Nainika Karan, a fashion designer who studied from NIFT and has designed for many Bollywood actors says, “Apart from being fashion conscious, one has to have a thorough knowledge of fashion technicalities to have an edge over others. If you wish to start a boutique, an MBA degree after a designing course definitely helps.”

There are institutes like NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology), NID (National Institute of Design) and those with international affiliations—Mod’art International and Wigan Fashion School among others—who offer diploma and fashion management courses. From embroidery, textile and fashion retail to merchandising and art, they equip you to take on the challenges of the fashion world. Nishant Jitendra Joshi, chairman and managing director of Mod’art says, “Gone are those days when a designer sketched out a pattern and tried it on the mannequin. Considering that fashion trends keep changing rapidly, these courses help students to learn a lot about the history of Indian as well as international fashion. Our students will also be sent to Paris for a feel of the trends and styles.”

There is a demand in the industry only if someone has the tag of a renowned institute. Neesha Chordia, 21, who completed her diploma in KK Wagh Women’s Polytechnique Fashion Designing and specialised in illustration says, “In spite of having my basics in fashion theory—textile, fashion, computer-aided design, mechandising, embroideries, styles, cuts and a work experience as a designer and merchandiser, I realised that it was important to get a post-graduate degree for a better career growth. Hence, I am trying to crack the entrance-exams of several famous and recognised institutes.”