(The Economic Times) – NEW DELHI: India’s growing fashion design industry is now seen as a role model by countries like Ethiopia, which is nowhere on the global fashion radar and hence keen to emulate its growth and success.

A group of four designers from the Horn of Africa country, is currently in India as part of a collaborative effort by the Indian Embassy in Ethiopia and the Ethiopian government.

Known for its cotton that is said to be the best in the world, the African country does not have a fashion industry per se and designers who hail from the country are few and far between.

“It is only recently that we have started making a noise in our country about fashion,” Hiruth Gougsa, who runs ‘Mela,’ a store in Addis Ababa, which specialises in jewellery, bags, home furnishings and other accessories told media.

Gougsa is one of the four women chosen to attend a workshop conducted by the Pearl Academy of Fashion late last year, aimed at imparting basic know how on fashion, focussing on the intricacies of design, craft, forecasting trends, couture and techniques among others in the industry.

The workshop included a 15 day study tour where participants will visit India and gain first hand exposure of its fashion.

“The Indian ambassador in Ethopia offered us an opportunity to share India’s design experience with them and we accepted. We are currently in the process of designing a course curriculum in Ehiopia to be used in their fashion institutes and schools,” says A K G Nair, who heads Pearl Academy of Fashion.