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How to Become an Apparel Designer: Skills, Courses & Career Guide

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Introduction

How to Become an Apparel Designer? Apparel design, a sub-discipline of fashion design, requires a blend of imagination, creativity, and a keen understanding of current fashion trends. To develop distinctive apparel, one must utilize imagination and creativity while keeping current fashion trends in mind.

An aspiring apparel designer must stay current with the fashion industry’s advances as well as maintain a close watch on the market and customer demands. The responsibilities of an apparel designer also include creating fresh drawings, selecting appropriate patterns and fabrics for the item, and overseeing manufacturing.

Manufacturing recruiters are hiring skilled apparel designers that can work creatively and with a dedication to meet the needs of the people. Designers can also be self-employed. Fabric, style, and pattern expertise are essential for the designer. Any higher education degree that requires an individual to have design and technical abilities can be pursued by the aspirant. One such certification is a bachelor’s degree in fashion design.

Skills Required

Here are some of the key skills required for a career in apparel designing:

Technical skills

IT skills

Eligibility and Courses

Stream	Graduation/Diploma	Post-graduation/ Diploma
Candidates must have completed Class 12th from a recognized institution.	It is necessary to have a bachelor’s degree (BFA, BA, Bdes) or diploma courses from a reputable university. To enroll in a graduate program, you must pass the required examinations.	It is essential to have a master’s degree (MFA, MA, MBA, M.Des) or a postgraduate diploma (PG Diploma) from a reputable university. Before enrolling in a post-graduate program, one must pass the required exams.
Pass with a minimum of 45% – 60% aggregate marks.	Pass with a minimum of 45% – 60% aggregate marks.	Pass with a minimum of 45% – 60% aggregate marks.
They can major in any subject, but arts is the most favored. After that, they’ll be able to pursue a bachelor’s degree.	They can major in Apparel Design (B.Sc. in fashion and apparel design, BBA in Fashion Design/Fashion Management). After that, they will be eligible for a master’s degree.	They can pursue master’s degrees in Apparel Designing(M.Sc. in fashion and apparel design, MBA in Fashion Design/Fashion Management).

Apparel Designing Courses-

Undergraduate courses	Postgraduate courses	Diploma courses
B.Sc. fashion and apparel design	M.Sc. fashion and apparel design	UG Diploma in Fashion/ Apparel Designing
B.Des.	M.Des.	PG Diploma in Fashion/Apparel Designing
B.Voc. Fashion Design	MBA Fashion Design/Fashion Management	—
BA Fashion Design	MA Fashion Design	—
BFA	ME/M.Tech. in Fashion Design	—
BE/B.Tech in Fashion Design	—	—
BBA Fashion Design/Fashion Management	—	—

Top Colleges

The following are some top companies that hire graduates of Apparel designing:

College name	Location
National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)	Various locations in India
Symbiosis International University	Pune
Pearl Academy	Various Locations in India
Amity University	Noida
School of Fashion Technology	Pune
Indian Institute of Fashion Technology(IIFT)	Delhi
Army Institute of Fashion and Design	Bangalore
JD Institute of Fashion Technology	Banglore
National Institute of Design (NID)	Delhi
International Institute of Fine Arts (IIFA)	Ghaziabad

Internships for Apparel Designing students- Students can intern in merchandising companies, product catalog styling companies, and fashion houses. Internships in the apparel designer sector allow you to work from home and on a part-time basis. Internships with big fashion houses and firms are available in India for garment designers. They might also participate in internships with well-known fashion designers. A hands-on internship with an apparel designer is the most effective way to get into the fashion industry. After completing the internship, the companies may hire them as permanent designers for their brand. Students gain a thorough grasp of the company as well as every area of current fashion trends throughout their internship. Interns must show that they are creative in their work. The following are some of the benefits of internships:

While school gives a strong academic foundation for a career in the arts, success requires real-world skills.
Internships can also help you earn money.
An internship is a wonderful way to demonstrate your abilities, passion, and value to a future employer.
As an intern, you’ll have more opportunities to network with industry experts. It will assist you in moving further in your career

Entrance Exams

Exam name	Conducting Body	Exam mode	Duration	Exam Level
NIFT (NIFT Entrance Exam)	National Institute of Fashion Technology	Offline	3 hours	National Level
NID DAT (NID Design Aptitude Test)	National Institute of Design	Offline	3 hours	National Level
SOFT CET ( School of Fashion Technology Common Entrance Test)	School of Fashion Technology, Pune	Online	2 hours 30 minutes	University Level
AIFD WAT (Army Institute of Fashion & Design Written Admission Test)	Army Institute of Fashion and Design, Bangalore	Online	3 hours	University Level
Pearl Academy Entrance Exam	Pearl Academy	Offline	2 hours	University Level
CEED (Common Entrance Exam for Design)	IIT Bombay	Online and Offline	3 hours	National Level
SET (Symbiosis Entrance Test)	Symbiosis International University	Online	1 Hour 45 Minutes	University Level
AIEED (All India Entrance Examination for Design)	ARCH Academy of Design	Online	3 hours	National Level

Work Description

Someone who works in the field of clothing and fashion design is known as an apparel designer. Their tasks include everything from idea design to final garment production. The following duties are generally included in an apparel designer’s daily schedule:

Employment sector for Apparel Designing students-

Apparel designers can work in a wide number of industries. Some of the most frequent and popular industries/sectors in which fashion designers might work are as follows:

Garment and Textile export houses – They create clothes, as well as accessories like jewelry and footwear, that appeal to customers and suit their unique design needs.

Textile and fabric manufacturing units- Textile clothing designers work in textile and fabric manufacturing facilities to create designs, specifications, and then supervise the production of textiles that fit the client’s demands.

Boutiques- Apparel designers create garments that are shown at designer stores.

Retail chains- They collaborate with retailers to create customer-pleasing clothes that are sold in all of the retailer’s locations.

Stylist- Personal stylists for celebrities and major events are also employed by apparel designers.

Tv and Film industry- Celebrity clothing designers create costumes and outfits for the stars of cinema and television. They think about the movie’s narrative and the characters’ complexity.

Color specialist- Apparel designers operate as color specialists in the business, paying close attention to color distinction and dyes utilized in the design.

Knit-wear designers- Textile apparel designers work extensively on drapes, knits, hems, and patterns. Designers specializing in knitwears strive to include innovation in winter wear, creating knit patterns that are aesthetically pleasing.

Branded fashion showrooms- Apparel designers frequently create collections to meet the needs of high-end fashion shops. These collections are then placed in stores and made available for purchase.

Top Recruiters

The following are some top companies that hire graduates of Apparel designing

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

FAQs

What is apparel design?

Apparel design is a sub-discipline of fashion design focused on creating distinctive and fashionable clothing.

What skills are required to become an apparel designer?

Skills required include creativity, understanding of current fashion trends, ability to create fresh drawings, and knowledge of patterns and fabrics

What is the role of an apparel designer?

An apparel designer creates clothing designs, selects appropriate patterns and fabrics, and oversees the manufacturing process.

What educational qualifications are required to become an apparel designer?

higher education degree that requires design and technical abilities can be pursued. One such certification is a bachelor’s degree in fashion design.