Explore the Creative World of Fashion Designing

Fashion designer course is the art of applying creativity, patterns, aesthetics, clothing construction, and natural beauty to clothing and its accessories. Fashion designing comprises a broad range of components related to fashion like, fabrics, patterns, colors, styles, trends, etc. If you’re wondering how to get started, a fashion designer course should be your first step.

The skills and knowledge gained from the course help the students to create exquisite fashionable items and clothes that attract the modern population.

In this article, we will be discussing all about the fashion designing course. Let us begin by understanding the benefits of pursuing a fashion designer course.

Benefits of Fashion Designer Course

The fashion designer course is widely popularized among students due to the enticing benefits it offers. The program offers various perks and benefits to students pursuing a fashion designer course.

• The course provided intricate knowledge and skills to students relating to design and fashion. Students get a deep understanding of the latest fashion trends and different cultures and clothing.
• Due to rapid changes in fashion trends and culture, the demand for fashion designers is increasing day by day.
• This course offers a professing career to students. The scope of fashion design industry is widely spread covering both India as well as abroad.
• Experienced fashion designers get placed in top industries with a higher standard of living and lifestyle.
• The salary scale offered to professionals in reputed industries is highly astounding.

Fashion Designer Course Details

The fashion designer course is a popular specialization course in fashion and design. It comprises designing each and everything related to modern fashion like clothes, handbags, footwear, and accessories. The program is pursued primarily by Arts students having a creative outlook on everything. They use their critical thinking to design things that would blow out of proportion in the world of fashion. Moreover, they want to change and shape an era of fashionable items and create a new trendy one for the world.

Eligibility Criteria for Fashion Designer Course

Candidates from any stream- Arts, Commerce, or Science, can pursue fashion designer course after class 12. However, there are further specific criteria to be eligible for a course in fashion design.

• Students from any stream must pass their 10+2 board examination with a minimum of 50% aggregate from a recognised school board.
• A candidate can only pursue a PG course in fashion design if they have completed their bachelor’s program in the design field. As a result, only graduate-level students get accepted for any PG-level fashion designing programs in India.
• A candidate aiming for any reputed fashion designing college has to sit in the entrance exams held for this program. Like, NIFT, NID, CEED and UCEED are some of the vital entry-level exams.
• Some colleges, like the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), have their own set of eligibility criteria. As a result, students should check every criterion from their official website before applying to the college.

Types of Fashion Designing Courses

If you are interested in doing fashion designer course, there are various options available in India to suit your needs. Here’s a breakdown of the different types of courses available:

Short-term Courses

Short-term courses in fashion designing typically last between 1-3 months and are ideal for those who want to learn specific skills or techniques. These courses are often offered by fashion schools or institutes and cover topics such as fashion illustration, pattern-making, and garment construction. The fee for these courses can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of rupees, depending on the duration and the college you choose. Some of the best colleges for short-term fashion designer course in India include National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Pearl Academy, and Symbiosis Institute of Design.

Certificate Courses

Fashion designer course are usually 6-12 months in duration and cover the fundamentals of fashion design, including design concepts, color theory, and fashion merchandising. The fee for these courses can range from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 1 lakh. Some of the top institutes offering certificate courses in fashion designing in India include the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Pearl Academy, and the JD Institute of Fashion Technology.

Diploma Courses

Diploma courses in fashion designing are usually 1-2 years in duration and provide a more comprehensive education in fashion design. The fee for fashion designer course can range from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 3 lakhs. These courses cover a range of topics, including design techniques, textile science, and fashion marketing. Top institutes offering diploma courses in fashion designing include NIFT, the Pearl Academy, and the Symbiosis Institute of Design.

Long-term Courses – Degree Courses

Long-term courses in fashion design include degree courses such as Bachelor of Fashion Design (BFD) and Master of Fashion Design (MFD). Fashion designer course can last for 3-4 years for UG courses and 1-2 years for PG courses. The fee for these courses can range from Rs. 3 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs or more.  Degree courses in fashion designing are usually 3-4 years in duration and provide a comprehensive education in fashion design. These courses cover a wide range of topics, including design theory, fashion history, textile design, and fashion business management. Some of the top institutes offering degree courses in fashion designing in India include NIFT, National Institute of Design (NID), and the Amity School of Fashion Technology.

UG Courses

Undergraduate fashion designer course include Bachelor of Fashion Design (BFD) and Bachelor of Design (BDes) courses. Fashion designer course can last for 3-4 years and the fee can range from Rs. 3 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs. Undergraduate courses in fashion designing are typically 3-4 years in duration and are open to students who have completed their 10+2 education. These courses cover a wide range of topics, including design theory, garment construction, and fashion marketing. Top institutes offering UG courses in fashion designing include NIFT, NID, and the Pearl Academy.

PG Courses

Postgraduate courses in fashion designing include Master of Fashion Design (MFD) and Master of Design (MDes) courses. Postgraduate courses in fashion designing are typically 2 years in duration and are open to students who have completed their undergraduate education in fashion design. These courses cover advanced topics such as fashion forecasting, sustainable fashion, and luxury brand management. Some of the top institutes offering PG courses in fashion designing include NIFT, NID, and the Indian Institute of Art and Design.

Explore more career options for PCM students.

Fashion Designing Exams in India

All top fashion colleges admit students based on their performance in the entrance exams. The test has different stages of the design aptitude test. Finally, a personal interview round to shortlist candidates. Some top entrance exams are the following:

• NIFT Entrance Exam – NIFT is the ultimate choice for each fashion design aspirant. So, clearing its entrance exam is a task and requires skills. The Headquarters of NIFT is in Delhi. Also, it has 15 branches all over India in different Cities. As a result, it has various undergraduate and graduate programs for the students offering diversified in-depth knowledge about the field.
• NID DAT (National Institute of Design Aptitude Test) – This entrance exam has two phases, Prelims and Mains. The National Institute Of Design is one of the top fashion education colleges in the country. As a result, to pass the admission criteria, a candidate has to pass both stages of the NID DAT with excellent scores.
• UCEED (Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design) – This exam is for Undergraduate programs only. About 24 colleges in India participate in this national-level test. As a matter of fact, IIT Bombay conducts this particular entrance exam for the candidates. Also, the number of students appearing in this test is significantly high.
• CEED (Common Entrance Examination for Design) – IIT Bombay organises the CEED exam. This national-level test is for admissions to the master’s program in design. As a result, numerous colleges in India accept these scores for admission to the PG programs.
• IIAD (Indian Institute of Art and Design) – IIAD is one of the pioneer colleges in the field of fashion design. Hence, it offers different types of UG and PG-level programs in design. This entrance exam is challenging and helps students to get admission fairly.

Skills Needed for Fashion Designer Course

The course demands a lot of different kinds of skillset from the candidates so that they excel in this field. The students aiming to become successful designers must justify the course through their hard work and skills. Hence, some of the vital skills required in this field are:

• Artistic Skills
• Technical Skills
• Business Skills
• Communication Skills
• Creative Thinking

Fashion Designing Course – Subjects & Syllabus

Subject	Syllabus
Fashion Design Principles	Elements of design, color theory, fabrics, and textiles
Fashion Illustration	Sketching, drawing, rendering, and draping
Garment Construction	Sewing, pattern-making, and tailoring
Textile Science	Fiber and yarn production, dyeing, printing, and finishing
Fashion Marketing and Merchandising	Branding, advertising, fashion retailing, and fashion business management
History of Fashion	Historical fashion trends and their impact on contemporary fashion
Fashion Styling	Personal styling, editorial styling, and celebrity styling
CAD for Fashion Design	Computer-aided design software for creating digital fashion designs

Career Prospects in Fashion Designing

The job profiles after pursuing this course are in abundance. India is the second largest population in the world, so the demand for new fashion and clothing is enormous. As a result, there are numerous jobs on offer to cater for the need of such a large population. Hence, some of the jobs available after the course are:

Fashion Designer

A fashion designer tries to create new and trendy fashion for people of every gender and age. Hence, this job profile requires a lot of creativity and originality to draw and sketch something worthwhile. Also, aspirants can create their brand or join a firm to create and design clothes for them.

Qualifications & Skills Required

• Relevant degree in fashion designing from a recognized institute
• Trends identifying ability
• Analytical skills
• Creativity

Salary

The average salary of a fashion designer is around INR 5.25 LPA.

Costume Designer

Costume Designers work to design the wardrobe, accessories, and footwear for the entertainment industry. Every movie and television program hires a costume designer for themselves. Hence, their role is to design every fashion apparel used in the theatre, movie or television program.

Qualifications & Skills Required

• Relevant degree in fashion designing from a recognized institute
• Detail orientation
• Creativity & artistic skills
• Communication skills

Salary

The average salary of a costume designer is around INR 3.33 LPA.

Textile Designer

Textile designers produce designs, sketches, and samples for presentation to clients. These professionals work with the design department of the fashion designing industry and are responsible for accurately interpreting and representing client ideas.

Qualifications & Skills Required

• Relevant degree in fashion designing from a recognized institute
• Knowledge of texture, patterns, dyes, etc
• Creative & artistic skills
• Presentation skills

Salary

The average salary of a textile designer is around INR 4.58 LPA.

Visual Merchandiser

Visual merchandisers analyze, plan, and build displays that maximize impact on a day-to-day basis. They majorly work with suppliers and maintain close relations with retail-level executives. Visual merchandiser moves equipment, arranges light, and creates signage for projects.

Qualifications & Skills Required

• Relevant degree in fashion designing from a recognized institute
• Strong analytical skills
• Commercial awareness
• Communication skills

Salary

The average salary of a visual merchandiser is around INR 6.8 LPA.

Product Developer

Product developers are professionals who plan and develop fashion-focused products and present them within the target market. These professionals work closely with the design and technical construction team for designing seasonal collections.

Qualifications & Skills Required

• Relevant degree in fashion designing from a recognized institute
• Research ability
• Knowledge of software & designing
• Technical skills

Salary

The average salary of a product developer is around INR 6.9 LPA.

Fashion Stylist

The chief responsibility of a fashion stylist is providing fashion advice. These professionals work for clothing brands, individuals, and fashion houses. Fashion stylists choose and coordinate outfits for models in photoshoots or actors in reality shows or films. They also choose props and accessories for shoots.

Qualifications & Skills Required

• Relevant degree in fashion designing from a recognized institute
• Strong communication skills
• Good work ethics
• Interpersonal skills

Salary

The average salary of a fashion stylist is around INR 4.90 LPA.

Fashion Consultant

Fashion consultants are responsible for providing tailored advice on outfits, colors, styles, and fabrics that will suit clients’ needs and desires like their preferences, body type, style, price range, as well as the occasion the client is dressing for. These professionals also sell merchandise and increase sales for the company.

Qualifications & Skills Required

• Relevant degree in fashion designing from a recognized institute
• Communication skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Attention to details

Salary

The average salary of a fashion consultant is around INR 2.5 LPA.

Fashion Photographer

Fashion photographers oversee photo or video shoots. They are responsible for ensuring how clothing is presented in advertising campaigns, catalogs, and fashion magazines. These professionals work closely with the design team to ensure proper brand portrayal. Fashion photographers work in studios and carry out outdoor shoots.

Qualifications & Skills Required

• Relevant degree in fashion designing from a recognized institute
• Photo & video editing skills
• Graphics knowledge
• Artistic skills

Salary

The average salary of a fashion photographer is around INR 4.92 LPA.

Fashion Journalist

Fashion journalists are responsible for writing articles on fashion trends and clothing and accessories for multiple media platforms like magazines, newspapers, and websites. These professionals also contribute to journals, magazines, and blogs by writing articles on the latest fashion trends, apparel, and accessories.

Qualifications & Skills Required

• Relevant degree in fashion designing from a recognized institute
• Excellent communication skills
• Writing skills
• Analysis and reporting skills

Salary

The average salary of a fashion journalist is around INR 3 – 5 LPA.

Salary Source: Ambitionbox, Glassdoor, Payscale

Opportunities After Fashion Designing Course

Fashion designing is one of the most sought-after career choices for creative minds in India. The fashion industry in India is growing at a fast pace, and there is a constant demand for talented professionals in this field. Many reputed companies in India recruit fashion design graduates every year for various roles such as fashion designers, fashion consultants, fashion merchandisers, fashion stylists, etc. Here are some of the top recruiting companies for fashion designer courses in India:

Fabindia

Fabindia is a well-known Indian retail company that specializes in handcrafted products. The company hires fashion designers to create unique designs for their clothing and accessories lines.

Future Group

Future Group is a conglomerate that owns various retail chains in India, including Big Bazaar and Central. The company hires fashion designers to create designs for their in-house fashion brands.

Lifestyle

Lifestyle is a popular fashion retail chain in India that offers a wide range of clothing, footwear, and accessories. The company hires fashion designers to create new designs for their clothing lines.

Reliance Brand

Reliance Brands is a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited and owns various international fashion brands in India, including Diesel, Superdry, and Kate Spade. The company hires fashion designers to create designs for their clothing and accessories lines.

Raymond

Raymond is a well-known Indian textile and clothing company that owns various fashion brands, including Raymond, Park Avenue, and ColorPlus. The company hires fashion designers to create new designs for their clothing lines.

Unleash Your Creativity

If you have a creative flair and a passion for fashion, pursuing a career after fashion designer course can be a rewarding choice. India offers a plethora of undergraduate, postgraduate, and diploma courses in fashion designing to help you turn your dreams into reality. These courses equip you with essential skills and knowledge required for the fashion industry, such as garment construction, fabric knowledge, pattern-making, sketching, and more. The article provides a comprehensive overview of the top colleges and universities in India that offer fashion designing courses. The fashion industry is constantly evolving, and with the growing demand for skilled professionals, these courses can help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies. So, if you want to unleash your creativity and style, explore the exciting fashion designing courses available in India and embark on a fulfilling career in the fashion industry.

Read more about high-paying jobs in the arts stream.

Frequently Asked Questions