Fashion Design refers to the art, design, and creation of various articles of clothing and accessories. Fashion Design not only involves design and production techniques but also involves the study of market trends and cultural relevance.
Fashion Design is a vast field of study and includes a multitude of specializations, such as apparel design, retail store operations, lifestyle accessories, garment technology, and knitwear design.
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Candidates aspiring towards a career in fashion design can opt for the following undergraduate degrees -
Bachelor of Design (B Des) - 4 years
Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B FTech) - 4 years
Bachelor of Science (B Sc) - 3 years
Bachelor of Arts (BA) - 3 years
Bachelor of Vocation (B Voc) - 3 years
Undergraduate Diploma
Certificate Courses
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Specializations offered in fashion design include the following -
Athletic Wear
Eco-Fashion
Fashion and Apparel Design
Fashion and Garment Technology
Fashion and Lifestyle Technology | Fashion and Lifestyle Accessories
Fashion and Retail Store Operations
Fashion Communication
Fashion Design and Management
Fashion Fit and Style
Fashion Technology
Knitwear Design
Mass Market Fashion
Interior Products & Handcrafted Accessories
Retail and Fashion Merchandise
Sustainable Fashion
Textile Technology | Textile Science, Clothing and Fashion Studies | Textile and Apparel Design
Students can enroll in fashion design colleges and courses after appearing for entrance exams across the country. The eligibility criteria are as follows -
Candidates enrolling in fashion design programs and entrances must have passed their 10+2 (or equivalent) examinations from a recognized Indian board with a minimum aggregate of 50-55% marks.
Candidates from any stream (Science/Commerce/Humanities) can apply for fashion design courses.
Certain fashion technology courses require candidates to have chosen the science stream in their 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects.
The admission procedure for fashion design colleges and courses in India is as follows -
Candidates applying for fashion design courses must qualify for the minimum eligibility to appear for the respective entrance exams. Candidates can apply for the entrance examinations by registering in the online portal and submitting the required documents.
After appearing for the entrance exams, candidates will be shortlisted based on scores, ranks, and merit lists in the counseling session for the respective colleges/entrances. Some colleges may also conduct group discussions and private interviews (GD/PI) rounds for further screening of candidates.
In the case of merit-based admissions, candidates will be shortlisted based on their 10+2 examination scores.
Shortlisted candidates may finalize their admission at the concerned college by paying the fees and submitting the required documents for verification.
Some of the important entrance tests offering admission into undergraduate fashion design courses include the following -
Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) - conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai
National Institute of Design-Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT) - conducted by the National Institute of Design (NID)
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Entrance Exam - conducted by NIFT
The All India Entrance Examination for Design (AIEED) - conducted by the ARCH Academy of Design
The Indian Insitute of Art and Design- Design Aptitude Test (IIAD-DAT) - conducted by IIAD
Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design (SEED) - conducted by the Symbiosis Institute of Design (SID)
Pearl Academy Entrance Exam/Design Aptitude Test - conducted by Pearl Academy
Unitedworld Institute of Design- Design Aptitude Test (UID-DAT) - conducted by UID
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Students with an interest in fashion trends, designing, and styling will find fashion design the ideal study goal for them. Students may gauge their aptitude for fashion design with the following criteria:
Ideation and Initiative
Creative Ability
Originality and Innovation
Market Knowledge
Visual Imagination
Visual Communication
Technical Skills with Software Systems
Knowledge of Styles and Trends in the Fashion Industry
Communication Skills and Teamwork
Business and Management Skills
Fashion Design courses comprise subjects and topics such as -
1. History of Fashion
2. Model Drawing
3. Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
4. Design and Colour Theory
5. Fashion Illustration
6. Elements of Textiles and Textile Science
7. Manufacturing Technology
8. Fabric Dyeing and Printing
9. Global Fashion Trends
10. Colour Mixing and Grading
11. Fashion Distribution Management
12. Pattern Making and Garment Construction
13. Fashion Accessories
14. Fabric Studies
15. Apparel Merchandising
16. Marketing and Retail
17. Fashion Entrepreneurship
The most coveted and lucrative fashion design specializations for the future include -
Sustainable Fashion
Retail Planning
Fashion Technology
New Materials and Contemporary Fashion Design
Artificial Intelligence-Fashion Design
Eco-Fashion
Mass-Market Production
After completing their undergraduate degrees, candidates can further their fashion design study goals through postgraduate and research degrees.
The eligibility criteria for pursuing postgraduate courses is completing an undergraduate fashion design degree in the specialization/course of choice from a recognized university with a minimum aggregate of 55% marks.
Popular postgraduate degrees in fashion design include -
Master of Design (M Des) - 2 years
Master of Fashion Technology (M FTech) - 2 years
Master of Fashion Management (MFM) - 2 years
Master of Business Management (MBA) - 2 years
Master of Science (MSc) - 2 years
Master of Arts (MA) - 2 years
Master of Vocation (M Voc) - 2 years
Post-graduate Diploma - 9 months to 2 years
Master of Philosophy (M Phil) - 2 years
Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
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Important entrance exams for admission into postgraduate fashion design programs include -
Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) - conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai (IIT-M)
National Institute of Design Design Aptitude Test (NID DAT)
National Insitute of Fashion Technology Entrance Exam (NIFT EE)
All India Entrance Examination for Design (AIEED)
Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design (SEED)
Fashion design is a promising study goal and a highly coveted stream in the design industry. Fashion design offers several career avenues and job prospects in both, the public and private sectors. Fashion design graduates receive placement offers from established fashion houses and reputed brands visiting their college during campus placement programs organized by the training and placement cell.
Popular and lucrative career prospects in fashion design include the following -
Fashion Designer
Fashion Consultant
Personal Stylist
Quality Control Manager
Fashion Show Organiser
Technical Designer
Textile Designer
Apparel Designer
Accessory Designer/Stylist
Costume Designer
Retail Merchandiser
Fashion Writer
Production Manager
Starting salaries in fashion design range between INR 2 to 4 LPA, and can go as high as INR 35 LPA for experienced senior technicians.
Students interested in fashion design might be interested in similar subjects like -
Product Design
Graphic Design
Leather Design
Multimedia Design
Exhibition Design
Communication Design
Animation and Filmmaking
Fine Arts
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