Carpet industry eyes western designers to hit dream export target

Varanasi, Oct 15 (UNI) The Indian carpet industry and the union ministry of textiles are mulling to tap the expertise of top-notch western designers for achieving the dream carpet export target of Rs 5,000 crore.

''We cannot excel for a long time in US and Europe, besides the emerging South American market, only by rolling carpets based on the traditional design. Contemporary and modern design is the thing for not only outsmarting rival nations, but also hitting the dream export target of Rs 5,000 crore,'' Additional Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Sandeep Srivastava told UNI here today.

''The department has already roped in the services of two Philippine based designers Cora Jurog and P J Armador -- both specialising in environmentally preferred products -- to add contemporary colour to Indian handloom. The carpet division of the ministry is now thinking of replicating the tie-up with foreign stylists by roping in services of carpet designers especially those from Germany,'' Dr Srivastava added.

The idea of tieing-up with western carpet deisgners is in air and both union ministry and Carpet Export Promotion Council -- premier body of carpet exporters -- are working on a long term vision for giving a global brand image to Indian carpets, CEPC chairman V R Sharma said.

''Plans are at drawing boards to set up a Research Centre, which could provide the rightful tie-up between western carpet designers and Indian carpet exporters to ensure a departure from traditional to contemporary-modern designs that are more appealing to taste of foreign buyers and hence more paying,'' Mr Sharma maintained.

Mr Sharma further said last year by exporting carpets to the tune of Rs 2,800 crore, India, after a 15 year gap regained the crown of numeruno carpet exporter.

''We are now working at achieving the dream export target of Rs 5,000 crore for which reaching out to the end user, instead of the western import houses was essential. Services of western designers could be of immense value in this regard among all segments of carpet, including tuffted, hand-knotted, woollen, silken and synthetic,'' he added.

While the Union ministry and CEPC, are still contemplating aligning with western designers, some carpet merchendising houses in the country are already working with western designers.

Refusing to diuvulge the names of western designers with whom he is working, Sunil Sethi, a seasoned merchandiser of New Delhi-based Alliance Merchandising said he is planning to diverse his partnership with western carpet stylists by forging ties with Italian designers, including Paola Navone from Otto Designs and Polly Dickens from Conran Shoppe agency.

''Working with Italian designers will ensure that our export worthy carpets are based on modern and contemporary designs. Indian designers like Rohit Bal are also likely to work with more famous western cousins to fashion fusion designs, which are most attractive in emerging markets in South America, especially Brazil,'' Mr Sethi added.

Working with melange of Indian and western designers is also on the wishlist of Textiles Ministry, which is presently working with famous designer Satya Paul to provide variety to handloom products.

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