Untold stories are where the hidden, unspoken, overlooked, or unexplored narratives are explored and reveal the intricate connections, relationships, and dynamics within a system, community, or phenomenon waiting to be uncovered and understood from a comprehensive and multifaceted perspective. It breaks down the unexpressed remains, absent or under-represented narratives among social, cultural, historical, and political environments.

This revelation involves the marginalised voices of individuals or groups who have been silenced, oppressed, or excluded, which conceals the hidden truth. Untold stories reveal new perspectives, challenge assumptions, and shed light on unexplored aspects of human experiences, which encompass the intersection of multiple dimensions of life such as culture, identity, social justice, and personal growth.

Untold stories acknowledge the complexity and contradictions of human experience and encourage listeners to engage with empathy and understand the story on a deeper level. Embracing complexity and nuance, which creates a healthy relationship between individuals, communities, and systems, influences the story to inspire change, growth, and a new outlook.

The design industry has a huge impact in transforming the unheard, unseen stories of the artisans, individuals, and organizations, which reveals the underlying dynamics in a system to build an environment that embraces the complexity of social, political, and individuality. Schools and institutions are a great place that impacts the future generation to build a space that embraces discovering the underlines dimensions of life. 

A great place to learn in India to revolutionize the design industry will be the JD Institute of Fashion Technology, where the learners are motivated to think and express beyond the box, with continuous support by skillful educators on campus as well as out of campus. The industry exposure, lectures, and guest lecturers from the industry, which are based on research and practical-oriented, are the takeaways for the learners. 

The final project is one of the best opportunities for the graduation students, which allows them to express their unspoken ideas, creativity, experiences, and learning outcomes. During the entire process of unveiling the JDDA, the surreal moment where creativity meets the future leaders in the design industry.

Projects contributed by the graduating students on Untold Stories:

• The Forgotten Weavers: A collection that shows the hidden traditional weavers of India
• The Unseen Warriors: A collection showcasing the unseen story of women in the Indian Armed Forces, challenging the biases on gender equality
• The Lost Crafts of India: A collection showcasing the importance of preserving India’s endangered crafts and textiles, such as handloom weaving and natural dyeing.
• The Untold History of Indian Fashion: A collection that projects the unspoken story of our Indian fashion history and how it’s evolving in the industry
• The Stories of Street Food Vendors: A collection that showcases the daily challenges the street vendors face to meet their keep, maintaining the rich traditional food
• The Forgotten Musician of India: A collection that projects the forgotten tunes of India that attribute to the rich heritage of our culture, the folk songs, and the musician
• The Unspoken Struggles of Mental Health: A collection that represents the importance of mental health for the wellbeing of society, where normalizing mental health matters, conversation can be spoken out loud without any judgements and prejudice by the peer or society.

Acclamation from the Jury Members: “A powerful narrative that highlights the importance of preserving traditional crafts and empowering artisans. The project demonstrates JD Institute’s commitment to sustainability and social impact, making it a deserving winner.”

“Beyond the Runway: JD Institute’s Unsung Heroes“

“The Fabric of Innovation: JD Institute’s Contribution to Fashion Technology”

Recognition from the industry for the best interpretation

“The Unseen Weavers: Reviving India’s Forgotten Crafts falls under the category Sustainability and Social Impact.

Featured in Indian Fashion Design Councils “Emerging Designer” showcase 2018

Published in the Fashion for Cause issue in Vogue India 2019.

Conclusion: JD Institute of Fashion Technology motivates the learners beyond the limit, which will elevate them in their future to break the norms and barriers built by the stereotypes and speak their unexpressed ideas and creativity for their final project.

Untold stories can contribute to a lack of understanding and empathy in society that can lead to emotional burden and trauma for a person. Unexpressed experiences, voices, and stories can lead to a healthy environment for future generations that hinders the growth of society and individuals.