1. The President of Pakistan is the Chancellor and the Chairperson of the Senate of PIFD.
2. The Federal Minister for Commerce is the Pro Chancellor and Deputy Chairperson of the Senate of PIFD.
3. The Vice Chancellor is the Chief Executive Officer of the Institute responsible for all administrative and academic functions, and shall be the secretary of the Senate of PIFD.
4. The authority responsible for overall governance of the Institute is the Senate of PIFD. It consists of 21 Members.
5. The Syndicate, comprising of 17 Members is the executive body of the Institute with the Vice Chancellor as its chairperson and the Registrar as its secretary.
6. The Academic Council, comprising of 18 Members, is the principal academic body of the Institute.
7. A Dean is the Academic Administrator for each Faculty.
8. The Registrar is the administrative head of the Secretariat of the Institute.
9. The Controller of Examinations is responsible for all matters concerning the conduct of examinations.
10. The Treasurer is the Chief Financial Officer of the Institute. Besides these Officers and Authorities, the Senate, the Syndicate and the Academic Council may set up such standing, special or advisory committees or sub-committees to promote the smooth working and good order of the Institute.

Pakistan School of Fashion Design (PSFD) started its humble beginning in 1995 as a Project of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan. With the blessings and support of the then Minister for Commerce, Mr. Ahmad Mukhtar and Secretary Commerce, Mr. Salman Farooqui, the then Vice-Chairman of EPB, Late Mr. Abu Shamim M. Ariff conceived the idea of establishing the first Fashion School in Pakistan. Mr. Ismail Qureshi, the then Commercial Counselor in Paris prevailed upon Mr. Lapidus to bring around the Federation of Haute Couture and L’Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Paris to grant affiliation to PSFD. The project was implemented on ground by Mrs. Abbasi S. Akhtar, the first Principal of PSFD. She was supported by Madam Olga Saurat, Director of La Chambre and Ms. Shazia Wiqar, alumnus of La Chambre. The faculty included Mr. Yasir Waheed, Ms. Maryse Faux, Ms. Angelika Kukla, Ms. Anila Qayum, Ms. Shama Saeed, and Mr. Philippe Germain-Vigliano.
In 1996, an Executive Committee (EC) was established with Mr. Ismail Khurram as its Chairman and Mrs. Naved Shahzad took over as Principal. In 1998, the then Chairman of EPB, Mr. Khawaja Bilal, supported in renewal of affiliation with La Chambre. The contract of affiliation with La Chambre is renewed after every three years.
In 2001, Prof. Hina Tayyaba assumed charge as Principal and aggressively liaised with Mr. Francois Broca, the new Director of La Chambre for renewal of affiliation and improvement of the curriculum. Financial management system was revamped and implemented under the guidance of Chairman EC, Mr. Farrukh Hussain Sheikh and Director General, EPB, Mr. Tariq Iqbal Puri. As Chairperson of Finance Committee, Mr. Pervaiz Hanif also contributed a lot and the School got unqualified bi-annual audit reports from Chartered Accountants, Internal Audit of the Ministry of Commerce and External Audit of the Auditor General of Pakistan. In 2003, Mr. Avais M. Hussain the then Chairman of Executive Committee, worked closely with the then Secretary Commerce, Mr. Tasneem Noorani and the Principal to pursue the agenda of upgrading PSFD’s legal status and Financial Autonomy.
In 2003, the then Minister for Commerce, Mr. Hamayun Akhtar Khan, advised the Principal to devise strategy for building a new campus for PSFD. Project proposal for construction of purpose built campus was developed accordingly with the support of the then Vice-Chairman of EPB, Mr. Ijaz Ahmad Qureshi, and Secretary Commerce Mr. Kamal Afsar. Simultaneously Mr. Avais M. Hussain, Mr. Ismail Qureshi, Mr. Naved Akram Cheema, Mr. Kamran Lashari and Mr. Ikhlaq Tarar provided active and concrete support for acquiring land. Mr. Jehangir Tareen, went all out to help the School get possession of land from Lahore Development Authority in 2005. PC-1 for the construction of new campus was approved with the support of Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, Mr. Akram Sheikh. Mr. Rana Shahzad took over as Project Director. An Implementation Committee was constituted with Director General, TDAP, Lahore, as Chairman to oversee progress of the project. As Director General, TDAP, Lahore, Mr. Haroon Rashid, Mr. Naved Arif, Mr. Agha Zafar Mehdi Shah and Mr. Muhammad Irfan Tarar contributed a lot in successful completion of the project in 2011.
In 2005, program of Fashion Marketing and Merchandising was introduced in affiliation with Mod’spe Institute of Fashion Marketing, Paris. Mr.Jean-Pierre Mocho, President of Federation Francaise Du Pret a Porter Feminin and Mr. Rene Mardellet, Managing Director, Mod’spe along with Mr. Jehanzeb Khan, the then Commercial Counselor in France, were instrumental in establishing this affiliation.
In 2006, Prof. Hina Tayyaba developed a proposal to revamp the School and establish 4 Schools sharing synergies with each other. Chairman EC, Mr. Avais M. Hussain, Minister for Commerce, Mr. Hamayun Akhtar Khan, Secretaries Commerce, Mr. Tasneem Noorani and Mr. Syed Asif Ali Shah fully agreed with and supported the concept through to its materialization. All out support was also extended by Minister for Industries and Production, Mr. Jehangir Tareen, and CEO of SMEDA, Mr. Shahab Khawaja. They inducted Professor Hina Tayyaba into their Strategic Working Groups, supported by US Aid, which focused on different labor intensive sectors such as Gems and Jewellery, Furniture, Textiles, and Leather. The meetings of Trade Policy and Strategic Working Groups contributed in giving concrete shape to establishing 4 Schools and 6 Programs and developing PC-1 “Purchase of Equipment, Furniture, Curriculum Development and Training of Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design, Lahore”. Mr. Shahbaz Ahmad, Economic Consultant, actively supported in giving final touches to PC-1 before it was approved through the personal interest of the then Secretary Commerce, Mr. Syed Asif Ali Shah and his team.
In 2007, Ministry of Commerce, Chairman, EC and the Principal succeed in their concerted efforts and got NOC from Higher Education Commission for Degree Awarding Status. In this process, Mr. Hamayun Akhtar Khan, Mr. Zahoor Hassan, Mr. Azmat Malik, Mr. Ata-urRehman, Mr. Sohail Naqvi, Mr. Tariq Ikram, Mr. Syed Asif Ali Shah and Mr. Tasneem Noorani played a crucial and commendable role. The same year, collaboration was established with Swedish School of Textiles, University Collage of Boras to provider for student exchange and faculty training. Mr. Javed Akbar, the then Commercial Counselor along with Mr. Kenneth, Director International Relations of Swedish School of Textiles contributed in forging the collaboration. As a consequence, Department of Textile Design was established.
In 2008, PSFD was reconstituted/renamed as Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD) and registered under the Companies Ordinance 1984. Mr. Shahzada Alam Monnoo, the then Minister for Commerce, helped in this smooth transition from a project of Ministry of Commerce to an autonomous organization having its own legal entity. The same year, four year Degree programmes were launched in Jewellery Design and Gemological Sciences, Leather Accessories and footwear, and Furniture Design and Manufacture. During 2009, Minister for Commerce, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Secretary Commerce, Mr. Salman Ghani, Chief Executive TDAP, Mr. Syed Mohibullah Shah, and Secretary TDAP, Mr. Mirza Karim Baig fully supported the Institute.
During the years 2010 and 2011, the tedious and time-consuming process of legislation for grant of Charter was effectively and ably negotiated by Mr. Zafar Mehmood the then Secretary Cabinet and later Secretary Commerce. In the Standing Committees of the Parliament, Mr. Khurram Dastgir, Ms. Shereen Khan, Mr. Ishaq Dar and Mr. Haroon Akhtar Khan lent full support to the Bill for grant of Charter. The passage of PIFD Act 2011 by the Parliament and its signing by the President of Pakistan culminated a fruitful journey from School to Federally Chartered Public Sector Institute. The pursuit for excellence however continues.
In 2011, Ministry of Commerce entrusted PIFD and TDAP with the responsibility of establishing 6 Constituent Colleges in Quetta, Peshawar, Hala, Multan, Faisalabad and Islamabad. The initiative was conceptualized and driven by Mr. Zafar Mehmood, the then Secretary Commerce, with the objective of leveraging the cultural heritage/strengths of the local manufacturing clusters and linking them with the mainstream of non-traditional export sector. The experienced gained in establishing PIFD is serving well in developing and sustaining these constituent colleges.
Organizations are not built over night or by one single individual. They are built in decades and centuries. Their sustainability owes a lot to many individuals and groups whose contribution may not be acknowledged expressly or individually. In the case of PIFD, they include the faculty and the staff of the Institute and Ministry of Commerce who worked selflessly and untiringly in translating the concept into reality.

Parliament Act No. X of 2011 to provide for reconstitution of the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design, Lahore with the powers to award degree was signed by the President of Pakistan on 29th April, 2011 and was published in the official gazette on 4th May, 2011. Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design has been granted Charter for Awarding Degree. It entitles our students to HEC recognized degree.

Parliament Act No. X of 2011 to provide for reconstitution of the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design, Lahore with the powers to award degree was signed by the President of Pakistan on 29th April, 2011 and was published in the official gazette on 4th May, 2011. Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design has been granted Charter for Awarding Degree. It entitles our students to HEC recognized degree.

As a matter of policy, PIFD continues to look for and forge mutually beneficial collaborations and affiliations at international as well as local levels. The objective is to expose the students to the best available opportunities of learning.
PIFD credits itself for affiliation and collaboration with some of the most renowned institutes and organizations possession enviable and global credentials. We work closely with them across many channels including curriculum development, teacher/students training, student exchange, workshops, participation in exhibitions/fairs etc.
Over the years significant among foreign affiliates are:

1. L’ Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, Paris, France
2. Mod' Spe Institute, Paris, France
3. Bucks New University, Buckinghamshire, UK
4. Moda Pelle, Milan, Italy 5) ARS, Milan, Italy
5. Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand – AIGS
6. University College of Boras, Sweden
7. Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland
8. Konstfack University, Stockholm, Sweden
9. Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) New York
10. London College of Fashion, UK
11. Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Islamabad
12. Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (AIGS), Bangkok, Thailand
13. Institute of Industrial Design Co. Ltd. (InstytutWzornictwaPrzemyslowego Sp. Zo.o) Poland.
14. MOU on exploring the possibilities of collaboration between Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design (PIFD) and its Sri-Lankan organization is       under process through the Prime Minister Secretariat Govt. of Pakistan.

PIFD has established meaningful robust linkages and maintains close rapport with government institutions, public sector enterprises and private industrial/commercial. Through regular interface with all these stakeholders, PIFD updates curricula and reorients its strategies so as to ensure job placement of graduates.

Notable among them are:

1. University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar
2. Punjab Government, PSDF Short Courses Programme
3. Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (LCCI) Lahore
4. Pakistan Leather Competitiveness Improvement Program (PLCIP)
5. The Punjab Educational Endowment Fund (PEEF)
6. Fashion Central Media Group
7. Pakistan Fashion Design Council (PFDC)
8. Hum TV Network