What is Apparel Design? Courses, Fees, Top Institutes, Careers & Salary 2026

The term "apparel design" describes the entire process of making clothing, from the first conceptualization to the actual manufacturing of the items. It is the duty of apparel designers to create clothes that are both aesthetically beautiful and practical, taking into consideration elements like silhouette, fit, colour, fabric choice, and style.

In Apparel Design course one can learn about creating original garments/ clothes. An apparel designer first makes a sketch of the design, selects the fabrics that are required, decides the pattern, and work in order to make the end-product.

The scope of fashion and apparel design in India encompasses a wide range of opportunities, from traditional ethnic wear to cutting-edge sustainable fashion.
The Indian textile and apparel market size is estimated around $165 Bn in 2022, with the domestic market constituting $125 Bn and exports contributing $40 Bn and is projected to grow at a 10% CAGR to reach $350 Bn by 2030.

Some of the most in-demand apparel in India include:

• T-shirts and hoodies: These versatile pieces of clothing are always in demand and can be used to express oneself in many ways.
• Women's western wear: As urban women increasingly embrace Western wear, the market for women's Western clothing is growing. This includes office wear, party wear, and innovative fabrics and silhouettes.
• Ethnic wear with a contemporary twist: Indian ethnic wear is becoming more contemporary, with silhouettes that are more Westernized.
• Innerwear: Urban women are increasingly viewing innerwear as a way to express their aspirations and desires, rather than as a functional purchase.

Nike is the biggest clothing company in terms of brand value with a valuation of $31.30 billion. French luxury brands Louis Vuitton (26.29 billion) and Chanel (19.39 billion) are the second and third most valuable brands globally.

The eligibility criteria for a BSc in Fashion and Apparel Design course may vary depending on the college, but the basic requirement is to:

• Pass Class 12 or equivalent exam with a minimum aggregate score of 50%. For candidates from SC/ST, the minimum score is 45%. 
• You can be from any stream, such as Science, Commerce, or Arts. 
• Some colleges may require you to appear for an entrance exam.

Depending on the course level and type, here are some important documents you must carry during an Apparel Design admission process:

• Class 10 and 12 marksheets
• Bachelor's degree (if applicable)
• Valid ID proof (Adhaar, Passport, PAN Card, etc.)
• Passport-sized photographs
• Migration certificate

More than 350 colleges in India offer Apparel Design courses, of which, around 100 are government and 200 are private institutions. Meanwhile, the remaining are government-aided entities. 
The course fee structure of all these colleges varies depending on the college rating, placement rating, faculty rating, course level, course type, and more. However, the course fee starts from INR 540 and goes up to INR 22 Lakh.

CEED is an entrance exam for postgraduate Design courses such as M.Des and UCEED entrance exam is for undergraduate Design courses such as B. Des. UCEED is open to all nationals (Indian/Foreign). Many reputed colleges such as Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB), Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG), Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) and Indian Institute of Information Technology Design and Manufacturing Jabalpur (IIITDMJ) aceept UCEED scores. You should have qualified for CEED exam if you wish to seek admission to Master of Design M.Des programmes at IISc Bangalore, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIITDM Jabalpur, and IIT Kanpur, and to Ph.D. programmes in Design at IISc Bangalore, IIT Bombay, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, and IIT Kanpur.

Here are some popular books you can read along with your regular Apparel Design syllabus:

• Patternmaking for Fashion Design by Helen Joseph Armstrong.
• Used Book Fashion Designinig & Technology by Anmol Roy.
• The Apparel Design by Dr Aasiya Bashir and Mushtaq Dar.
• Fashion Design Studio: Learn To Draw Figures, Fashion, Hairstyles More by Chris Hart.
• How to Start a Home-Based Fashion Design Business by Angela Wolf.

Candidates who qualify in the NID DAT 2026 exam have to next appear in the DAT Mains, which is the 2nd stage of the two-stage NID admission process.

The DAT Mains exam will include tasks like Model Making, Audio-Visual Exercises, Evolving ideas, Material Manipulation, Importance of body language, Creative thinking, and Doodling. The Studio Test is hands-on test that will be conducted in offline mode.

To prepare for the Studio Test, the candidate must develop their sketching skills, including line drawing, shadow drawing, etc. They also need to practice other stuff mentioned in the syllabus, including doodling, and try to improve their creativity.

Fashion Designing is an art of designing clothes, fashion accessories and sometimes footwears etc., whereas Apparel Designers apply knowledge of fabrics, coordinate colors and textures, and monitor quality and fit.

I see these as two separate things. Fashion designing is the art of designing clothing, fashion, accessories, etc. Apparel designing is a more technical term pertaining to the specific act of creating clothing from nuts to bolts. If someone is apparel designer, I seem them more as a technician. For example, when a big house hires a team of designers to create a line under that house's label such as Puma, or Nike or Gap, those designers who work for that house would be referred to as apparel designers.

Here are some top Apparel Design college options in India offering great placement options to students:

Note: This information is sourced from the official/counselling body and may vary.

Apart from NIFTs, here are some top Apparel Design college options in India for Certificate courses:

Note: The information is sourced from the official/counselling body and institute/exam.

After completing an Apparel Design course, aspirants can become Apparel designer, Fashion marketer, Fashion Trend Forecaster, Retail merchandiser, Quality controller or Stylist.

Given below are some job profiles that can be pursued by Apparel Design graduates:

Apparel Designing can be a good career choice for you if you are artistic and creative and have good communication and decision-making skills. There are many career opportunities that you can pursue after Apparel Design course. If you have an enthusiasm for fashion, creativity and design then a career in apparel design can be gratifying and enjoyable. Nevertheless, personal tastes, professional objectives, and the status of the fashion business at the time all have a role in whether or not it's seen as a "good" vocation. 

The following elements should be taken into account while assessing a career in Apparel design:

Creativity and Expression: Through the creation of distinctive and visually appealing garment designs, apparel designers enable people to express their creativity.

Dynamic Industry: Professionals can keep up with the latest trends, technologies, and design techniques thanks to the fashion industry's constant evolution.

Apparel Design is a rigorous program of study. You’ll gain design skills and knowledge in areas of the fashion industry from the concept of the product, through development and production, to marketing. Following are some of the areas included in this program:

Note: The information is sourced from external sites.

For those who are enthusiastic about Apparel design, joining National Institute of Design (NID) can be a fulfilling experience that gives them the information, abilities, and chances they need to achieve a successful career in the fashion sector. 

But, before making a choice, you must thoroughly analyse the advantages and disadvantages as well as your unique objectives and situation. Students should be aware of the list of NIDs in India so that they can make their decision accordingly:

1. NID is renowned for design education.
2. It offers specialised courses in apparel design.
3. The faculty is experienced.
4. NID provides networking opportunities.
5. It has strong industry connections.
6. Students build strong portfolios.
7. Consider location and lifestyle.
8. Costs vary; evaluate affordability.
9. Explore alternative options.
10. Make an informed decision.