(About Us)
A Legacy That Started In 1962 And Never Stopped Training Fashion Leaders.
MSR Academia was founded with a simple belief, that fashion education should evolve as fast as the industry itself.
Today's designers are expected to think beyond garments. They are storytellers, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, technologists, and cultural thinkers.
Our programmes are built to reflect that reality. Through studio-based learning, industry exposure, global methodologies, and hands-on practice, students develop both creative confidence and professional capability.
Every project is designed to move ideas beyond the classroom and into the real world.
(About the Founder)
Lakshmi
RamaiahLakshmi Ramaiah
Lakshmi Ramaiah is the founder of MSR Academia and the inheritor of a six-decade educational legacy. That legacy began in 1962 with her late grandfather, Sri M.S. Ramaiah, and lives on in one of India's most trusted academic ecosystems. Now, she is writing its next chapter in fashion. At MSR Academia, her mission is clear: deliver world-class fashion and design education shaped by technology, sustainability, and an unshakeable respect for cultural heritage.
“Education has always been part of my journey. With MSR Academia, the vision was to create a future-focused institution where creativity, innovation, sustainability, and global exposure come together.”
Guided by Leaders Across
Design, Business & Culture.
MSR Academia is shaped by voices who've built brands, led institutions, and worked at the intersection of craft and enterprise. Meet the advisors guiding our academic direction.
Squadron Ldr Bharathy Sivan
Founder, Jambavana
Area of Expertise
- (01)Handicrafts and craft entrepreneurship.
- (02)Sourcing and craft-cluster development.
- (03)Export readiness and women-led creative enterprise advisory.
Profile
- (01)Retired Indian Air Force officer turned craft-sector consultant.
- (02)Founder of Jambavana, working across heritage crafts and handwoven textiles.
- (03)Guides MSRDFM in artisan engagement, fair pricing, and market linkages.
H L Vijaykumar
Design Educationist
Area of Expertise
- (01)Fashion and textile education.
- (02)Curriculum development.
- (03)Academic governance and quality assurance.
Profile
- (01)Senior design educationist with extensive institutional experience.
- (02)Specialist in curriculum planning and academic administration.
- (03)Guides MSRDFM in building strong academic systems and industry-aligned practices.
Jaya Murthy
Development Sector Professional
Area of Expertise
- (01)Social-impact communication.
- (02)Community development and storytelling.
- (03)Rural livelihood programmes.
Profile
- (01)Development-sector professional focused on community-driven initiatives.
- (02)Deep experience in documentation and outreach storytelling.
- (03)Guides MSRDFM in responsible engagement with rural and craft communities.
Sriram Bhagavatula
Founder- Bhagavatula Charitable Trust
Area of Expertise
- (01)Rural development and social entrepreneurship.
- (02)Skilling and livelihoods.
- (03)Community incubation.
Profile
- (01)Senior development-sector leader with grassroots innovation experience.
- (02)Extensive work in education, skilling, and women's empowerment.
- (03)Guides MSRDFM in rural innovation and craft-cluster engagement.
Pritesh Mistry
Founder and CEO- Bioleather
Area of Expertise
- (01)Sustainable material innovation.
Pritesh founded Bioleather in 2019 while studying Biotechnology Engineering. The Mumbai-based startup creates cruelty-free, plant-based leather alternatives from organic waste like tomatoes and apples, using far less land, water, and energy than traditional leather.
Today Bioleather is a 13-member company serving fashion, footwear, bags, and automotive sectors. It won the PETA Vegan Fashion Award for Best Innovation in Textiles (2021), crossed ₹1.2 crore turnover in FY2024-25, and produces 5,000 metres monthly, with D2C expansion underway.
Dr. Shabaridharan
Area of Expertise
- (01)Textile technology, textile and apparel design, clothing comfort, material performance, research and innovation.
A textile and apparel design academic with advanced research experience in textile technology and clothing comfort. His guidance can strengthen MSRDFM’s work in technical textiles, material innovation, textile testing, research documentation and future curriculum.
Our Philosophy
At MSR Academia, we believe:
Creativity
must meet Innovation
Tradition
must meet Technology
Learning
must lead to Entrepreneurship
Vision
We aim to build creators, thinkers, entrepreneurs, and future leaders who can shape the future of fashion and design.
In a world without boundaries, learning should also have no boundaries. Through global exposure, industry learning, and AI-driven education, we prepare students for the international fashion industry.
Approach
Key USPs
Become a Fashion
Entrepreneur
Industry-Ready
from Day One
Immediate ROI
after college
A Different Way to
Learn Fashion.A Different
Way to Learn
Fashion.
Studio First
Learn through making, experimenting, prototyping and critique.
Industry Connected
Work alongside professionals through workshops, live briefs and guest sessions.
Future Ready
AI, CLO 3D, CAD, digital workflows and emerging creative technologies become part of everyday learning.
Craft Rooted
Traditional knowledge meets contemporary design thinking through textiles, artisans and material exploration.
Entrepreneurial
Students graduate ready to build careers, brands and creative businesses.
Global Outlook
European methodologies, international collaborations and worldwide creative exposure broaden every perspective.
Inspired by
European Fashion
Education.
MSR Academia follows a learning philosophy shaped by internationally respected design institutions.
01.
Supported by the academic philosophy of Istituto di Moda Burgo, Italy, students experience a globally recognised approach to fashion education.
02.
Our programmes emphasise conceptual thinking, technical precision, studio practice, personalised mentoring, and continuous portfolio development, encouraging students to question, experiment, and refine rather than simply memorise.
03.
Learning happens through projects, critiques, collaboration, research, and real creative challenges.
Fashion Has No Borders.
European
Study Tour
Visit London, Milan, Paris and Barcelona.
International
Learning
Exposure to museums, ateliers, exhibitions and fashion houses.
Global
Curriculum
International methodologies integrated into classroom learning.
Future
Opportunities
Advanced study pathways and international collaborations continue to expand.
Our Affiliations
MSR Academia's academic credibility rests on formal international affiliations that connect its Bengaluru studio to European fashion education. The core partnership is with Istituto di Moda Burgo in Italy, giving the curriculum a benchmarked, globally recognised structure and access to European design methodologies. This is complemented by accreditation through Medhavi Skills University and recognition from MSME, positioning MSR as a credentialed, industry-aligned institution rather than a stand-alone studio.
(01)
Istituto di Moda Burgo, Italy
(02)
Medhavi Skills University (MSU), India
(03)
MSME (Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) by Government Of India
We Are Building More
Than Designers.We Are Building
More Than
Designers.
We are building
Thinkers
Makers
Entrepreneurs
Researchers
Stylists
Creative Leaders
And the future of fashion itself.