India has still to emerge as a reputed international design and fashion center. However, a few gifted designers are beginning to make their mark on the high fashion scene. Their creations are displayed at select outlets, under the designer's personal label. Prices are up market, and can be in excess of Rs 20,000 for one outfit. 

As the main selling point is exclusivity, production is confined to very few pieces per design. This is an extremely small sector where success depends on a combination of rare talent and an astute business sense. Even abroad, only a handful makes it to the top fashion houses of Paris, Milan, London or New York. 

TEXTILES

This is an enormous field, with openings for people from varied disciplines that range from technologists to stylists to sales and marketing. Textiles include the processing and weaving of all yarn fabrics- cotton, silk, wool or synthetics as well as machine embroideries, knitwear and lace making.

There are many textile mills all over the country, but the main centers are still Bombay and Ahmedabad.

SAREES

Another enormous sector, catering primarily to the domestic market although there are a limited number of foreign outlets, run for and by Indian/Pakistani communities abroad. Sarees were so far the preserve of our traditional handloom weavers and a few textile mills. However, some well-known designers have now entered the field to put their own labels on the saree collections they develop.

KHADI AND HANDLOOMS

Until recently, these traditional sectors were handled almost entirely by the concerned promotional bodies of the central and state governments and a few developmental organizations. Being in the unorganized sector, they have been largely ignored by the media-but are in fact far larger than the ready-to-wear garment industry. 

Their scope includes all textile related crafts like spinning and weaving; dyeing, printing and painting; and hand embroideries and crochet/lace making. Government and semi-government agencies like KVIC, CCIC; HHEC and state handicrafts and handloom corporations employ personnel in design and marketing positions, and maintain their own showrooms for their products. 

A number of private entrepreneurs have also entered the field, considerably widening the reach of this sector. There is, however, great potential for absorption of many more professionals in this field. Work involves close co-ordination with craftsperson's that are often located in far-flung rural areas.