Careers in the Fashion and Design

Janmay Singh Hada and Manoj Tiwari

National Institute of Fashion Technology, Jodhpur
"Fashion" is keyword of our time. Our society is changing rapidly due to globalisation,
internet and fast communication. Indian fashion and design sector plays an important role
in the Indian economy and impact significantly at national and international level. Fashion
has infiltrate into almost every corner of life. It transgress varied micro and macro aspects
including changing methods, newer technologies, regional configurations, personal and
social networks. India's vast potential, especially in the new area of design, technology and
management in fashion sector is still untapped. Rising affluence has increased brand
awareness among Indian consumer. Fashion field is dynamic, fast changing and full of
creativity in nature. It offers limitless career opportunities and provides a platform for a
promising future. Fashion is one of the few fields of work which offers "Name, Fame and
Money" with personal satisfaction. Fashion graduates from various institutes have various
options like working as designers (Fashionpreneurs and Designpreneurs), garment
technologists,

fashion

managers,

supply

chain

managers,

product

developers,

merchandisers, fashion consultants, fashion photographers, fashion journalists, fashion

forecaster and working in export houses at key positions.
The vision of the National Design Policy,2011 envisages the importance and strategic plans
to promote design interventions in India. It highlights the need of developing a platform for
creative design development, design promotion and partnership across many sectors ,
states and regions for integrating design with tradition and technological resources.
India is among the leading exporter of raw materials, fabrics, garments and other fashion
products. At the same time India has a huge young population (with more than 81% of the
population below 45 years , and median age of 26 year). India is expected to become the
worlds youngest emerging economy by 2020, with around 64% of its population in the
working age group. India is one of the largest market for fashion products. This indicates the
opportunities in fashion field at domestic level. In the difficult times when India has been
suffering with higher double digit inflation rate and a comparatively low growth rate

(approx. 5% per year), the Indian fashion sector is growing with good pace and expected to
maintain the growth at 10-12% per year in coming years. India's textile and clothing exports
registered a robust growth. The value of Indian retail is growing at steady rate of 6% per
year and touching USD 500 and expected to reach USD 865 by 2023. According to the
"Nielson global luxury brand study" India is among the most brand conscious courtiers in the
world with 35% Indian survey respondents reporting to buy designer brands . Indian luxury
retail is growing at whopping compounded annual growth rate of 25%. India is expected to
be the next future market for luxury retailing. This also reconfirms the huge untapped
career potential for fashion professionals.
With the changing time and global business dynamics, there are many emerging focus areas
with new career opportunities. The major such areas are IT empowered fashion business
practices, global sourcing and buying, business process outsourcing, knowledge
management, fashion journalism, fashion communication, and intellectual property rights.
These practices are rewriting the function of fashion business and further widened the
fashion career spectrum for young brains.
Personal attributes
Since these programmes are multi-disciplinary and holistic in nature, it need an in-depth
knowledge on the particular fields. One must have a thorough knowledge of the respective
field to judge the skill, power of observation, innovation and design ability of the candidate.
One should also have an interest in issues related to basic design skills and processes leading
to conceptual skills and ideation for creative mobilization of process and strategies for
innovation. Aspirants willing to make a career in fashion sector should be creative, yet
understand the technical and markets aspects of business, problem solving, result oriented,
able to set priorities, self-starters and must also have the capability to work in a team or
lead a team.
Courses and eligibility
Several institutes, colleges and universities offer Diploma, Under-graduate, Post-graduate
,Post-graduate Diploma and Ph.D. Programmes in Fashion Design, Technology and

Management streams in India and overseas. One can opt for Bachelors of Design (B. Des.),
Bachelors of Fashion Technology (B. F. Tech), Bachelors of Science (Textile and Clothing) or
Graduate Diploma Programme in Design in Communication after 12th standard. The
duration of such programmes is generally 3 to 4 years. One can also pursue Masters of
Design (M. Des.), Masters of Fashion Technology (M.F. Tech), and Masters of Fashion
Management (MFM) or Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) courses in design fields. The duration
of these, programmes are two years and the minimum eligibility criterion in this regard is a
graduate degree in respective fields or any other related subjects. For 2-year M.F. Tech;
candidates with B. Tech., B.E. and B. F. Tech. are eligible. Apart from these, various collages
in the field of design and technology also offer short-term Post Graduate Diploma programs.
Research oriented programmes such as M. Phil and different universities and institutes offer
Ph. D in Fashion Design, Technology, and Management.
Different career segments in Fashion & DesignDesign: These programmes aim to evolve expertise in design methodology, materials and
production process, consumer behaviour and market dynamics, trend and forecast
interpretations, business practices and project management in the fields of fashion and
design sector.
Streams in design : Fashion design, textile design, fashion communication/ communication
design, animation, exhibition, film and video, graphic design, visual communication,
animation, interaction , leather design, accessory design, Industrial design (ceramic & glass,
furniture & interior), product design , knitwear design, interaction design, mobility and
vehicle design etc.
Courses offered: Graduate diploma in designing, Bachelor of Designing, Post Graduate
Diploma Programme in Design, Masters of Design, Ph. D.
Career Prospects: These programmes equip students to pursue a wide range of careers in
the design sector as trend forecasters, product developers, textile designers, colourist,
merchandiser, creative designer, technical designer, pattern maker, visual merchandiser etc.
The graduate would also be able to make contributions in research and development in

government and private agencies.

Such programmes encourage inter-disciplinary and intra disciplinary studies that integrate
holistic perspectives in creative pursuing engaging design and technology as applicable to
the following thrust area viz. New product design and development , communication design,
new media usability Engineering, Interaction Design, Experiential Design, Environmental
Design, Human-Computer Interaction Design, Ergonomics, studies in Occupational Hazard
and Safety, and Design Management, New Media, Communication Design and Film, etc. The
students are encouraged to undertake projects involving intensive analysis and synthesis in
the form of conceptual design, simulation and making functional prototype.
Fashion Technology: This is a multi-disciplinary, technology-oriented field, which prepares
students to meet the requirements of newly emerging challenges of the apparel sector. The
key focus area of fashion technology is the core apparel manufacturing technology, with
emphasis on best practices coupled with understanding and application of Information
Technology. Professionals of fashion technology can significantly contribute to the fashion
technology domain of the apparel industry.
Courses offered : Bachelor Degree, Master Degree and Ph. D. in Fashion Technology
Career Prospects: The programme equips students to pursue wide range of careers in
apparel production, quality assurance, garment technology, sourcing, product development,
sourcing, project analysis, production planning, and system analysis and software
application.
Fashion Management: This field is a good career option to the candidates who aim to
develop managerial skills in the field of marketing, merchandising and retailing best suited
to the requirements of the garment export and fashion retail sectors.
Courses offered: Master programmes and Ph. D.
Career Prospects : The programmes in Fashion Management offer a solid platform for those
wishing to pursue careers in international marketing, brand management, retail buying and
global sourcing, retailer, buyer, retail store manager, visual merchandiser, export

merchandising, management consulting, fashion education, retail technology, supply chain,

customer relationship management etc. in the sectors of apparel, lifestyle and accessories.
Careers related to fashion include:
Fashion and design sector as a career offers vast job opportunities for its graduates, post
graduates and research scholars in different areas. apart from the private sector, a
bachelors, masters or doctoral degree holder in fashion sector can get a good position/ job
according to their knowledge and experience in the Govt./semi Govt. organizations also.
There is the need for them in various organizations like National handloom development
corporation, central cottage industries corporation, handicrafts and handloom export
corporation, National textile corporation , Wool sector export promotion council,
Handloom export promotion council, Apparel export promotion council, Indian Silk Export
Promotion Council, Woollen Export Promotion Council, Carpet Export Promotion Council,
Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts, Power loom Development, Footwear design &
development institutes, Apparel training and design centre. The post graduate and doctoral
programmes enable the scholars to contribute in research and development and teaching
areas.
Many of the leading Fashion and Design institutes in India have collaboration with
international Institutes and universities of world repute. Under the MOU, students get
opportunity for exposure to the international market and fashion world. There are many
options available for students such as student exchange, dual degree and summer
internship etc. Some of the leading fashion institutes which offer the courses in fashion
design, technology and management area across globe are

Fashion Institute of Technology, New York

London college of Fashion, UK

Mod Art International, Paris

Ontario College of Art and Design, Canada

Swinburne University of Technology, University in Melbourne, Australia

Farnham University, UK.

Colorado state university (USA)

Royal Academy of Arts, Netherland

BGMEA Institute of Fashion and Technology (BIFT), Dhaka

University of Southampton, UK

China Central Academy of Fine Arts

Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

cole nationale suprieure de cration industrielle (ENSCI), France

HUF HAUS, Germany

Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, US

Academy of Arts ( San Francisco)

The leading Institutes and universities which offer a variety of diploma, graduate, post
graduate and Ph.D. programmes in Fashion and Design filed have been listed below.
Sr.
No.
1.

2.

Institute
National
Institute
of
Fashion
Technology
(NIFT) - 15
Centres across
India
National
Institute
of
Design (NID) - 3
Centres across
India

Courses
offered

Mode of
selection

Affiliation/Status

Website

B.Des.,
M.Des.,
B.F.Tech.,
M.F.Tech.,
M.F.M,
Ph.D

NIFT
Entrance
Exam (National
Level Exam)

A Statutory body
governed by the NIFT
Act 2006 and Set up
by
Ministry
of
Textiles, Government
of India

www.nift.ac.in

GDPD and
PGDPD

NID
Entrance
Exam (National
Level Exam)

Autonomous
Institute
Ministry
Commerce
Sector, GOI.

www.nid.edu
under
of
and

Note : NID will now be

able to award degrees, PG,
MPhil and PhD)
as
National
Institute
of
Design Bill, 2014 has been
passed in the parliament
on 09-July-2014.

3.

Indian Institute
of Technology
(IIT), Mumbai,

M.Des.,
Ph.D.

4.

Indian Institute
of Technology
(IIT), Delhi
Indian Institute

M.Des.,
Ph.D.

5.

B.Des.,

Common
Entrance
Exam
for Design (CEED)
for M. Des and
Ph.D
Common
Entrance
Exam
for Design (CEED)
IIT-JEE for B. Des,

Institutes
Technology
1961]

of
Act,

http://www.idc.iitb.
ac.in

Institutes
of
Technology Act, 1961

http://iddcweb.iitd.
ac.in

Institutes

http://www.iitg.ac.i

of

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

of Technology
(IIT),Guwahati

M.Des.,
Ph.D.

Indian Institute
of Technology
(IIT),Kanpur
Indian Institute
of Information
Technology,
Design
and
Manufacturing
(IIITDM)
,Jabalpur
Indian Institute
of
Science,
Bangalore
North
India
Institute
of
Fashion
Technology
(NIIFT), Mohali,
Punjab
Sardar
Vallabhbhai
Patel
International
School
of
Textiles
&
Management
Coimbatore
Army Institute
of
Fashion
Design,
Bangalore
University
of
Mumbai

M.Des.,
Ph.D.

Institute
of
Fashion
Technology
Lady
Irwin
college

B.Sc, PGD.

Punjab
Agricultural
University

B.Sc., M.Sc,

Common
Entrance
Exam
for Design (CEED)
for M. Des and
Ph.D
Common
Entrance
Exam
for Design (CEED)
Common
Entrance
Exam
for Design (CEED)

Technology
(Amendment)
1994.

n/design
Act,

Institutes
of
Technology Act, 1961

http://www.iitk.ac.i
n/design

Ministry of Human
Resource
Development
(MHRD),
Government of India

http://www.iiitdmj.a
c.in

Centre of excellence

http://www.cpdm.ii
sc.ernet.in

UG. and PG

Common
Entrance
Exam
for Design (CEED)
Written
exam
followed
by
situation test for
UG and PG

The department of
Industries
&
Commerce, Govt. of
Punjab

www.niiftindia.com

PGDM,
PGDRM,
PGDAM and
B.Sc.

SVPISTM
Test,
Group
Discussion/Intervi
ew

Autonomous
Institute, Ministry of
Textiles, Govt. of
India

www.svpistm.ac.in

UG, MFAD,
MFRM

General
ability
test(Wat/ Cat)

Army
Welfare
Education Society in
Oct 2004

www.aifdonline.in

B.Sc.

Merit

M.Des.,
Ph.D.

M.Des.,
Ph.D.

B.Sc., M.Sc,

Status No. 593 to 642

regarding grant of
autonomous status
Admission through MS University of
merit
Baroda, Vadodara

www.mu.ac.in

PG admission test

www.ladyirwin.edu.i
n

CET Design 2014,

MET-2014

Delhi University

University

http://www.msubar
oda.ac.in

www.pau.edu

Note: This list is indicative only and there may be some variations. For latest and detail information, please
visit the website of the respective institute.

Conclusion:
Careers in fashion are definitely the flavour of the present and future. Candidates who are
dynamic, energetic and posses creative skills are welcomed. These programmes aim for
developing skill, awareness and ability among the students in order to provide creative
solutions that are innovative in nature. At the same time student, develop a unique logical
approach towards product design and the engineering/ fashion design. This results into the
product and solutions, which are well engineered, aesthetic, and ergonomic, and posses
improved manufacturability. Limitless opportunities with bright career are waiting for them
at national and international level.

Authors :
Janmay Singh Hada, Assistant Professor and Manoj Tiwari, Associate Professor are
associated with National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Jodhpur.