Getting creative with paper

The students of Indian Institute of Fashion Technology (IIFT), Vijaynagar, recently presented an impressive paper garments exhibition of clothes made entirely by them. Origami inspired garments, formal wear made from magazines and newspaper couture were some of the intricately constructed products made from paper materials.

The elegant and unique garments were an interesting mix of the unexpected and unconventional. With visible amounts of hard work put into each creation, the outfits certainly had a style statement while also being a way to practice eco-friendly designs.

Students used crepe papers, newspapers, handmade papers, tissue papers, crushed papers, coloured papers, KG cardboard, thermocol, glitter papers, satin ribbons, alphabet charts, black cartridge sheets, gift-wrapping papers and fluorescent sheets to make the products.   

They designed headgears, mini gowns, saris, necklaces, slippers, bangles, earrings, bracelets, skirts, rings, anklets, belts, hand bags etc. The dresses were quirky,
often featuring eye-catching pop art and shapes.

According to the students, paper fashion transforms the versatile material, making it both a modern and edgy choice for risk-taking designers. These eco-friendly garments merge aesthetics with socially responsible design ideals. 

“I had an amazing experience learning how to make paper garments. We all worked really hard and achieved good results out of it. In our team, we worked for five days to make a short skirt and top for it. We are very proud that we won first place,” said a proud Raveena, who is pursuing her BSc in fashion designing.


Priya Kumari, a fashion and apparel designing student, said, “Fashion is my passion!  Paper garments are the best example of our creativity and turned out to be a really interesting medium to work with. Our paper garments are very stylish and fit into the category of ‘modern’ outfit in the world of fashion.”

It wasn’t only the girls who were proud of putting their creativity to test. Abhishek Kshrotriya, a Bsc FAD student, noted, “I enjoyed the whole process of making the garments and accessories from scratch. I realised the value of paper.”