Copyright © 2025 NIFT. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, whether graphic, electronic, or mechanical including photocopying, recording, taping, or scanning, without prior permission from the copyright owner. National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kolkata Prepared by: Sumit Kumar
National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kolkata Ministry of Textiles, Government of India KNITWEAR DESIGN COLLECTION Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of The Graduation Requirement of BACHELOR OF DESIGN (KNITWEAR DESIGN) Batch : (2022 – 2026) Student : Sumit Kumar Mentor : Associate Prof. Dr. Sumantra Bakshi
National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kolkata Ministry of Textiles, Government of India Knitwear Design Department Knitwear Design Collection / Graduation Project – 2026 This is to certify that Mr. Sumit Kumar Roll No. BD/22/4437 of NIFT, Kolkata Batch: 2022 – 2026 has executed his Knitwear Design Collection in partial fulfillment of Bachelor of Design in Knitwear Design. The report is in support of the Graduation Project. It is being forwarded for review by the External Jury Panel on ______________________________ Signature of The Mentor: ____________________________ Name and Designation of The Mentor:______________________________ Date::______________________________
National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kolkata Ministry of Textiles, Government of India Knitwear Design Department The evaluation jury recommends Mr./ Ms. ………………………………… for award of Graduation from National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kolkata after evaluating his/her Knitwear Graduation Project / Knitwear Design Collection and fulfilling the requirements set by the Institute and the jury members. Jury Members: Name Company / Organization Signature ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………….................................... Remarks regarding fulfilling further requirements ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………….… Sandeep Kumar Samanta Associate Professor & Center Coordinator Knitwear Design Department NIFT, Kolkata
PREFACE This Design Collection, Āākār, is a culmination of my journey as a Knitwear Design student at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). Rooted in personal memory and inspired by the cultural richness of the Lambadi community, the project explores identity, resilience, and the transformation of intangible narratives into tangible form. Through this collection, I attempt to reinterpret traditional craft practices within a contemporary design context, while preserving the emotional depth and meaning embedded within them. Āākār, meaning “form,” represents not only the physical construction of garments but also the shaping of memory, heritage, and self-expression. This collection stands as an acknowledgment of the communities, stories, and inherited experiences that continue to influence and inspire my creative practice. This project has been both a personal and academic journey—one that has strengthened my understanding of design as a medium of expression, preservation, and dialogue. – Sumit Kumar
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) for providing me with the opportunity and platform to undertake and develop my Design Collection project in the field of Knitwear Design. This journey has been an enriching learning experience that allowed me to explore creativity, innovation, and technical understanding within the domain of fashion and knitwear. I extend my heartfelt thanks to my faculty mentors and guides for their constant encouragement, valuable feedback, and continuous support throughout the development of this collection. I would also like to thank my peers, friends and my family for their support, and motivation during every stage of this project. Their encouragement made this journey more inspiring and enjoyable. This Design Collection project has been a transformative experience that has enhanced both my creative and professional outlook, and I look forward to carrying these learnings into my future endeavors in the fashion industry. – Sumit Kumar
COMPANY PROFILE I — FOUNDATION Introduction Design Philosophy Vision II — RESEARCH & DISCOVERY Brainstorming Tribal Research Trend Study Grandmother Narrative III — CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT Concept Note Storyline Mood + Material Boards IV — DESIGN TRANSLATION Swatches Silhouettes Technical Development V — REFLECTION Sustainability Learning Conclusion
INTRODUCTION WHO I AM AS A DESIGNER I am a Knitwear Design student from NIFT Kolkata, driven by a deep interest in material storytelling, maximal aesthetics, and cultural narratives. My approach to design exists at the intersection of craft and contemporary expression, where textiles are not treated as surfaces alone, but as carriers of memory, identity, and emotion. Over the years at NIFT, I have learned to look beyond aesthetics and understand design as a system of observation, research, experimentation, and translation. Knitwear, for me, is not limited to garment construction; it is a medium that allows structure, texture, and storytelling to coexist. My design language is rooted in maximalism not as visual excess, but as accumulation. I am drawn towards density, layering, ornamentation, and handcrafted irregularities because they carry traces of labour, time, and lived experiences. This graduation project became deeply personal for me because it emerged from stories narrated by my grandmother about Lambadi women she encountered while growing up in Rajasthan. Through her memories, I began to understand ornamentation, maximalism, and sustainability from an entirely different perspective not as fashion choices, but as systems of survival, identity, and continuity.
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY MAXIMALISM AS MEMORY My design philosophy is rooted in the belief that clothing should hold meaning beyond appearance. I believe garments can function as emotional archives — carrying memory, labour, identity, and cultural traces within their surfaces. I am particularly drawn towards maximalism because, to me, it represents accumulation rather than excess. Layers, textures, embellishments, and dense surfaces reflect the passage of time and the presence of human touch. Through this collection, I explore maximalism as a form of resilience. Every layer, stitch, insertion, and surface intervention becomes symbolic of continuity and survival. Another important aspect of my philosophy is sustainability. I do not see sustainability as a trend, but as a lived practice. Traditional communities have historically practised sustainable systems through repair, reuse, adaptation, and material preservation long before sustainability became part of fashion discourse.
VISION & FUTURE DIRECTION The future of fashion is increasingly moving towards sustainability, craft preservation, material innovation, and culturally conscious design practices. Initiatives such as VisionNXT by NIFT highlight the importance of integrating Indian craft knowledge with future-forward design thinking. My vision as a designer aligns strongly with this direction. Through knitwear and textile experimentation, I want to explore how indigenous philosophies of repair, reuse, layering, and handcraft can inform contemporary fashion practices. This collection reflects my interest in creating garments that are materially responsible, emotionally durable, and culturally meaningful.
RESEARCH ON LAMBADI TRIBE The Lambadi or Banjara tribe is one of India’s historically nomadic communities known for their movement across regions through trade routes. Traditionally, they transported salt, grains, and goods using bullock carts, travelling across forests and rugged terrains. Lambadi women are particularly recognised for their elaborate textiles, mirror work, coins, shells, embroidery, and layered garments. However, these embellishments carried significance beyond aesthetics. Mirrors reflected light during travel, coins produced sound during movement, and ornamentation functioned as protection, identity, and social presence. Their garments acted as portable homes — carrying memory, value, and cultural identity while constantly moving through unstable landscapes. MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS & CRAFT PRESERVATION The Ministry of Tribal Affairs and various government initiatives continue to support tribal communities through artisan development programs, craft preservation schemes, handloom support, and livelihood initiatives. Efforts are being made to preserve indigenous craft techniques while creating sustainable economic opportunities for tribal artisans. This includes exhibitions, GI tagging, cooperative support systems, and market linkages. Such initiatives highlight the importance of safeguarding India’s craft heritage while allowing traditional knowledge systems to evolve within contemporary contexts.
TREND FORECAST STUDY WGSN A/W 26–27 — GEO-LOGIC The Geo-Logic trend forecast focuses on rugged terrains, elemental textures, organic camouflage, technical surfaces, and artisanal narratives. The trend also highlights “Artisan Ancestry,” where craft knowledge and cultural identities are integrated into future-forward fashion systems. This aligns strongly with my collection, where traditional Lambadi philosophies are translated into contemporary knitwear through layered textures, sculptural silhouettes, and material experimentation. Key trend elements influencing the collection include: • Dense tactile textures • Rugged materiality • Layered surfaces • Geometric constructions • Handcrafted irregularity • Protective aesthetics • Sustainability through material innovation
WGSN
DEVELOPEMENT
AAKAR explores maximalism as a language of survival, memory, and protection inspired by the lived experiences of Lambadi women. Rooted in stories narrated by my grandmother, the collection investigates how ornamentation functioned beyond beauty becoming a system of identity, mobility, defence, and continuity for nomadic communities. Through handcrafted knitwear, jute yarns, waste textile insertions, layered surfaces, and sculptural silhouettes, the collection translates tribal philosophies into contemporary forms. Rather than recreating traditional Lambadi garments, AAKAR reinterprets their essence where clothing becomes a portable archive of culture, resilience, and emotional memory.
MOOD BOARD DESCRIPTION The visual direction of AAKAR is rooted in rugged terrains, nomadic movement, layered tribal surfaces, and tactile maximalism. The mood board combines raw jute textures, oxidised metals, mirrors, aged textiles, desert landscapes, animal references, salt routes, handcrafted irregularity, and dense ornamentation to create a visual language that feels protective, grounded, and emotionally layered. The overall mood reflects resilience, movement, survival, and ancestral continuity.
COLOUR BOARD Raw Jute Beige : earth, roots, survival Off White : memory, ageing, softness Blue : travel, night landscapes, depth Additionally : colored waste scraps incoperation to replicate the beauty of the colorful tribe.
MATERIAL BOARD Primary Materials • Jute yarn • Waste fabric strips • Mirrors • Coins • Shells Material Philosophy The use of jute yarn reflects ruggedness, sustainability, and connection to land. Waste fabrics represent repair and continuity, while mirrors and metal references connect directly to Lambadi ornamentation and protection systems. The material palette balances rawness with accumulation, creating tactile maximal surfaces.
SWATCH DEVELOPMENT The swatches explore the integration of jute yarn with reclaimed fabrics through hand knitting, insertion techniques, layering, and surface manipulation. Each swatch investigates: * Texture density * Weight management * Structural layering * Material behaviour * Surface accumulation * Ornament through construction The irregularity within the swatches intentionally preserves the handcrafted quality of tribal textiles, where imperfection carries evidence of labour and time.
SILHOUETTE DEVELOPMENT The silhouettes are developed as sculptural interpretations of Lambadi philosophies rather than direct reproductions of tribal garments. Key explorations include: * Circular forms inspired by mirrors and coins * Harness structures referencing movement and carrying systems * Protective volumes * Layered surfaces * Architectural knitwear forms * Portable body structures
Ensemble 01 Identity Without Land Concept Lambadi communities lived nomadic lives where land was never permanent. Because territory constantly shifted, identity had to be carried on the body through clothing, embroidery, and ornamentation. Form The silhouette uses large circular forms and layered surface structures around the torso and upper body. These forms reference mirrors, coins, and circular motifs commonly found in Lambadi garments. The exaggerated scale and density create a maximal surface, visually emphasizing accumulation and presence. Meaning The garment represents identity becoming portable architecture. Instead of belonging to land, identity is stitched, layered, and carried with the body. The circular elements symbolise memory, value, and continuity, turning the garment into a moving cultural archive
Ensemble 02 Mobility and Nomadic Trade Concept Historically, Lambadi communities were known for transporting salt across regions using bullock carts. Mobility was central to their livelihood and survival. Form This silhouette introduces structured harness-like constructions and technical layering, reflecting the mechanics of carrying goods and travelling long distances. On the back of the garment, a bull face structure is incorporated as a symbolic element referencing the animals that pulled the bullock carts during salt trade journeys. Meaning The bull represents labour, endurance, and economic movement. By placing the bull motif on the back, the garment communicates the idea of carrying livelihood on the body, much like how the community carried goods and culture while travelling across landscapes. The silhouette therefore translates nomadic trade systems into wearable form
Ensemble 03 The Nomadic Body Concept Nomadic life requires constant adaptation to environment, terrain, and movement. Clothing must support mobility while still preserving identity and ornamentation. Form This silhouette introduces technical structures, layered elements, and modular construction, suggesting garments that interact with the body’s movement. The proportions emphasize strength, mobility, and structural balance, creating a silhouette that feels both protective and functional. Meaning The garment represents the body as a moving habitat. For nomadic communities, clothing becomes more than protection—it becomes portable shelter, storage, and identity combined. The silhouette reflects this relationship between body, movement, and survival
Ensemble 04 Memory Through Layering Concept Lambadi textiles evolve over time. Instead of discarding garments, they are repaired, patched, and layered, accumulating memories and stories through continued use. Form This silhouette uses dense layering, extended surface elements, and textile accumulation, visually representing garments that grow and change over time. The surface treatment suggests multiple stages of repair, addition, and embellishment. Meaning The garment becomes an archive of time. Each layer represents a moment, a repair, a memory, reinforcing the idea that clothing in tribal communities carries history rather than simply fashion value. Maximalism here becomes a visual representation of lived time
Ensemble 05 Evolution Without Erasure Concept While traditions evolve, the philosophies behind them remain constant. The challenge for contemporary design is to translate cultural knowledge without replicating it literally. Form This silhouette merges sculptural form, structured knitwear, and maximal surface elements, creating a contemporary interpretation of Lambadi aesthetics. The structure feels futuristic while still referencing layering, protection, and ornamentation. Meaning This garment represents the future of cultural aesthetics. Rather than preserving tradition as static history, the design shows how cultural philosophies identity, resilience, and adaptation can evolve into new design languages. The silhouette becomes a bridge between ancestral craft and contemporary fashion practice
SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY The collection approaches sustainability through material reuse, handcrafted processes, and emotional durability. Waste fabrics are reintroduced into knit structures, extending material life cycles. Jute yarn provides a biodegradable and natural alternative to synthetic fibres. Rather than producing disposable fashion, the collection promotes garments that carry longevity, repairability, and emotional value. REFLECTION & LEARNING This project transformed my understanding of craft and fashion. It taught me that ornamentation can carry protection, that maximalism can emerge from survival, and that sustainability has existed within traditional communities long before becoming part of contemporary fashion language. The process challenged me technically through jute experimentation, structural knitting, and material handling. At the same time, it deepened my understanding of storytelling through textiles. Through AAKAR, I learned how design can become a bridge between memory and innovation. CONCLUSION AAKAR is not an attempt to recreate tribal clothing, but to reinterpret the philosophies embedded within it. It explores how Lambadi women transformed clothing into systems of identity, protection, resilience, and continuity while living in motion. Through knitwear, layered surfaces, and reclaimed materials, the collection translates these philosophies into contemporary design language where ornament becomes protection, maximalism becomes survival, and garments become living archives of memory.
BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCES Books & Publications The Art and Literature of Banjara Lambanis Government & Institutional References • Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India https://tribal.nic.in • Ministry of Textiles, Government of India https://texmin.nic.in • VisionNXT – NIFT India https://visionnxt.in • National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Research Resources https://www.nift.ac.in • Jute Board India https://jute.com Trend Forecast References • WGSN Product Forecast A/W 26–27: Geo-Logic • WGSN Knitwear & Jersey Forecast Reports • WGSN Consumer Behaviour & Sustainability Insights
Research Topics & Study References • Lambadi / Banjara tribal history and migration patterns • Nomadic trade systems in India • Traditional mirror work and embroidery practices • Sustainable craft systems in indigenous communities • Repair culture and circular fashion systems • Maximalism in contemporary fashion aesthetics • Textile anthropology and craft documentation Visual & Cultural References • Tribal jewellery and ornamentation archives • Rajasthan desert landscapes • Bullock cart trade imagery • Traditional Lambadi embroidery motifs • Handcrafted textile surfaces • Jute fibre textures and weaving structures • Nomadic community clothing systems Personal & Oral References • Oral narratives and memories shared by my grandmother regarding Lambadi women and their cultural practices. • Personal observations and material experimentation conducted during the graduation project process. “This project is built through research, memory, material exploration, and inherited stories carried across generations.”