What is Fashion Design?
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 specialisations, such as apparel design, retail store operations, lifestyle accessories, garment technology, and knitwear design.
Undergraduate Fashion Design Degrees Offered
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 (BSc)- 3 years
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)- 3 years
- Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)- 3 years
- Bachelor of Vocation (B Voc)- 3 years
- Undergraduate Diploma
- Certificate Courses
Specialisations in Fashion Design
Specialisations 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
Eligibility and Requirements for Fashion Design
Students can enrol in fashion design colleges and courses after appearing for entrance exams across the country. The eligibility criteria are as follows-
- Candidates enrolling on fashion design programmes and entrances must have passed their 10+2 (or equivalent) examinations from a recognised 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.
Admission Procedure for Fashion Design
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 counselling 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 finalise their admission at the concerned college by paying the fees and submitting the required documents for verification.
Entrance Tests for Fashion Design Courses
Some of the important entrance tests offering admission into undergraduate fashion design courses include the following-
- The Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED)- conducted by the Indian Insitute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B)
- 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
Aptitude for Fashion Design
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 Subjects
Fashion Design courses comprise subjects and topics such as-
- History of Fashion
- Model Drawing
- Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
- Design and Colour Theory
- Fashion Illustration
- Elements of Textiles and Textile Science
- Manufacturing Technology
- Fabric Dyeing and Printing
- Global Fashion Trends
- Colour Mixing and Grading
- Fashion Distribution Management
- Pattern Making and Garment Construction
- Fashion Accessories
- Fabric Studies
- Apparel Merchandising
- Marketing and Retail
- Fashion Entrepreneurship
Top Fashion Design Specialisations for the Future
The most coveted and lucrative fashion design specialisations 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
Post-graduate Study/Research Opportunities in Fashion Design
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 specialisation/course of choice from a recognised 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)- 3 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 (PhD.)
Important entrance exams for admission into postgraduate fashion design programmes include-
- Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED)- conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B)
- 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)
Career prospects/Placements in Fashion Design
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 programmes organised 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
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.
Subjects Similar to Fashion Design
Students interested in fashion design might be interested in similar subjects like-
- Product Design
- Graphic Design
- Interior Design
- Leather Design
- Multimedia Design
- Exhibition Design
- Communication Design
- Animation and Filmmaking
- Fine Arts