How to Become an Accessory Designer: Career Guide, Courses, Jobs, Scope, Salary

What Does an Accessory Designer do?

The following are the various job responsibilities of the Accessory Designers:

• An Accessory Designer designs and conceptualizes various fashions with different apparels and apparel-based products including jewelry, footwear, and handbags. An accessory designing course is the most demanding and diverse undergraduate course in the world.
• The Accessory Designers have an in-depth knowledge of design concepts and the ability to sketch and draw effectively, understand raw materials and textiles,etc. Accessory Designers’ must be well versed in the latest fashion trends across national and international markets.
• Good research is necessary to become an accessory designer. They need to study the current trends and should predict what will be in style in future seasons.
• Another job responsibilities of an Accessory Designer is to prepare trend reports based on fabrics, colors, and shape for their accessories. They usually can start designing with sketches using computer-aided design (CAD).
• Accessory Designers produce their accessories phototypes and before going into production, they make necessary modifications. They should also know about marketing their products by organizing fashion shows or start working with the advertisers.

Steps to Become an Accessory Designer

To become an Accessory Designer, a student needs to take some important steps. These steps are discussed below:

Decision Making 

• To become an Accessory Designer you must decide from your school days. You should have an interest in creative works. Only a creative individual can become an Accessory Designer in the future.
• Before delving into a career as an accessory designer candidates are required to do a SWOT analysis of their quality/skills, the job profiles as well as the industry and understand what would be the demand for the profession in the future.
• If the candidates have the required skill sets (creativity and idea about colour palette) then the career as Accessory Designer.

Subject Choices

• There is no definite subject necessary for pursuing the Accessory Designer course. Students must complete 12th from any recognized board in any stream.
• Good research is necessary to become an accessory designer. They need to study the current trends and should predict what will be in style in future seasons. They need to prepare trend reports based on fabrics, colors, and shape for their accessories.
• They can start designing by using computer-aided design (CAD).
• The candidates can also take up design related courses (certificate and diploma) that would allow them to gain proper knowledge about accessory design at a very nascent stage.

Check Out:  AutoCAD Courses

Entrance Exam Preparations

• Various entrance examinations that are conducted for pursuing Accessory Designer courses are NPAT, NIFT, UPES DAT, etc.
• To prepare for entrance examinations students need to do good practice from one year before the entrance examination.
• Depending on the entrance exam, one can look up the examination syllabus, marking, recent changes and past papers.
• Mock examinations are also held by the organizing authority before the exam. It is recommended to refer to text as well as reference books for their preparation.

Selecting Correct Colleges 

• Students should select correct colleges based on the review given by the alumni. Some colleges conduct entrance examinations to pursue admission in Accessory Designer courses.
• To get admission to a renowned college they should try to score good marks in the last qualifying examination and the entrance examination. Few other colleges conduct admission based on the scores obtained in the last qualifying examinations. Application processes are conducted in both online and offline modes. Various entrance examinations were conducted for pursuing admission in Accessory Designer courses.
• You should select a college based on the recruitment process of the college. Colleges offering good placement opportunities are highly in demand than the colleges offering fewer placement opportunities to the students.
• The candidates should also check for the various websites as well as the agencies such as India Today, Outlook or the NIRF that offer the ranking related to the various accessory design colleges.

After Qualifying Exam

• After the qualifying exam, students need to take admission in their preferred colleges. All Institutes release merit lists of the qualified students for the counseling process.
• After the counseling process is finished, students are asked to submit their documents for the verification process.
• The candidates are required to carry the original documents as a part of the verification process.
• In most cases the candidates are required to submit the self attested documents to the required colleges
• It must be also kept in mind that some colleges conduct a round of GD and personal interview. The candidates are required to provide samples of their previous design.

Types of Accessory Designers

An Accessory Designer can work as a Designer, Visual Merchandiser, Jewellery Designer, Jewellery Stylist, Accessory Stylist, etc. The different types of Accessory Designers are the following:

Accessory Designer

• An Accessory Designer creates and experiments on the various objects that can be used as an accessory.
• They have an in-depth knowledge of design concepts and the ability to sketch and draw effectively, understand raw materials and textiles, and also know about the latest fashion trends across national and international markets.
• They need to prepare trend reports based on fabrics, colors, and shape for their accessories. They usually design sketches using computer-aided design (CAD).
• They are responsible for creating and conceptualizing a range of products that supplement the brand image .
• They are responsible for attending various fashion and trade shows that allows them to understand various fabrics and the market trends.

Footwear Designer

• A footwear designer designs shoes, sandals, and layouts of footwear.
• They have the job responsibilities to manage all communication regarding design specification and compliance with the manufacturing unit.
• They are responsible for coordinating with the design and production team, design manager, and sales manager to channelize the idea and eases the process of production
• The Footwear Designer is responsible for displaying the ideas and designs to potential consumers before launching them in the market.

Accessory Stylist

• The responsibility of an Accessory Stylist is to style and match the accessories with the apparel.
• To become an Accessory Stylist, candidates need to have an artistic passion and self-expression for their work. They are required to design bags, belts, scarves and other fashion accessories.
• An Accessory Stylist must make sure that ornaments and accents complement the outfit. Like fashion designers, an Accessory Stylist has to be highly creative.
• Good research is necessary to become an Accessory Stylist. They need to study the current trends and should predict what will be in style in future seasons.

Brand Manager

• Brand Managers need to do good advertisements for the products designed by Accessory Designers. They need to create advertisements for promoting various jewelry, accessories, and footwear products.
• They are responsible for creating various strategies pertaining to the launch of new accessory design and promote the growth of the accessory design as well as the brand itself.
• They are responsible for marketing the products, by organizing fashion shows or working with the advertisers.

Check Out: Career as a Brand Manager

How to Become an Accessory Designer in India?

Before we proceed further we need to understand what are the preparatory steps that the can undertaken by the candidates

School Level Preparation 

• To become an Accessory Designer students must make decisions from their school days. They should have an interest in fine arts, paintings, and creative works. For creating unique design jewelry having a creative mind is essential for an Accessory Designer.
• Pursuing an Accessory Designing course from an elite college is very important for learning all the techniques of designing.
• The candidates can start to prepare for the various entrance examinations that would be necessary for them to take admission to the top colleges such as NIFTs, NADs , etc. The top exam are NIFT Entrance Exam, UCEED, AIEED, etc
• Candidates should take up certificate courses related to design and fashion at the school level itself.

How to become an Accessory Designer after the 12th?

The following are some of the important steps that the candidate should take immediately after the completion of their 12th or equivalent level exam.

Under Graduation Preparation 

• After completing 12th in any stream from any recognized board, students need to appear in the entrance examinations. After qualifying the entrance examination they need to enroll in various courses such as BDes Accessory Design, B.Sc in Jewelry and Accessory Design, etc.
• The students must secure a minimum of 50% of marks in the 12th final year examination.SC/ ST and OBC students get relaxation of marks and fees.
• The duration of an undergraduate course in an Accessory Designer course is 3-4 years.
• During the undergraduate course, students need to take up internship programs for 2 months to one year. The duration of the internship depends on the candidates as well as the curriculum of the course.
• The candidates should also start preparing for the post graduate courses in case they want to have better job prospects. The candidates should prepare for the various post graduate entrance such as CEED, NIFT entrance , NID DAT, etc
• Candidates should take up certificate courses related to design and fashion at the school level itself.
• The candidates should try to maintain at least 60% marks in the undergraduate courses so that they are hired by the top companies at the time of placements.

Post-Graduation Preparation 

• After completing graduation in Accessory Designing or any discipline from any recognized board, students can pursue a PG degree in Accessory Designing.
• There are many colleges in India such as the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, and Pearl Academy, New Delhi that offer post graduation in Accessory Design courses. The average course fees to pursue this course ranges from INR 3,00,000-INR to 5,00,000 per annum.
• During the post graduation course the candidates should try to maintain at least 55% marks so that they have the scope to take up research related courses in the future.
• The candidates should also try to work part time so that they get relevant experience in the accessory design field.

Courses to Become an Accessory Designer

In India there are various types of accessory design courses that are available at the diploma, undergraduate, post graduate and doctorate level. Most of the candidates prefer to take full time courses in order to become an accessory designer. Some of the popular accessory design courses in India has been discussed below:

B.Sc in Jewelry and Accessory Design

B.Sc in Jewelry and Accessory Design is a 3-year undergraduate course. In this course, students need to conduct good research to become jewelry and accessory designers. They need to study the current trends and should predict what will be in style in future seasons. A Jewelry and Accessory Designer needs to create and experiment on the various objects that can be used as an accessory. They have an in-depth knowledge of design concepts and the ability to sketch and draw effectively, understand raw materials and textiles need to be put in various accessories and jewelry. It enables the candidates to master rendering, casting and analyzing gemstones. Candidates also learn about the management related modules in the course.

B.Sc in Jewelry and Accessory Design Course: Eligibility criteria 

The students must secure a minimum of 50% of marks in the 12th final year examination.

• SC/ ST and OBC students get relaxation of marks and fees.
• Students who have an interest in fine arts, paintings, and creative works can reach success in this course

Check Out: BDes Jewelry Design

B.Des in Accessory Design 

B.Des in Accessory design is a highly creative course.It is a 4 year undergraduate course that allows the candidates to design various accessories that can be used with modern, traditional attire as well as the various pseudo classical design of clothes. It includes designing various hats, jewelry, belts, handbags, scarves as well as handbags, and many more. The B.Des in Accessory design course also allows the candidates to understand about the various production as well as managing aspects related to the fashion design industry.

B.Des in Accessory Design: Eligibility criteria 

• The students must secure a minimum of 50% of marks in the 12th final year examination.
• SC/ ST and OBC students get relaxation of marks and fees.
• Candidates must also appear for and qualify entrance exams conducted by various colleges/ institutes.

B.Des in Lifestyle Accessories

In this bachelor's degree course, students learn about the various aspects that improve our lifestyles such as architectural accessories, home furnishings, and indoor and outdoor accessory design. Students can learn to design and decorate furniture and other accessories such as art objects and jewelry etc. The duration of this course is for a period of 4 years and the candidates gain specialized knowledge in gaining information about lifestyle products as well as the fashion industry. The top colleges that teach this course are Jain University, Bangalore, United World Institute of Design. The admission to this courses are done on the basis of entrance examination

B.Des in Lifestyle Accessories: Eligibility criteria for the entrance exam

• The students must secure a minimum of 50% of marks in the 12th final year examination.
• SC/ ST and OBC students get relaxation of marks and fees.
• The minimum age limit for the course is 17 years

Post Graduate Diploma in Accessory Design

In the Postgraduate diploma in Accessory design, students are taught about design factors related to accessory design and the techniques involved with the development of accessories and other related fields. The overall duration of the course is for a period of 2 years. The course especially emphasizes the learning of the global luxury markets and understanding the trend related to it. The course especially focuses on understanding and integrating Indian crafts for contemporary luxury.

The course also trains the candidates to use various semiotics, CAD-CAM inputs, design & business strategy, sustainability and understanding of global luxury markets.They should also know about marketing their products by organizing fashion shows or start working with the advertisers. This course is available in Pearl Academy in Delhi, Pearl Academy Mumbai, etc.

Post Graduate Diploma in Accessory Design: Eligibility criteria for the entrance exam 

• The students must graduate in any discipline.
• SC/ ST and OBC students get relaxation of marks and fees.
• Students who have an interest in fine arts, paintings, and creative works can reach success in this course.

How to Become an Accessory Designer: Important Tips 

The admission process to all the above stated courses follows a set of roles that can be followed by all the aspiring candidates. The application process varies slightly as per the entrance examination however, the general steps have been emulated below.

How do I apply for the Entrance exam? 

The application process to become an accessory designer are the following:

• Online Registration: Students need to complete registration first by providing the correct email id and password. The registration process must be done on the official website of the colleges or universities.
• Login: After completing registration, they need to log in again to fill up the application form.
• Fill up the application form: Students need to complete the entire application form with correct details.
• Uploading of documents: Must upload all the necessary educational and personal documents such as academic certificates, id proof, signature, and image, etc.
• Application fee: Pay the application fees online.
• Admit Card: Download and print the admit card 10-12 days before the entrance examination.

How to prepare for the exam?

To prepare for the exam, you need to follow the below steps:

• Appear in online mock tests and practice last year's papers before the entrance examination starts.
• Prepare a timetable to practice for the entrance exams.
• Try to prepare a memory chart. That helps you to progress fast.
• Collect previous year’s question papers and practice the questions and answers.
• Work hard on those sections where you are weak.
• Learn time management. Time management is very essential to learn because only then you can attempt most of the questions in less time.
• During the examination, do not spend unnecessary time solving difficult questions.
• If there is negative marking, then do not attempt to answer uncertain questions.

Important Links:

How to Become an Accessory Designer Abroad? 

Students can pursue Accessory Designer courses abroad as well. Many countries abroad like the USA, Australia, UK, and Canada, etc. offer UG and PG courses on Accessory Designing for the aspirants. Compared to India, the admission procedure is different in abroad countries.

Let us observe the eligibility criteria for the different countries in detail

UK 

Candidates who wish to study in the United Kingdom should keep the following things in mind before they take up Design courses.

• The candidates are required to pass the 12th or equivalent examination with 60% marks on average.
• In case of post graduate courses the candidates are required to pass undergraduate courses in relevant streams. The minimum average marks required for the PG course range between 60-65%.
• The candidates need to pass the english proficiency tests such as TOEFL and IELTS.
• Various UG and PG courses are available in Accessory Designing degrees.MA in Jewelry and Metal designing courses, MA in footwear designing courses are available for the students.
• The job scope of Accessory Designing courses in the UK is very good. They can earn an average of INR 10,00,000-INR 11,00,000 per annum as starting salary.

Top Colleges

Some of the top courses that are offered in UK are

• MA Fashion Styling
• MSc Product Design
• BSc Product Design
• BA Design for Textile
• MA Design Management, etc

USA 

Candidates who are interested in studying in the USA should take note of the following factors before applying to a course.

• Candidates for the UG course should pass their 12th or equivalent level exam from a recognised board.
• For PG courses the candidates are required to pass their graduation level courses from a recognized university with a GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 (around 83%) to get admission in top colleges.
• The candidates should pass the english proficiency test such as IELTS and TOEFL. The minimum score required is 6-6.5 for the IELTS. In case of TOEFL the overall score can go upto 100
• The job scope of Accessory Designing courses in the US is best. After completing this course, a student can earn up to INR 10,00,000-INR 12,00,000 per annum as starting salary.

Top Colleges

Some of the top courses that the candidates can apply are

• MA Design
• BA Fashion Design
• M.Des
• BSc Fashion and Textile Management
• MA Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Designing, etc

Canada 

Candidates who want to study in Canada should keep the following things in mind before applying to the accessory design courses.

• The candidates are required to Pass high school or graduation with a good overall aggregate. A score of around 80% is required to get admission in a good college
• The candidates are required to pass the English proficiency tests like the TOEFL or IELTS. The minimum score required for the exam are 80 and 6.5 respectively.
• The candidate needs to produce two letters of recommendation as well as a list of references.
• The job scope for an Accessory Designer in Canada is very good. After completing this course, a student can earn up to INR 10,00,000-INR 14,00,000 per annum as starting salary.

Some of the common design subjects that the candidates can take up are:

• MDes Design Studies
• MA Design
• MDes
• BDes
• Diploma in Fashion, etc

Australia 

Candidates who wish to study in Australia should keep the following things in mind before taking admission in an Australian College

• At UG level the candidates are required to complete 12 years of education. The cutoff scores are generally decided by the colleges and institute itself. In the case of admission to the PG Courses the candidates should have passed the graduation course with 65% minimum.
• The candidates are required to pass the english proficiency test such as IELTS and TOEFL.
• After completing UG and PG courses, students get a chance to work with reputed fashion designing industries in Australia and other countries. After completing this course, a student can earn up to INR 10,00,000-INR 12,00,000 per annum as starting salary.

The top courses that are offered in Australia are

• MDes
• BDes
• Bachelor Fashion
• Diploma in Design, etc.

Benefits of Becoming an Accessory Designer

An Accessory Designer works in an extremely demanding field. The career benefits of this course are the following:

• Work with high-end brands: An Accessory Designer can work with reputed brands that offer great salary packages.
• Additional Income as a freelancer: An Accessory Designer apart from working with brands, can also work as a freelancer and earn additional income.
• Travel different countries: An Accessory Designer can travel to different countries and attend fashion events. They can also design accessories for that fashion event.
• High Salary: The salary package of an Accessory Designer is very high.
• Ample job opportunities: In the field of Accessory Line there are lots of job opportunities for the Accessory Designers.
• Can work abroad: An Accessory Designer gets a chance to work for foreign clients also.
• Job Security: Job security is very good for an Accessory Designer. They get a chance to work in top fashion brands like Pantaloon, Liberty, Hidesign, Frazer, and Zara, etc.

Skills Required to Become an Accessory Designer

The different skills that an Accessory Designer must have are the following:

Average Salary of an Accessory Designer

The salary of Accessory designers according to the organisation,specialization ,experience and gender has been revealed below.

Organization Wise Salary

Specialization Wise Salary

Gender Wise Salary 

Experience Wise Salary