Chandigarh, India, September 1, 2019 : Wendell Rodricks is one of the most admired names in the fashion design industry globally. He is also known as an activist who worked for social causes, an eco-warrior and author. He has been awarded with Padma Shri in 2014 and was a recipient of Chevalier de I’Ordre des Arts et Lettres (Knight of the order of arts and letters) in 2015. Mr. Rodricks was at Chitkara University to interact with students on 29th August 2019.
Mr. Wendell has made his mark in the fashion industry with his first collection from Goa that earned him the title ‘Guru of Minimalism’. He is a master who brought the words ‘resort wear’ and ‘eco-friendly garments’ to existence in India. Mr. Wendell is the first Indian designer to be part of the world’s largest garment fair IGEDO 1995 in Germany. He also promoted khadi in the world’s largest organic fair, BioFach 2011 in Germany.
After years of research, Mr. Wendell has opened his 450 year old ancestral home, Moda Goa Museum and Research Centre – a museum dedicated to Goan costumes, the first of its kind in the world. The museum has a collection of statues, furniture, photos, costumes, jewellery and other accessories.
Talking about his design philosophy, Mr. Wendell Rodricks said, “My design philosophy is based on ‘minimalism’ inspired by Indian geometry, yoga, Ayurveda and Indian gods.” He suggested students to get inspired from their traditions, culture to bring life into their collections. “No one sees Kashmir the way Rohit Bal did, no one has viewed Bengal better than Sabyasachi and no one can understand Goa better than Wendell Rodricks,” he added. During the all-engaging talk, Wendell also divulged some of his management strategies and tips for budding entrepreneurs. He also spoke about the need to create a social impact through work.
Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Vice Chancellor, Chitkara University, said, “We’re delighted to welcome Wendell Rodricks to Chitkara University. Our students are extremely lucky to get an opportunity to interact and learn from the original vanguard of Indian fashion – a mentor and teacher to several youngsters, and also an author on fashion history, who takes inspiration from his own culture, heart and soul, to stand out from the rest of the world.” She added, “Chitkara University takes special care to invite prominent industry experts, to give the right direction and inspiration, in order to get our students future ready.”
Chitkara University’s ambitious students were excited to meet the multi-talented designer, and were spotted posing questions down to – how to create an impressive portfolio, what are the skills required, apt training, technical knowledge, networking – all relevant to their future career goals. As a true advocate of fashion democracy, Wendell finished with an encouragement for students to be their own personal stylist and enjoy fashion. “Use your DNA, work originally, work for your country and state,” he said. On a more personal note, Wendell shared that he makes it a point to practice charity for three hours every week – in any way, shape or form.
