Fashion Design

This programme offers students a clear route to enter the dynamic and exploratory realm of design education at IIAD with confidence. They gain proficiency in a wide range of design skills while expanding their design knowledge and language. After successfully completing the Foundation year, students seamlessly progress to BA (Hons) Fashion Design course.

The first year of the Fashion Design course is an enriching journey of ‘Unpacking the Self’ by diving into the depths of your core essence. You start to express your own unique narratives in the conceptualisation and design of garments. As you foray into the realm of fashion and materials, you will discover the trail from yarn to fabric, and how to manipulate materials to develop interesting surfaces and textures. The body becomes the ‘canvas of exploration’ and fashion design students build a sensitive approach towards movement, diversity, body types and genders. As part of the project briefs you also learn fundamental technical skills such as pattern cutting, stitching techniques, and understanding the machine. On completing this year, you will be able to design, construct and finish basic silhouettes.

By the end of this year, you will have the opportunity to engage in your initial industry interaction through an 8-week Learn On-site internship, which will focus on multidisciplinary learning experiences. Fashion design students are encouraged to explore a wide range of avenues within the fashion industry such as textiles, art and design, as per their area of interest.

The second year of the fashion design course focuses on an in-depth understanding of forms and structures in relation to the body. You also learn advanced tools and techniques of design, material manipulation and product detailing. Students explore diverse facets of a given theme, researching the history and contemporary context of a garment, and deconstructing it to understand how it is made.

Our emphasis on industry experiences takes centre stage through Live Projects and productive liaisons with fashion design professionals and thought-leaders. As you get acquainted with the landscape of the fashion industry you get introduced to professional practices and processes. Working collaboratively with traditional artisans in their habitat under the auspices of a brand will give you a live experience of translating indigenous crafts to a marketable line of wear. Projects on sustainability introduce students to ethical practices, helping them evolve as responsible designers who are equipped to address global concerns.

The 16-week Learn On-site internship represents an extended industry immersion designed as the entry point to your professional career. You get opportunities to work in professional environments and understand the dynamics of organisational set-up. You will gain experience in all aspects of the design process such as concept development, sampling, production, merchandising, marketing, sourcing, analysing trends, surface and print development, quality control, sustainability, range buying and more. IIAD fashion design students have secured internships in many leading design studios including 11.11, Levis, Pero, Hemant and Nandita, Suket Dhir, Allen Solly, Ajio, Indigene, Tarun Tahiliani, Rahul Mishra and Eka to nam

From ‘Unpacking the self’ to “Repacking the self’, you emerge as a self-reliant designer in the final year. You will drive yourself as an independent thinker and forge professional connections to lead and shape your design practice with ease. At the same time, you build entrepreneurial skills that help translate your ideas into reality. You emerge as a confident, self-aware fashion designer with your own distinct design sensibility. This clarity helps you build a unique niche for yourself and stay at the forefront of your trade.

The final year of fashion design course culminates with the Major Design Project which gives you an opportunity to showcase your creativity, individual style and aesthetics as your representation of fashion. You will undertake an intense design process which is more personalised in your final project. You develop your designs, inspired by something close to you that stimulates your creative impulse. Throughout the project, you will take design decisions independently while getting close mentorship by faculty. You will be actively engaged with different components of a design collection, going beyond concept and construction of garments, to work with styling and lookbook photoshoots, planning the final ramp walk show and more.