Are you passionate about fashion and dreaming of a successful career in the industry?
The fashion industry in India is thriving, offering ample opportunities for young professionals to hone their creative skills and make a name for themselves. To succeed as a fashion designer, you need to have strong creative abilities and be up-to-date with the latest design trends.
So, let's dive into the world of fashion design and explore all the opportunities available to you!
What Is Fashion Designing?
Fashion designing is the art of creating designs for clothing and accessories. It plays an important role in today's world as it not only helps us express our personality but also influences the way people perceive us.
The work of a fashion designer includes researching fashion trends, conceptualising designs, creating sketches and patterns, selecting fabrics and colours, and overseeing the production process. They must have excellent creative abilities along with technical skills such as draping, sewing and pattern-making.
Job Role and Career Potential in Fashion Design
The career opportunities for fashion designers are vast across various sectors, ranging from textile mills to high-end boutiques, e-commerce websites, fashion magazines, and films.
With experience, fashion designers can move up the career ladder to more senior roles, such as head designer or design director. The average salary ranges from ₹8-15 lakhs per annum, depending on the organisation. Highly skilled and experienced designers can also earn significantly more than this amount.
Popular sectors that hire fashion designers
Salaries in Fashion Design
When it comes to salaries in fashion design, the industry offers a wide range of earning potential.
- As a fresh graduate or entry-level designer, you can expect to earn anywhere between ₹2-5 lakhs per annum. However, your salary will depend on various factors, such as your educational qualifications, experience, and the company you work for.
- As you gain more experience and establish yourself as a designer, your earning potential also increases. Established designers can earn anywhere between ₹10-50 lakhs per annum or more.
- Salaries also depend on the type of fashion design you specialise in, such as apparel design, jewellery design, or accessory design.
Essential Skills to Be a Fashion Designer
Some essential skills required for becoming a successful fashion designer include:
- Creativity,
- Attention to detail,
- Good communication skills,
- Knowledge of fabrics and textiles,
- Ability to visualise designs, and
- Strong business acumen.
Be a Fashion Designer: Steps to Follow
If you want to become a fashion designer in India, here's a step-by-step guide to help you:
- Pursue an undergraduate course in fashion design: Several colleges in India offer Bachelor's degree courses in Fashion Designing.
- Gain experience through internships: Internships provide industry exposure and give you practical experience working with established designers.
- Develop your skills: As a fashion designer requires both creative talent and technical expertise; it is essential to develop these skills by enrolling in skill development programs or upskilling courses.
- Build a portfolio: A portfolio showcases your creativity and technical skills to potential employers or clients.
- Start your career: Once you complete your education or training programme, start applying for job opportunities or take the entrepreneurial route by starting your own fashion label.
Education and Upskilling Options
Academic Degrees
Pursuing academic degrees in fashion design is the most common way to acquire the necessary skills for becoming a professional fashion designer.
Some of the popular academic degree courses available in India for aspiring fashion designers include B.Des, B.F.Tech., etc. The course duration varies from 3–4 years, with the eligibility criteria being a 12th grade pass.
Diploma/Vocational Courses
Some popular vocational courses in India include a certificate course in footwear design, a certificate course in jewellery design, and others. The duration varies from 6 months to 1 year, with fees ranging from ₹50,000 to 2 lakh depending upon your chosen institute.
Upskilling and Specialisations
To upgrade yourself as a fashion designer, it is important to focus on specialisations. This not only builds your portfolio but also gives you an edge in the hiring process. A few specialisations are:
- Apparel/ Clothing Design
- Accessory Design
- Footwear Design
- Jewellery Design
- Textile Design
FAQs
1. Is a portfolio necessary to start a career in fashion design?
A portfolio is a must for anyone pursuing a career in fashion design - be it a fresher or someone already working as a designer. It could include your designs, illustration, swatches of materials, inspirational photos or artworks, etc.
2. Why should I choose fashion design as my career?
Fashion is a dynamic industry that allows you to express your creativity while contributing to the world of art and culture. It also offers various job opportunities in different sectors.
3. Can I study fashion if I can't draw?
Drawing skills are not mandatory for becoming a fashion designer as there are other aspects of design such as pattern-making, draping, and digital software that can be learnt.
4. Is fashion design easy to study?
Fashion design demands both technical skills and creativity which may require rigorous practice over time. However, passion and commitment to the subject matter along with professional guidance through educational programmes or internships can make it an exciting journey.
5. Do you need maths for fashion?
Mathematics is an essential part of garment construction such as measurement calculations or estimating fabric quantity required. Therefore, basic arithmetic skills would be advantageous.
Becoming a fashion designer is an exciting career path that requires creativity, talent, and hard work. With the right education, upskilling opportunities, and determination, you can thrive in this industry.
WIZR offers financing for young professionals seeking career-focused upskilling and certification programmes that can help you achieve your dream of becoming a successful fashion designer.
