Contemporary and chic

Adilakshmi Chintalapati

The philosophy of a school is reflected in its uniform. Elements such as style, colour, and design of the uniform are usually based on the vision and values that the school believes in. Students spend a large part of their school life wearing the uniform. It defines them and creates a sense of identity. There is a sense of belongingness and pride that comes with the uniform.

While setting up a new school, an important decision for the management is to finalize the uniform. A decade ago when we launched Oakridge International School at Hyderabad, we assigned the task of designing the uniform to the faculty of the best institute of fashion technology in the country. As a day school that believes in holistic education, our brief was for a uniform that would facilitate both outdoor and indoor activities, look fresh and smart all day, be comfortable and allow for movement, have colours and design that will suit all the children and above all, make the students feel proud to wear it.

The next process was to go through several swatches of fabric, combinations of fibres, weave variations, patterns, etc. The final choice was a fabric blend of polycot with a high percentage of cotton. This would allow the fabric to breathe and absorb sweat after games. It also brought the cool comfort and benefits of a natural fibre with the convenience of polyester that would be easy to wash and maintain. The students would sweat on the games field and the fabric had to dry quickly before they came into the air-conditioned classrooms.

The author is the Principal of Oakridge International School, Einsten Campus, Hyderabad. She is a British Council Schools Ambassador and a consultant for the International Baccalaureate. She can be reached at adilakshmi.chintalapati@oakridge.in.

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