B Des (Bachelor of Design) – Choose Your Area of Design

Ever thought why are we so attracted to good design? To design is much more than assembling, ordering or editing to illuminate, add value, modify, etc. And the definition of design has evolved over the years – to design is to plan the creation of a new product or system in order to find a solution to problems with the intention to improve the human experience. Design is central to the success of a brand. And studying design courses like B Des is quite a challenge while immensely rewarding at the same time. Recognising the diversity of the creative ecosystem, B Des courses are an ideal combination of theoretical and practical skills that play a crucial role in the job market.

B Des Course

Bachelor of Design or B Des is a 3 to 4-year undergraduate art-centred degree that is the counterpart to the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree aimed at giving the students a holistic understanding of design subjects, context and environment. Besides the majors that we will discuss below, the B Des degree has evolved and now offered in various other fields such as Graphic Designing, VFX Design, Visual Communication and Multimedia Designing and Game Designing. Moreover, students who pursue a B Des degree have a wide exposure of the design industry with internships, events exhibitions and fairs, mentorships and live classroom projects. 

Popular B Des Specialisations

Universities abroad have adopted a format of major, specialisations, electives or minor in B Des programs to provide individual pathways that would allow students to acquire interdisciplinary skillsets along with exploring their intellectual interests. By specialising in the subjects given below, students can enhance their personality and develop interests in specific areas like communication skills, personality development, critical thinking, professional ethics, etc. The designation of a ‘designer’ is fine, but you need to decide on what kind of designer you want to become. Let us take a look at the different specialised domains offering a B Des degree:

Fashion Design

This flagship program has played an influential role in the growth of the Indian as well as abroad fashion industry. The 3 to 4-year B Des Fashion Design or BSc Fashion Designing programs strive to produce compelling design professionals who can handle the upcoming challenges of the fashion sector. In order to empower students to adapt to an evolving fashion biosphere, the curriculum combines experimental learning and hands-on learning. The core Fashion Designing subjects include Design & Illustration, Fundamentals of Apparel Development, History & Contemporary Fashion, Value Addition for Apparel, Pattern Making, Fabric Fundamental, etc. To prepare students for a wide range of opportunities to build a career in Fashion Designing, there are specialised domains like Luxury & Couture, Image Creation & Styling, to name a few.

Also Read: Diploma in Fashion Designing

B Des Textile Design

Extending from fibre to fabric, Textile Designing is all about planning and developing textiles which are key to the business of fashion. Textile Design courses allow students to think ‘out-of-the-box and yet adapt to the challenging market. Weaving, Print Design and Surface Embellishment are the core subjects taught in the B Des degree program to impart versatile training for the students. The curriculum of the undergraduate course builds upon the integration of creativity in design with Textile Technology, keeping in mind the social, historical and cultural contexts. Universities provide an array of studios including textile testing, weaving, surface design and CAD. Some specialisations in the field include Textiles for Apparel & Fashion Accessories and Textiles for Home & Spaces.

Also Read:

• Career in Textile Engineering
• Dress Designing Course

Knitwear Design

Falling under the fashion apparel and accessories industry, B Des Knitwear Design students are given inputs on the latest technological know-how and design techniques according to the trends in fashion. The coursework allows students to develop creative thinking, technical skills and a vibrant market orientation about flat and circular as well as computerised knitting. Core topics include broad areas of Knitting, Fabric Technology, Illustration and Presentation Methodologies in menswear, women’s wear, kids wear, sportswear, leisurewear, winter wear, lingerie and intimate apparel.

Leather Design

B Des in Leather Design aims to create design professionals for fashion leather products, luxury goods and national and international business sectors. Popular topics covered in the degree program include Material Studies – Leather & Non-Leather, Design & Fashion Studies, Luxury Product Design & Marketing, Apparel Production & Ergonomics, Apparel Design Studio, Craft Cluster Initiatives and Drawing & Digital Design. Specialised Leather Designing courses like Product Design Studio and Footwear Design Studio impart the required knowledge, skills, creative exploration and practices that lead to focussed career pathways.

Accessory Design

Through pursuing a B Des in Accessory Design, you get the opportunity to work across myriad platforms spanning jewellery, personal accessories, crafts, work gears and soft goods. Moreover, you get to understand design as a process, material and medium to synthesize outcomes to address contemporary needs. When studying accessories, it is important to balance the latest chic trend and indigenous traditional techniques. Moreover, you have the chance to develop your accessory design collection while still being relevant to the market challenges. To delve deeper into the B Des course and master specific skills, students can choose from specialisations like Jewellery Design, Fashion Products & Work Gear and Decor & Design.

Also Read: Jewellery Making Courses

Fashion Communication

In the ever-expanding world of fashion, B Des in Fashion Communication is emerging as an increasingly exciting and essential pathway to opportunities in the fashion and lifestyle industry. In order to develop a significant brand identity, communication plays a vital role to maximise impact and visibility. Thus, Fashion Communication has made it easier for brands to communicate their product, strategy and overall brand identity. Major topics covered in this cohesive B Des course include Graphic Design, Visual Merchandising, Fashion Creatives, Advertising Space Design, Fashion Photography, Fashion Journalism, Fashion Thinking & Styling, Interactive Design and New Media Design. In addition to these majors, students can pick up skilled fields like Visual Communication and Fashion Media.

BDes in Industrial Design

BDes Industrial design focuses on the concept of designs and its execution of the same idea on any product. The field focuses on creative skills, digital and visualization skills. In this, the professionals create new products that simulate business and contribute to the upkeep of the welfare communities. 

Product Design

Product Design courses deal with the relationship between products, systems and those who use them. B Des in Product Design at universities abroad inculcate a user-centric approach and processes to develop innovative ideas. The two major aspects of Product Design include the Principles of Design and Visual Design. Also, these programs assimilate inputs in diverse domains such as cognitive ergonomics, human factors, advanced CAD, design management, form studies, etc. Besides this, students are actively encouraged to participate in collaborative projects with the social sector, government, industrial houses and MNCs design projects.

Also Read: Industrial Design Course

Interior Design

Students pursuing B Des Interior Design get the opportunity to create and evolve objects, compositions and systems to improve the quality of life. Interior Design courses offer an integrated approach to furniture design and interior objects and systems. The diverse pool of faculty at the design universities bring academic knowledge and work experience to their instruction. In addition, students pursuing B Des degree will be provided with technical tools such as AutoCAD, model making and hand-drawing along with verbal presentation skills. Upon completion of the undergraduate coursework, students will be able to conceptualise and produce designs through expertise in spatial reasoning and thorough resolution.

Also Read:

• Diploma in Interior Designing
• Interior Design Colleges

Eligibility and Exams

• You must have completed your Class 12th or equivalent qualifying examination
• There is no restriction of the stream, you can pursue BDes after arts, science, or commerce
• There is no age limit or restriction

If you are planning to study BDes at the top universities of the world, you need to take certain exams.

• English proficiency tests like IELTS or TOEFL
• SAT or ACT

BDes Majors

• Anthropology
• Buildings and Environments
• Environment and Society
• Information Environments

Essential Skills

Students aspiring to enter the fashion industry through opting B Des course whether in India or abroad must have attained certain skills. Besides having an eye to detail, quick learning abilities and profound knowledge of the industry and design innovation, some other important essentials include: 

Cognitive Skills	Good Communication and Interpersonal Skills	Creative and Imaginative
Strong Artistic Skills	Presentation Skills	Knowledge of Past and Present Style of Design
Traditional Skills	Drawing Skills	Self-motivated
Innovativeness	Willingness to Undertake Risks	Apply Original Elements to Projects

Top Universities to Pursue B Des

It’s time to move beyond traditional approaches to B Des courses abroad by incorporating technological innovation and new materials into your designs. It is important to remember that where you complete your education from always has an impact on the kind of exposure you get. But before students need to ensure that in order to pursue a B Des abroad, they must have completed their 10+2 or equivalents from a recognised board. Besides these, students have to clear their IELTS, TOEFL or PTE to prove their English-language proficiency. 

Here is a list of renowned institutions offering B Des courses to international students: 

• Victoria University of Wellington
• Queensland University of Technology
• University of Technology Sydney
• Auckland University of Technology
• Massey University
• Humber College
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Singapore Institute of Management
• Charles Darwin University
• Ara Institute of Canterbury
• OCAD University
• Southern Institute of Technology

Career Pathways After B Des 

Specialised courses under B Des have more creative potential and flexibility, geared towards producing well-rounded graduates who have expertise in millennial skills. After completing your Bachelor of Design from one of the top fashion design schools in the world, you have acquired the skills necessary to build a career in design. The best part of the design courses is that they provide great flexibility and versatility to students and help them subsequently get employed in several fields. Here is a list of top job profiles that offer the best employment scope in the fashion and lifestyle industry:

• Art Director
• Design Manager
• Fashion Designer
• Textile Designer
• Costume Designer
• Graphic Designer
• UI/UX Designer
• Product Designer
• Industrial Designer
• Fashion Stylists
• Fashion Forecasters
• Weaving Consultant
• Fashion Merchandiser
• Teacher
• Outside Sale Representative
• Fashion Merchandiser
• Cutting Assistant
• Interior Designer Entrepreneur

Top Companies that Hire BDes Graduates

• Flipkart
• Videocon
• Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. (Automotive Sector)
• Hindustan Unilever Limited
• Cognizant
• Malabar Gold & Diamonds
• GAD FASHIONS
• TCS
• Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.
• GE Healthcare
• Wipro
• MediaShala
• General Motors Design
• Fluent India

Planning to start a career in designing after 12th? Then a B Des degree can help you use your design and technical skill to translate your vision into reality. We primarily recommend you to choose a design specialisation before you apply for a B Des degree. Need help in selecting the right option? Take the help of our experts at Leverage Edu, who can help you transcend your imagination and push the bar further.