Art is one of the supreme tools to communicate and reciprocate the responsibility we have as creative people towards society. During this terrifying pandemic that we are all fighting, we must and should be responsible enough to cater to society in the simplest way possible. JD Institute of Fashion Technology believes that creative designers have the power to create and it is important at this point to make the best use of their talent to cater as an aid to the current situation. Currently, masks are of utmost importance and their relevance will not die out anytime soon. Hence we, as an institution, urged our students to indulge in the Innovative Mask Designing Solutions, as a part of our new norm initiative.

Masks are a utility and its relevance will not fade away anytime soon. The masks are however an inconvenience to most because of its design or the proximity of it to the nose, making it uncomfortable. Thus the students have come up with relative design solutions where the masks are structured in a way where they protrude a bit outward from the nose, giving a good amount of space between the mask and the nose, thus reducing the discomfort. The solutions are also based on any other specific clienteles, thus catering to individual problems.

The idea was to be an inspiration post lockdown concerning how well we coped and channelled our creativity even during crises. Since the mask is here to stay for a while, we might as well make it stylish as it is evolving to be an important trending accessory. The students from the South Branches of JD Institute of Fashion Technology have creatively made use of their time at home during the lockdown to reflect how powerful creative energy is to make a socially responsible statement of how each individual with the power to create can make a difference by contributing to the society.

The students who are well versed with textile and designing, have trajected their creativity by making and designing masks of different types at home with the available materials. Putting out their best foot forward in this aspect, many of them have come up with innovative, ‘out of the box’, unconventional masks. As designers, they have come up with smart ideas of simple, easy to make masks with the available resources with technique, material, style, and concept.

The students have designed masks with various floral embroidery, some have added glitter and masks with extensions that could be tied around the hair. While some with simple, bare minimum resources like rubber bands, clips, and other elastic stretchable materials have done an amazing job, proving that creativity can be induced in anything. They have also expanded their horizon of social responsibility by making organic masks that have a BCD chemical that filters air and water. The Banana Cotton fabric made the mask more durable and sweatproof.

We at JD instil our students to become responsible designers and change-makers of tomorrow. Abiding by our values, our students have made the most of this opportunity. The solid training in designing has helped them to cope through this lockdown and to never be crumbed to any situation but to make the best out of it by keeping their imagination and innovation alive. This initiative was raised to create an awareness of how much a designer can offer through his/her designs and innovations. Through this, they can be responsible for not just themselves but also to society. It is in the interest of public welfare the masks are an important entity and by making masks at home, the students have been first responsible to themselves and then towards the society. The students have been making many such innovative masks to cater to the welfare of society with potential ideas and making a huge difference in society.

At the end of receiving various artistic designs from many students, it was quite a task to choose the best concepts but, eventually, the Jury members acknowledged, Anita Jindal (Bangalore Centre) and Dionne Joanna Dias (Goa Centre) as the two best concepts based on utility and style respectively.

We are proud of our Jediiians! What an impactful and innovative change you’ve brought in the society.