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How to enter the world of fashion? Here’s your guide (Image by Shutterstock/ Representational)
With the fashion industry constantly evolving and expanding, fashion design has emerged as a dynamic and promising career path. For those aspiring to enter this creative field, selecting the right college is a crucial first step.
India’s numerous colleges provide the launch pad for realising those dreams. The country boasts over 50 top fashion design colleges. Among these, there are 36 privately owned colleges and 15 public/government colleges. Of these, some of the top fashion design colleges include NIFT, Whistling Woods International, Pearl Academy, etc. To secure admission after passing their Class 12 boards, students need to qualify for the entrance exams like the NIFT Entrance Exam, Pearl Academy Entrance Exam, etc.
If you are also someone who aims to become a fashion designer, here are the top colleges you can choose from.
Widely regarded as the pinnacle of excellence in Fashion design education, NIFT was established by the Government of India in 1986 under the Ministry of Textiles. Admission to NIFT’s Bachelor’s program in design requires candidates to pass an entrance examination. With its industry-focused approach and comprehensive curriculum, NIFT offers a four-year course that equips students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in the field. Located in Hauz Khas, NIFT offers a range of UG, PG, and diploma programmes in the field of Fashion Design. The institute offers courses that include BDes, BFTech (Bachelor of Fashion Technology), MDes, and MFM (Master of Fashion Management), among others. The NIFT Delhi fees range from Rs 64,900 to Rs 12.34 lakh. The National Institute of Fashion Technology holds the top rank for Fashion Design by The Week 2023 and Business Today 2023.
Currently, it has 18 campuses spread across the country, namely NIFT Mumbai, NIFT Chennai, NIFT Patna, NIFT Gandhinagar, NIFT Bengaluru, NIFT Hyderabad, and NIFT Kolkata, among others.
Next on the list is Pearl Academy. Located in Mumbai, it is a private institute that offers UG, PG, and professional certificate programmes in various disciplines. Candidates seeking admission to this college have to appear for the Pearl Academy Entrance Exam, followed by a personal interview and portfolio presentation conducted by the institute.
Courses offered in this college are BDes, MDes, and certification, including MDes in Product Design, Fashion Styling & Image Design, Fashion Design, Fashion Specialisation in Fashion Design, BDes in Fashion and Celebrity Make Up, Personal Styling and Image Consultancy, and Fashion Design for Womens Wear, among others. The fees for B.Des courses range between Rs 22.16 lakh and 29.94 lakh, while for certification courses it is between Rs 2.1 lakh and 3.58 lakh, and for M.Des courses it is Rs 11.85 lakh.
Established back in 2004, Symbiosis Institute of Design, Pune (SID Pune), is one of the prominent design schools in India and is approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC). SID Pune conducts an admissions process for undergraduate design programmes. Hence, it is important to fill out an application form with a fee payment and take the online entrance exam, that is, the Symbiosis Entrance Exam for Design (SEED), for enrolling in the courses. Following the SEED exam, the students will have to undergo the Portfolio Review and Personal Interaction (PRPI) rounds and Personal Interaction.
B Des in Communication Design (Animation Film Design), B Des in Fashion Design, B Des in Communication Design, and B Des in Fashion Communication are some of the courses offered here. The total tuition fees of this institute are Rs 19 lakh.
Set up by the Army Welfare Education Society in 2004, the Army Institute of Fashion and Design (AIFD) is located in Bangalore. The institute aims to provide a professional and technical education to its students, covering areas of fashion design and apparel management. Currently, the institute offers two degrees at the undergraduate level, that is, B Sc in Fashion and Apparel Design and B Sc in Interior Design and Decoration. Admission to the courses is granted based on marks scored in the Army Institute of Fashion and Design Written Admission Test. The tuition fees for this institute are Rs 6 lakh.
Lastly, we have Whistling Woods International, founded in 2006 by Indian filmmaker Subhash Ghai. The institute offers a four-year course in BDes in Fashion Design for a total of Rs 20 lakh. To get admission to this institute, candidates who have passed class 12 or equivalent from any recognised board will have to qualify for MECAT: Media & Entertainment Common Aptitude Test, CAT: Creative Aptitude Test, SOP: Statement of Purpose, and P.I.: Personal Interview.
