The Bachelor of Science course in fashion design is typically a three-year academic programme at the undergraduate level offered by several private and government institutions and universities across the country. The course is usually available for full-time study. However, a few institutions may offer it as a part-time or correspondence course too. The course fee may go from INR 1 lakh to more than 5 lakh, depending on the institution where the course is pursued.
Students who want to take up fashion design as a career on a freelance or employment basis should have the B.Sc in Fashion Design course as their priority choice.This course can help them enter one of the highest paying industries that they are passionate about. While the field of fashion design is full of glamour, it is also full of challenges for students. Thus, it is important to pursue it from a reputed institution to learn exactly how the dynamic fashion industry works. The undergraduate course in fashion design focuses on displaying innovation through constantly changing fashion trends while adopting economical ways.
While several universities and academic institutions offer the B.Sc in Fashion Design course, the most popular of them include the following:
· Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru
· Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar
· Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International School of Textiles and Management, Coimbatore
· JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru
· Inter National Institute of Fashion Design, Maharashtra
· Indian Institute of Fashion Technology, Bengaluru
· NIMS School of Textile and Fashion Design, Jaipur
· Punjab University, Chandigarh
· Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, Kolkata
· Tamil Nadu Open University, Chennai
Every academic field demands a certain type of skill set in students. The same is the requirement of the innovative field of fashion design. The B.Sc in Fashion Design course is not just limited to the design of clothing but also to the design of textiles, jewellery, footwear, and accessories. While the course opens several professional avenues for students, it is also important to be ready to pursue this course with the following skill set:
· Creativity with an eagerness to explore new things
· Learning orientation
· Strong grasping power to absorb knowledge
· Critical reasoning ability
· Open to risk taking
· Analytical ability
· Entrepreneurship spirit
· Open mindset
· Excellent communication
Candidates who have passed class 12th (10+2 pattern) from a recognised board can plan to pursue the B.Sc in Fashion Design course if they have the passion and basic skills to excel in this domain. Most of the institutions or universities offering this course also require candidates to have a minimum score of 50% in class 12 before they apply for admission.However, this percentage of marks may differ in accordance with the university or institution rules.
In fact, a few institutes also require candidates to have studied English as a mandatory subject in class 12 (exceptions may exist) for applying to seek admission in the B.Sc in Fashion Design course. While there is the merit-based admission in some universities for the fashion design undergraduate course, some other universities may conduct an entrance exam to admit students in this course. Thus, it is necessary for applicants to ensure that they are fully eligible to apply for the B.Sc programme in fashion design in a particular institution.
In most of the colleges, the major specialisation is fashion design when you pursue a B.Sc in Fashion Design course. This course specialisation focuses on the creation of original designs using one’s creativity and artistic skills. Students learn about every aspect of designing products like clothing, accessories, jewellery, etc. From apparel-creation methods to the analytical drawing, students lay their hands on every facet of fashion design.
With this wide specialisation course, students can turn into honed fashion designers who can work in fashion houses, textile firms, footwear companies, and even with jewellery makers. They can also be fashion illustrators, fashion stylists, fashion coordinators or fashion merchandisers. Many students prefer to have their own fashion boutiques or work as fashion consultants.
Among some other common specialisations offered in the B.Sc in Fashion Design course is the accessory and jewellery design. Some institutes also offer this as the jewellery design and technology specialisation. By pursuing this specialisation, students can polish their skills of creating and creating jewellery of varied types. They learn to apply the latest technologies and tools of designing jewellery in unique and innovative ways. They also get a strong base by learning about the history of jewellery, its markets, manufacturing process, and even its marketing and brand building.
Considering the detailed knowledge of students in jewellery making and design, they can pursue a career as jewellery designers, production managers, exhibition managers, and jewellery merchandiser. They can work in jewellery houses or on their own.
Textile design is another commonly available specialisation for students who are interested in pursuing the B.Sc in Fashion Design course. Through this specialisation, students can gain the knowledge of different types of fabrics and apply their innovative concepts and processes to create unique designs. They also get to do embroidery design and experiment with colour details, textures, prints, and much more. The textile design specialisation lets students work on both structural design and surface design. They even learn about varied aspects of textile production and fibre properties in detail.
With a strong foundation in textile design, students can later make a good career as textile designers, colorists, textile design consultants, embroidery designers, fabric analysers, and merchandising assistants. They can apply for suitable positions in fashion houses, export houses, buying agencies, apparel manufacturing firms, handloom co-operatives, merchandising firms, retail stores, and dyeing and printing factories.
Under this specialisation of the B.Sc in Fashion Design course, students can gain the knowledge of various footwear design methodologies, as well as materials and manufacturing processes. They also gain expertise in analysing market trends, business practices, and consumer behaviour.
The B.Sc in Fashion Design course with footwear design specialisation can open several avenues for students who want to become footwear designers or lifestyle products makers. They can become brand managers with footwear manufacturing or merchandising firms. Students can also go on becoming skilled professionals who can work with private labels. Those interested in the teaching jobs can become instructors in colleges and universities.
Similar to textile design, a specialisation in apparel design under the B.Sc in Fashion Design course also prepares students for an intensive study of the fashion industry. From textile manufacturing and design to apparel marketing, they can learn every aspect of the field. They develop their own styles of apparel design to meet the changing needs of the industry. Students can experience the practical aspects of apparel design when they get the opportunities of organising or managing fashion shows with their fellows.
By learning about the textile art and apparel design tools, as well as apparel production and quality assurance, students can become proficient as apparel designers, quality control managers, fashion designers, and product development assistants.
The B.Sc in Fashion Design course is also available in some institutions with a specialisation in leather design. Some students are interested in designing accessories in leather, and this course specialisation can teach them several ways of it. They can gain an in-depth knowledge of leather apparel and goods as well as embroidery and designs that can be created using them. They can be creative with designs according to the dynamic needs of the leather design industry.The leather design specialisation helps students learn the ins-and-outs of the leather market and material.
Leather design is a great course specialisation with a vast scope in the professional arena. Students can become good artisans, consultants, sample makers, pattern makers, and even freelance fashion designers.
The B.Sc in Fashion Design course also comes with a specialisation in knitwear design that opens career opportunities for students in the vibrant knitwear industry. Students in this specialisation can work on a variety of state-of-the-art equipment and knitting machines. They learn specialised techniques of manufacturing and the processing of knitwear.
Pursuing this specialisation course in knitwear design can offer a great career to students who want to work in the field of garment manufacturing and knitwear design. They can go on becoming excellent colourists, knitwear designers, technical designers, and freelance fashion designers. As professionals, they can also take up positions like facility manager and procurement coordinator in the garment industry. Those who love teaching can also become knitwear design instructors at various fashion institutes.