New Delhi [India], April 8 : Through a recorded video message sent by her to the Indian fashion fraternity, Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani lauded the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) for setting up the COVID-19 support fund.
A video message by the minister was shared by FDCI and renowned fashion designer Manish Malhotra on Instagram.
"The Indian Fashion fraternity is the pride of the Indian textile industry. Today those who weave dreams on to a cloth are weaving together a support group. My gratitude to the Fashion Design Council of India, ably led by Sunil Sethi, for coming up with the COVID-19 fund," Irani said.
"I am hopeful that this fund which will come together with the assistance of designers, design houses and other organizations, affiliated to them, will help us tide through these challenging times," she added.
Further in the message, the minister assured the fashion fraternity that the textiles ministry shall always support them sail through the current challenging situation.
"My belief is together we can and we will meet all these challenges head-on. As a minister of textile, I can only say this that you will find us standing with you shoulder to shoulder through your challenges so that together we can work towards a solution," she said.
Earlier last month, the Fashion Design Council of India had set up a fund to support the small fashion businesses and young designers who are the most hard-hit with the shutdown of the industry and the nationwide lockdown.