By Shweta Thakur, IANS
New Delhi : In their bid to go global, Indian fashion houses are applying for the ISO certificate. The first to get this global stamp of quality is Kimaya Fashions Pvt. Ltd., and another house, Shantanu Nikhil Design Pvt. Ltd., is to get it soon.
"Kimaya was independently audited and certified ISO 9001," Pradeep Hirani, chairman, Kimaya, told IANS.
The British Standards Institution (BSI) Management Systems, a leading global provider of management systems assessment and certification solutions, issued the certificate to Kimaya, from May 14 this year to July 13, 2010.
Confirming the certification, the regional operation head (Western region), BSI India Private Limited, Lalita D'souza, said: "Yes we have issued the ISO 9001:2000 certificate to Kimaya Pvt. Ltd. And it is the first Indian fashion house to get the certificate."
ISO 9001, one of the best recognised quality frameworks in the world and used by millions of organisations in 161 countries, assures customers of quality.
It helps all kinds of organisations to succeed through improved customer satisfaction, staff motivation and continual improvement.
Designer duo Shantanu-Nikhil, the next in line to get the ISO certification, feel that after some time every fashion house will follow suit.
"We have also applied for the ISO certification and will get in the next six months. It is a great move. It keeps a check on the quality and services at every step, which enhances the growth of the company," said Nikhil of Shantanu Nikhil Design Pvt. Ltd.
"It is a process-driven approach and our attempt is to make it more corporate. I think eventually it will become mandatory though it depends on the choice of designers," added the duo's Shantanu.
One of the fundamental purposes of BS EN ISO 9001:2000 is to enable the development of a quality management system that is fully integrated into the normal operations of the business.
The Indian fashion fraternity is all praise for the step taken by Kimaya, saying if world-class quality is maintained it will help Indian fashion houses compete with global players.
"The most important aspect of the ISO certification is that it enables Indian fashion houses to compete at both national and global levels. It will act as a catalyst in fetching worldwide recognition and acceptance for Indian couture," said fashion designer Raghavendra Rathore.
"If a fashion house is catering to the global market it will help in retaining customers. And I don't see any reason why others wouldn't opt for it," said fashion designer Sumiko Murgai Nanda, arguably one of the most prolific fashion photographers in India.