fellowship.

This 5 week-long fellowship can be attended by accessory, footwear, and apparel designers. For all the applications the deadline is February 15. Parmesh Shahani, Nonita Kalra and Akshay Tyagi will be the judges who will judge the sustainable capsule collection which will be developed in the fellowship. The winner will be awarded prize money of INR 1 lakh.

ReFashion Hub collectively works to bring multiple stakeholders together who are ready to invest in wastewater reuse and managing the textile industry to provide a long term climate impact. On the other hand, YWater is a research-based impact foundation established under Madat Charitable Trust in 2010 aimed at influencing young people to contribute to the sustainable development goals in the country.

The key motive of this fellowship is using its initiatives to raise awareness in the fashion industry for reducing water usage. In a press conference held by the organization, they mentioned that this platform is offered to the young designers so that while building their careers they can focus on how the water is impacted by the fashion industry and the concept of water stewardship which is a part of environmental sustainability. The fellowship will end in April after the participants will present their conceptualized capsule collection.