B Fad or Bachelor of Fashion and Apparel design is a course dealing with technology and innovative technical skills essential for designing fashion garments and merchandising. The course is basically a 4 year undergraduate degree course spanning across 8 semesters with each semester being of 6 months duration and the 8th semester focusing on projects undertaken by students & review of the same.
Candidates willing to have a career in this field must have passed 10+2 in any stream from any recognized council or board. Admission into bachelor in fashion and Apparel Design is either based on merit or performance in relevant entrance examinations. For entrance based admission, candidates have to score more than the cutoff to get permission for having the access to the course.
Most colleges in India offering this course charge anything between INR 2000 to 2 Lacs for B Fad. Candidates successfully this course earns an annual salary between INR 1 to 10 lacs depending upon skill and experience.
Few institutes also offer B Fad courses in part time and distance learning mode. The ambit of this course includes elements and principles of design, pattern engineering, drawing and sketching, garment construction, fashion studies and professional industry practice. Some of the top B Fad colleges in India are VIFT Meerut, AIFT Kanpur, KIT Kanpur, Chandigarh University, etc.
There are numerous renowned jobs which candidates can look for with the degree of B Fad. Some of these include Apparel Design, Fashion Designer, Fashion Stylist, etc. Some of the top recruiting areas which look for B Fad qualified candidates are Textile and Apparel Industry, imports and exports companies, Colleges and universities, etc. The average salary of an individual with the B Fad degree is INR 5.5 lakhs.
Also See: How to Become Apparel Designer
Table of Contents
2.1 Why Study B Fad?
3.1 Eligibility
3.2 Admission
3.3 Entrance Exams
6.1 B Fad Distance Education Admission
6.2 B Fad Distance Education Eligibility
6.3 B Fad Distance Education Top Colleges
9.1 B Fad Jobs
B Fad Course Highlights
| Course Level | Graduation |
| Duration | 4 Years |
| Type | Degree |
| Eligibility | 10+2 with a minimum aggregate of 50% |
| Admission Process | Merit based or Entrance based |
| Course Fee | INR 2,000 to 2,00,000 |
| Average Starting Salary | INR 1,00,000 to 10,00,000 |
| Top Recruiting Companies | X and O Clothing Private Limited, Asma Husain Fashion House, B.K. Retail Private Limited, etc |
All About B Fad Course
- The minimum eligibility criteria for admission to the B Fad course are passing 10+2 with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks from any recognized board.
- B Fad course fee ranges between INR 2,000 to 2,00,000 for Govt colleges and private colleges respectively.
- Indian Institute of Art and Design, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Rani Birla Girls College, Acharya Institute of Fashion Technology etc are few of the Govt. and private colleges offering this course. Admissions in most of these colleges are either based on merit or through performance in national or state level entrance examinations namely AIEED, NIFT, CEED etc.
- Few of the subjects taught in a 4 year B Fad course are Elements of design fashion, Pattern making and clothing, Apparel quality assurance, Textile testing, Fashion trade etc.
- Probable option for higher studies would be Master of Science in Fashion Designing which is offered at both national and foreign universities as well.
- Various job profiles available after completing B Fad are Fashion Stylist, Designer, and Fashion Coordinator etc.
Why Study B Fad?
- The fashion industry is ruling the entertainment industry starting from camera sets to design designs of actors, thus a career in fashion and apparel design is in high demand in the current market scenario.
- Apart from job opportunities with Fashion and Textile world as Fashion Designer, Fashion Coordinator or Fabric Quality Control Manager, candidates completing bachelor of fashion and apparel design can pursue higher studies and join academic institutes and can work as Professor (Fashion Design) or Senior HOD Fashion Design Department, Training Officer etc.
- On the other hand, fashion designers are not only involved in working for the fashion industry, they are also into designing garments for men, women, children from casual to business attire.
- The scope of a fashion designer is not limited to only designing clothes but they are also involved in designing complementary items viz. footwear, fashion jewellery, handbags, belts and other accessories.
- Most fashion designers or fashion stylists are employed in apparel companies, design firms, or wholesale or manufacturing outlets. While others prefer starting their own business creating custom clothing especially for fashion shows or boutiques.
- A fashion designer is paid an average salary of INR 6,00,000- 7,00,000 per annum depending upon experience and skill with sky being the limit for seasoned professionals. For instance the famous Indian fashion designer Manish Malhotra charges anything between INR 50,00,000 per fashion show while each saree designed by Sabyasachi Mukherjee costs around INR 50,000- 60,000.
- Thus if you have the right passion for designing and have unique ideas of designing dress materials and patience and want to make big in the fashion industry, then a bachelor of fashion and apparel design is the right career choice for you.
B Fad Admission Process
Admission to the B Fad course is done in two ways. Candidates are either selected based on their merit in the previous exams, or their performance in the entrance exams, set by various conducting bodies. Check the eligibility, detailed admission process and entrance exams for B Fad, below.
Eligibility
- Candidates who have passed 10+2 from a recognized council or board with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in any stream preferably from Commerce stream are eligible to apply for such courses.
- However candidates belonging to reserved categories like SC/ ST/ OBC are eligible for concession in marks per Govt. of India guidelines.
Admission
Admissions to the B Fad course is either based on merit or scores secured in any of the entrance examinations conducted by various agencies or institutes.
STEP I - For registration in any of the entrance examinations, candidates must visit the official website of the entrance conducting body
STEP II - Fill the application form with essential personal and educational details like name, father’s name, marks secured in the last qualifying examination etc along with uploading of photograph and signature of candidate.
STEP III - Make necessary payment of application fee either through Debit/ Credit card or Net Banking and complete the registration process.
STEP IV - The conducting body provides a link for downloading admit cards of the entrance examination after a stipulated date and time.
STEP V - Registered candidates must visit the website and download the admit card
STEP VI - List of successful candidates in such entrances would be made available in the exam conducting body’s website.
STEP VII - Depending on score, various colleges contact candidates for a personal interview round where the general aptitude of a candidate is tested and successful candidates are offered admission .These candidates must complete necessary admission formality by paying admission fee and other relevant charges.
For example admission into B Fad course at Vidya Institute of Fashion Technology, Meerut offers admission based on performance in UPSEE entrance examination while Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University provides admission based on performance in an entrance exam conducted by the institute itself.
Some other colleges offer direct admission to candidates on the basis of marks secured in 10+2 examination. For instance Lovely Professional University, [LPU], SRM University, [SRM] are few of the institutes in India offering direct admission into fashion design courses.
Entrance Exams
Admission into most of the institutes offering B Fad courses is based on scores in entrance examinations. Some of the popular entrance exams conducted in India is listed below:
AIEED - All India Entrance Examination for Design is a national level entrance examination conducted online by ARCH Academy of Design once a year for admission into undergraduate and postgraduate courses in design. The exam is conducted in three phases- Video and Portfolio General Ability Test, Creative Ability Test (CAT) & Personal Interaction with the AIEED score being valid for one year.
CEED – Common Entrance Exam for Design is a national level entrance examination conducted by IIT Bombay both in online and offline mode once a year for admission into postgraduate and PhD courses in design for admission into various IITs and IISC Bangalore. There is no restriction on the number of attempts for taking this exam.
NIFT – This is a national level entrance examination conducted both in offline and online mode once a year by National Institute of Fashion Technology for admission into undergraduate and postgraduate courses in design. Various courses offered at different centres of NIFT are B.Des, B.FTech, M.Des, and M.Ftech.
NID - NID Design Aptitude Test is a national level entrance examination conducted both in online and pen and paper based mode by National Institute of Design for admission into B.Des, M.Des and GDPD courses at various institutes namely NID Ahmedabad, NID Bangalore, NID Vijayawada, NID Gujarat and NID Kurukshetra.
Important Dates
| Exam Name | Exam Date |
|---|---|
| AIEED | Check here |
| CEED | Check here |
| NIFT | Check here |
| NID | Check here |
B Fad Course Curriculum
The basic focus of the B Fad course is imparting knowledge on elements and principles of design, sketching and drawing, pattern making, merchandising etc. Though different institutes have their own curriculum for B Fad courses, most institutes teach some common subjects relevant for fashion and design.
These are tabulated below in a semester wise break up pattern:
| SEMESTER I | SEMESTER II |
|---|---|
| Language I | Language I |
| Language II | Language II |
| Fiber yarn science | Fabric analysis |
| Elements of design fashion | Basics of garment construction |
| Basics of pattern making and sewing | Computer fundamentals |
| SEMESTER III | SEMESTER IV |
| Language I | Language I |
| Language II | Language II |
| Fashion art design | Traditional textiles art |
| Pattern making and clothing | Historic costumes |
| Wet processing | Entrepreneurship development |
| Indian constitution | Environmental studies |
| SEMESTER V | SEMESTER VI |
| Fashion accessories | Apparel quality assurance |
| Garment surface ornamentation | Portfolio presentation |
| Textile testing | Non-woven technical textiles |
| Apparel production | Apparel export documentation |
| Apparel computer aided design | Shop floor management |
| Fashion business management | Project |
| SEMESTER VII | SEMESTER VIII |
| Fashion overview | Opportunities and challenges |
| Fashion trade | Export and import |
| Overview of fashion industry | Domestic trades |
| Fashion retailing | Export promotion |
| Role of professionals in fashion industry | Project review |
B Fad Course Comparison
Below is presented a tabulated structure of comparison between B Fad and BDes Textile Design, based on few parameters:
| Parameter | BAFD | BDes Textile Design |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Study of principles of design, sketching and drawing, merchandising required for designing textiles and clothing. | Study of concepts and processes related to textile designing only. |
| Duration | 4 years | 3 years |
| Eligibility | Passed 10+2 with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks preferably from Commerce background | Passed 10+2 with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks |
| List of Entrance Exams | AIEED, CEED, NIFT, NID and other entrance examinations | National Council for Interior Design Entrance Exam, National-level Entrance Aptitude Test (NLAT),NIFT Entrance Exam and other state level entrance examinations |
| Admission Process | Either merit or Entrance exam based | Either merit or Entrance exam based |
| Average Fees | INR 50,000 to 3,00,000 | INR 2,000 to 2,00,000 |
| Job roles | Fashion Stylist, Designer, Fashion Coordinator among others. | Textile Designer, Fabric Analyzer, Textile Design Publicist among others. |
| Top Employment Areas | Imports and exports companies, Fashion Houses, design industries | Dyeing & Printing Factories, Fabric Export Houses, Handloom Co-operatives |
| Salary | INR 2,00,00 to 10,00,000 per annum | INR 1,00,000 to 10,00,000 per annum |
| Top Colleges | VIFT,Dr. Zakir Husain Institute,Garden City College,Gurudev Arts and Science College,St. Teresa’s College | The Global Open University,IIFD,Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology |
B Fad Distance Education
B Fad course is also available via the distance education mode. Distance education is for those who are not able to attend colleges physically, especially the working men. Check out the admission process, eligibility, and top colleges for the B Fad distance education mode below.
B Fad Distance Education Admission
Application process for admission into B Fad in distance mode varies from institute to institute. Below is provided complete details regarding admission into B Fad course in distance mode:
- Before applying for admission into any of the institutes offering B Fad courses in distance mode, it is essential to learn the eligibility criteria for admission.
- Most institutes these days accept application forms in online mode through their official website. Few institutes still continue with offline mode of admission. So it is absolutely essential to know the mode of application of a particular institute.
- For institutes accepting online admission, please visit the institute official website, fill the application form with personal and educational details viz. name, address, date of birth, class 10th percentage, class 12th percentage etc. and make online payment of application fee and submit the application form.
- For institutes accepting offline applications, candidates have to visit the institute and collect the application form by paying application fee, fill the same with essential information and submit the same to the institute physically.
- Both for online and offline form submission, the institute either publishes the list of successful candidates based on merit either on their website or institute notice board.
- Selected candidates have to visit the institute, complete the admission formality and make payment of admission fee to reserve their seat for the course.
B Fad Distance Education Eligibility
- Candidates must have completed 10+2 from a recognized board or university.
- Candidates must have secured a minimum of 45-50% aggregate marks in 10+2.
Note: Relaxation is provided to reserved category candidates per Govt. of India guideline.
B Fad Distance Education Top Colleges
- Tamil Nadu Open University
- Yashwantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University
- University of Madras, Institute of Distance Education
- Netaji Subhas Open University
B Fad Top Colleges in India
There are numerous B Fad colleges in India. Check the top-ranked educational institutes among them, below.
| Institute Name | Course Fee |
|---|---|
| Vidya Institute of Fashion Technology, Meerut | INR 4,78,000 |
| Axis Institute of Fashion Technology, Kanpur | INR 3,63,000 |
| Chandigarh University | INR 1,80,000 |
| Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University | INR 3,40,000 |
| Kanpur Institute of Technology | INR 2,40,000 |
| Galaxy Global Group of Institutions | INR 2,44,000 |
| FMG Group of Institutions | INR 4,17,000 |
| Nandini Nagar Mahavidyalaya | INR 3,41,000 |
| Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University | INR 3,41,000 |
| PIET College, Panipat | INR 1,88,000 |
| JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Hyderabad | INR 2,60,000 |
| Bharathidasan University | INR 2,72,000 |
| Dr. Zakir Husain Institute, Jharkhand | INR 17,872 |
| Garden City College | INR 80,000 |
| Indian Institute of Fashion Design, Kolar | INR 10,000 |
| St. Teresa’s College, Ernakulam | INR 1,00,000 |
| GGSIPU, Delhi | INR 75,500 |
| Indian Academy Degree College, Bangalore | INR 2,80,000 |
B Fad Top Colleges Abroad
Candidates can also pursue their B Fad degree from the abroad universities. Foreign colleges will bring them much exposure, and will also offer good infrastructure, facilities and placement opportunities. Some of the things which candidates need to satisfy to take admission in the foreign universities are -
- Candidates need to come through their 10+2 exams from a recognised educational institute.
- All the international students must submit their English proficiency scores via either TOEFL/ IELTS or PTE.
- Marksheet of class 10 and 12.
- Letters of Recommendation
- Statement of purpose
- Medical certificate.
Check out the top B Fad abroad colleges in the table below.
| Institute Name | Name of the course | Course Fee |
|---|---|---|
| York University | BDes in Design | INR 65,04,276 |
| University of Texas | Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design | INR 1,20,70,536 |
| Coventry University | Fashion BA (Hons) | INR 54,88,416 |
| University of Manchester | BSc in Fashion Management | INR 77,52,000 |
| University of Leeds | BA Fashion Design | INR 64,34,160 |
| University of Melbourne | Bachelor of Design | INR 66,74,736 |
| Cornell University | Bachelor of Science in Fashion Design and Management | INR 1,71,63,356 |
| University of West London | BA (Hons) in Fashion and Textiles | INR 38,76,000 |
| University of Illinois | Bachelor of Fine Arts in Costume Design and Technology | INR 94,32,724 |
| University of Edinburgh | BA Fashion | INR 1,19,69,088 |
B Fad Scope
There is a good scope for the candidates pursuing the B Fad course. Primarily fashion designers are involved in designing garments of men, women and children in casual, semi casual, formal and business style. But the concept of fashion design is not limited to only designing dresses but also includes footwear, fashion jewellery, handbags and other accessories.
As per a latest report published by a recruitment agency, employment opportunities for fashion designers are expected to grow 3% from 2016 to 2026. Most fashion designers are employed in fashion houses, designer studios, apparel companies and wholesale or manufacturing outlets. The entertainment industry gains its prominence and glamour due to the fashion touch provided by these fashion designers or fashion stylists only.
Apart from working in various domains, some fashion designers prefer to own on their own and start their own fashion studios, boutiques and deliver their work of art in fashion shows. Starting salaries of a fashion designer lies in the range of INR 1,00,000 to 10,00,000 per annum with sky being the limit for experienced professionals.
On the other hand, some candidates prefer to pursue higher studies in this field viz. M. Des and PhD in fashion design and join academic institutes as Professors or trainers.
B Fad Jobs
Candidates completing a bachelor of fashion and apparel design are mainly employed in wholesale or manufacturing outlets, though such candidates are employed in diverse domains viz. retail, manufacturing, fashion industry etc. Some of the common jobs the candidates having the B Fad degree are listed in the table below:
| Job Profile | Job Description | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Fashion Consultant | A fashion consultant is responsible for helping their clients to develop their personal or professional image. Their work also includes assisting clients in deciding the styles which are suitable to them. | INR 2.56 lakhs |
| Apparel production manager | Apparel Production managers do the work of supervising a product’s quality and volume before it gets shipped out for market distribution. They also ensure the standards of the apparel products of the company, by cooperating with the research and development company. | INR 3 lakhs |
| Fashion Stylist | A fashion stylist does the work of dressing people, and uses clothing to communicate. They are responsible for making people feel and look great or to sell a brand or a specific item, or even to form a particular image. | INR 4.71 lakhs |
| Product Development Assistant | The significant work for a product development assistant is to develop a product. They engage themselves with managers to design and create new products and enhance the existing ones. They also execute research on how an existing product can be enhanced for the consumers. | INR 7 lakhs |
| Apparel Designer | Apparel designers are responsible for conceptualizing and creating items of clothing. They are often specialized in a particular type of clothing or design. | INR 7.53 lakhs |
B Fad FAQs
Ques. Is the entrance exam mandatory for admission into Bachelor in Fashion and Apparel Design?
Ans. Admission into B Fad is either based on merit or performance in entrance examination. Thus many institutes offer direct admission into this course based on score in 10+2 and not based on scores of entrance exam.
Ques. What is the job responsibility of a fashion assistant?
Ans. A fashion assistant is an individual who works with retail companies and keeps track of purchase order. In addition they are involved in planning inventories, tracking sales along with interacting with vendors.
Ques. Suggest some must read books for candidates completing courses in fashion and apparel design?
Ans. Below is listed some of the must read books in fashion and apparel design:
- Fashion Marketing written by Mike Easey
- Reverse Design written by Ana Cristina Broega, ?Joana Cunha, ?Helder Carvalho
Ques. Discuss the AIEED entrance exam for admission into bachelor of fashion and apparel design?
Ans. AIEED is a national level online entrance exam for admission into bachelor of fashion and apparel design courses conducted by ARCH Academy of Design. The exam is divided into 2 different parts- CAT (Creative Ability Test) or GAT (General Ability Test) consisting of 45 - 50 Objective Questions (MCQ) of total 200 marks on analytical, logical reasoning and current affairs. There is no negative marking for wrong answer attempts.
Ques. What are the advantages of pursuing bachelor in fashion and apparel design in distance mode?
Ans. Below is some of the advantages of pursuing B Fad in distance mode:
- Bachelor of fashion and apparel design pursued in distance mode is comparatively less expensive compared to regular ones.
- Such a course pursued in distance mode makes it possible to study from anywhere and anytime with no constraint on time and place.
- Since distance learning mode does not require visiting institutes physically thus a lot of time and money is saved in this mode of study.
Ques. How much does it cost to pursue a bachelor in fashion and apparel design in distance mode from Tamil Nadu Open University?
Ans. A bachelor in fashion and apparel design from Tamil Nadu Open University in distance mode is a 3 year course available at a minimal course fee of INR 23,400.
Ques. How much does a Fashion Coordinator earn per annum?
Ans. A Fashion Coordinator is bestowed with a lot of tasks from fashion coordination to promotional activities and thus earns an average salary of INR 8,00,000- 12,00,000 per annum depending on skill and experience.
Ques. What qualities does an individual possess to be a successful fashion designer?
Ans. A Fashion Designer must possess the following skills to be successful in this field:
- Good Business Sense
- Excellent Communication Skill
- Creative mind
- Artistic sense
- Sense of Style
- Team Player
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