They can draw, but not design
Fashion industry of Kazakhstan is experiencing a serious shortage of qualified personnel
This was announced today at a "round table" at the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs by representatives of local fashion houses. They stated that the level of knowledge of the Kazakh educational institutions that train specialists in the field of tailoring and design, leaves much to be desired. Young professionals come unprepared to the production, with the lack of basic professional knowledge.
"100 designers come to me each month, but they do not understand anything about the design. And when the designer draws and does not understand how to put it together and then to sew, it's pointless. We have a huge number of designers, we need to focus on tailors, who can put it together. This profession requires a mathematical turn of mind. No one wants to think! Everyone wants to draw!" – noted the participant of the meeting from Pavlodar Aida Abdrakhmanova, who produces a line of women's clothing.
Raisa Raimbekova also represents one of the fashion houses of Pavlodar, emphasized that Kazakhstani graduates totally uncompetitive in contrast, for example, from graduates of Bishkek universities.
" There are for eight of them there! And the quality of training is good. Third year students are taken by fashion houses of Italy and China. Everything that Kazakhs wear today, is actually made by Kyrgyz designers working in China", - she said.
Participants of the meeting agreed that the Kazakhstani designers will not be able to produce competitive in terms of prices clothes as long as the issue of raw materials will be resolved in the country.
According to them, all the designers are currently working with imported raw materials, as a result “made in Kazakhstan” clothing can’t compete with the prices of the same Turkish and Chinese, which we are well sold in the country.
They stressed that it is necessary to develop the textile industry the country as well as clothing and leather.
The representative of the Almaty company that produces exclusive handmade products, stressed that their main problem is the expensive rent in the major outlets of the city, which is completely unavailable for small entrepreneurs.
"Accordingly, it is reflected in the price. As a result, our closest neighbors of Kyrgyzstan, where light industry has gone far ahead, will simply displace us from the market. Therefore, we appeal to NCE and Light Industry Association to help solve this problem. There should be at least a preferential rate for an initial period", - he said.
In response to this appeal, the expert of manufacturing department of NCE RK Batyrbek Aubakirov noted that the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs have developed a number of proposals for cost recovery for rental of premises for domestic light industry.
"We brought them together with the other assumptions of NCE on how to improve conditions for business and now they are under consideration in the Government. We hope for the support of state bodies in this regard", - said Batyrbek Aubakirov.
In general, discussing the problems and ways of their solution, meeting participants noted the need to consolidate the efforts of local designers or in the framework of the existing associations or on the basis of the new association.
One of the known designers Bella Sat-Mirza stressed that in order for Kazakhstani designers to share their experiences, it is necessary to study the issue of their participation in the Kazakhstan fashion week. Today, she said, only few can afford it, since participation in the main fashion event of the country is very expensive.
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