We live in an extremely fashion-conscious society. One that thrives on clout culture and is in constant awe of celebrities and their designer clothes. In such an environment, new fashion designers or those aspiring to make a mark in the industry must know how to manage their clientele as well as daily operations. Despite being a highly rewarding industry, it still faces numerous hurdles. So, if you are someone who can blend creative thinking with management skills in order to overcome the challenges that organized retail fashion companies face then a subject combination of MBA and Fashion Designing is what you can aim for! Not only does the postgraduation program impart extensive knowledge on various fronts related to the field but it also helps in developing career skills. Given its importance, this blog aims to highlight the key features of pursuing an MBA in Fashion Designing and the prospects it offers!
| Degree Level | Postgraduate |
| Full-Form | Master of Business Administration in Fashion Designing |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Entrance Exam | GMAT, CAT, XAT, MAT |
| Required Subjects | English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics |
| Average Fees | INR 50,000 to 6 lakhs |
| Average Salary Offered | INR 3 lakhs to 15 lakhs |
| Employment Roles | Fashion Designer, Fashion Coordinator, Costume Designer, Technical Designer |
| Job Opportunities | Apparel Companies, Retailers, Design Firms, etc |
This Blog Includes:
Course Overview
A challenge that most fashion designers face today is how to be creative and bold in their designs without impacting their business negatively. Running for a period of 1-2 years, MBA in Fashion Designing provides the required knowledge to overcome such hurdles. From retail management and entrepreneurship development to branding and product development, Fashion Designing subjects impart knowledge on various areas related to the sector. At the end of the program, the students also have to complete a mandatory dissertation or internship project, the duration of which can vary based on the university.
Eligibility Criteria
Just like other postgraduation courses, one needs to fulfill the criteria set by the university from where you want to pursue MBA in Fashion Designing. Even though the prerequisites can vary from one educational institution to another, here are the common parameters which one has to satisfy:
- The candidate must hold a bachelors degree like BSc Fashion Designing, Bachelor of Design (BDes)
- Applicant must also obtain a minimum percentage at the bachelors level in order to apply for the program
- A valid scorecard of English language tests like IELTS/TOEFL/PTE.
- Other documents like transcripts, CV/Resume, Statement of Purpose (SOP), letter of recommendations (LOR), etc.
Note: Some universities may require at least 1-2 years of work experience. It is thus advised to go through the eligibility criteria of the university in order to pursue an MBA in Fashion Designing.
Entrance Exams
There are various entrance exams which are conducted for the purpose of giving admission to students in MBA in fashion designing. They are conducted before the students join the institution to begin their studies.
- The entrance exam is based on subjects such as critical reasoning, general knowledge, data interpretation, English, current affairs, etc.
- Certain universities and colleges do not conduct an entrance exam and give admission on the basis of the marks the student achieved in his/her bachelor degree.
- The popular entrance exams for MBA in Fashion Designing are CAT, CMAT, ATMA, GMAT, MAT. Some colleges and institutions have their own entrance exam, like the IIM colleges.
- If you are applying to universities abroad, you will be required to provide English language proficiency scores such as IELTS, TOEFL, etc.
MBA in Fashion Designing Colleges In India
Here are the popular colleges to pursue an MBA in fashion designing in India.
| Name of College | Location |
| International School of Design | Uttar Pradesh |
| IIFA Multimedia | Bangalore |
| Pacific Institute of Fashion Technology | Rajasthan |
| International Institute of Fashion Technology | New Delhi |
| Institute of Innovation Design and Technology | Maharashtra |
| Mazz Academy | Haryana |
| New Age School of Design | Hyderabad |
| National Institute of Fashion and Events | Madhya Pradesh |
| Institute of Apparel Management | Maharashtra |
Popular Universities Abroad
Apart from offering quality education, fashion design schools across the globe provide students with a platform to enhance their designing skills and gain industrial exposure through internships, workshops, and industrial visits. With a curriculum designed to cover various facets of MBA in Fashion Designing, enlisted are some of the popular universities that offer the degree program or its variants:
- Kent State University, USA
Kent State University‘s College of Business Administration offers both full-time and part-time MBA programs with specializations in Fashion Merchandising. The course intends to provide students with experiential learning opportunities while emphasizing on applied coursework. - London College of Fashion, University of Arts London
University of the Arts London recently launched an Executive MBA in Fashion program that is open to senior managers and executives who wish to increase their knowledge. Some of the units in the 18 months long course include Strategic Human Resource Management in Fashion Industry, Strategic Buying and Merchandising for Fashion Retailing and Management, and Control Creative Management for New Business Challenges. - Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia University or what is called Thomas Jefferson University offers a BS/MBA which runs for a period of 5 years. It is a great option for those who are majoring in Fashion Industry Management and Fashion Merchandising at the undergraduate level and want to enhance their competencies in the field. - Paris School of Business
The business school offers a 12-month-long MBA program in Luxury and Fashion Management. Apart from building a strong foundation in the existing and emerging luxury markets, the course includes trips to Reims, Italy, and Bordeaux. The university also makes sure that the students participate in 3-month internships to get a better understanding of the industry. - IFA Paris
Having etched its name in the leading fashion schools of the world, the institute offers a 15 month long MBA in Fashion Business program. Offered in both its Istanbul and Paris campus, the institute uses a holistic approach to impart knowledge in fashion lifestyle, business issues, marketing, etc. Apart from this, it also offers comprehensive courses like MBA Global Fashion Media, Master of Arts in Contemporary Fashion Design, etc.
MBA in Fashion Designing Syllabus
The MBA in fashion designing courses covers a lot of subjects extensively to prepare and educate the students to the best of their abilities. The subjects are divided over a span of two years in a total of four semesters. It is tabulated below:
MBA in Fashion Designing Semester I
| Information Technology | Economics and Management Decisions |
| Business Communication and Negotiation Skills | Marketing Management |
| Organisational Behaviour | Quantitative Techniques |
MBA in Fashion Designing Semester II
| Research Methodology and App Statistics | Global Fashion Scenario |
| Human Resource Management | Indian Fashion Scenario |
| Financial | Basic Concepts of Fashion Products and Manufacturing |
MBA in Fashion Designing Semester III
| New Product Development | Principles Of Fashion Marketing and Merchandising |
| Competition and Strategies in Fashion | International Trade Operation and Documentation |
| E-Business and E-Commerce | Summer Internship |
MBA in Fashion Designing Semester IV
| Visual Merchandising | Cross Culture Management |
| International Fashion Marketing | Entrepreneurship and Fashion Venture Management |
| Dissertation |
MBA in Fashion Designing: Career Prospects
One of the most important factors when considering a course is looking at the job prospects and the scope after the degree. You must also be wondering about the opportunities available once you have completed your MBA in Fashion Designing. Enlisted are some of the work profiles you can work in with an MBA qualification:
- Fashion Brand Manager
- Fashion Consultant
- Personal Stylist
- Customer Relation Manager
- Fashion Promotion Professional
- Fashion Coordinator
- Marketing Consultant
- Marketing Manager
- Fashion Product Manager
- Public Relation Manager
Covering various areas pertaining to the sector, fashion designing is a very broad field. This offers students a platform to specialize in scores of subjects. Apart from MBA in Fashion Designing, you can also consider the following variants to kickstart your career in fashion designing:
- Global Fashion Media
- Luxury Brand Management
- Design, Fashion, and Luxury Goods
- International Fashion Management
- Fashion and Textile Design
- Sustainable Fashion
An MBA in Fashion Designing can be ideal for you if you have a creative bent of mind but wish to be engaged in something more practical. With this degree, you can strike the perfect balance between innovation and business. Needless to say, the process of deciding a course and college can be a taxing process. Take the assistance of the revolutionary AI-tool of Leverage Edu which will collate a list of most suitable fashion institutes and courses based on your interests!
