MBA Fashion Design: Admission 2025, Eligibility, Colleges and Careers

• Updated on  Jul 14, 2025, by Epil Gagrai

MBA Fashion Design Management is a 2-year postgraduate program that provides a detailed understanding of the fashion industry and its related aspects. The course covers business aspects of the fashion industry with topics like fashion trends, branding, merchandising, marketing, and supply chain management.

 

Anyone who holds a bachelor's degree in any discipline with a minimum aggregate of 50% marks is eligible to apply. The admission into the MBA in Fashion Design program is based on an entrance exam followed by a personal interview. Some of the entrance exams considered are CAT, XAT, MAT, CMAT, etc.

 

After completion of MBA fashion designing course, the graduates are eligible to work as Fashion Brand Manager, Retail Buyer, Fashion Marketing Specialist, Product Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Merchandising Manager, Fashion Business Consultant, etc. There are brands like Pantaloons, H&M, Zara, Fab India, etc that hire the MBA graduates with an average initial salary of around INR 2.5 - 6 LPA

 

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Table of Contents
  1. MBA Fashion Design Highlights
  2. What is MBA Fashion Design?
  3. Why Study MBA Fashion Design?
  4. Who Should Study an MBA in Fashion Design?
  5. MBA Fashion Design Eligibility
  6. MBA Fashion Design Entrance Examination
  7. MBA Fashion Design Colleges in India
  8. MBA Fashion Design Admission Process
  9. MBA Fashion Design Syllabus
  10. MBA in Fashion Design VS MBA in Fashion Management
  11. MBA Fashion Design Job Opportunities
  12. MBA Fashion Design FAQs

 

MBA Fashion Design Highlights

The details of the Master of Business in Fashion Design Management are mentioned below:

Particulars

Details

Course Name

MBA Fashion Design

Course Level

Postgraduate

Duration

2 years

Course Type

Designing

Admission Process

Entrance Exam/ Personal Interview/Merit-Based

Eligibility Criteria

Bachelors degree

Top Colleges

Pearl Academy, JD Institute of Fashion Technology, Jaipur National University, Amity University, etc.

Job Profiles

Fashion Brand Manager, Retail Buyer, Fashion Marketing Specialist, Product Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Merchandising Manager, Fashion Business Consultant, etc

Top Recruiters

Pantaloons, H&M, Zara, Fab India, GAP, Nike, Tanishq, Reliance Industries Limited, Aditya Birla Group, Myntra, Amazon, etc.

Average Salary in India

INR 2.5 - 6 LPA

 

What is MBA Fashion Design?

Master of Business Administration in Fashion Design is a postgraduate program that focuses on the business and management principles in the fashion and textile industry. This course bridges the gap between design and strategy and prepares the fashion design graduates for leadership roles.

 

The course will explore the management side of the fashion world, covering everything from design concepts to brand management, supply chain, marketing strategies, and financial planning tailored for the fashion industry. The course will prepare the students to pursue a career in brand management, retail, product development, fashion marketing, and entrepreneurship.

 

Why Study MBA Fashion Design?

One should choose to do an MBA in Fashion Design because this is a huge industry, and it actively requires professional employees. Here are some of the stats to prove that choosing an MBA degree can be beneficial:

  • Requirement of Management Leaders - The fashion and textile industry employs a lot of artisans who have been producing textiles for years. Top fashion brands work with these artisans to produce high-quality products, and for these, they require MBA graduates to manage their supply chain, branding, merchandise, and marketing.
  • Market Size - Choosing the fashion industry for MBA specialization opens up a lot of opportunities, since the fashion and textile industry is expanding. According to Economic Times, the Indian Textile sector is projected to reach $350 billion by 2030.
  • Shift to Management Roles - The design graduates who want to shift to management or leadership roles can choose to do an MBA in Fashion Design. This not only helps the individual to move up the hierarchy but also offers a salary hike.

 

Who Should Study an MBA in Fashion Design?

The MBA in Fashion Design should be pursued by those who want to build a career in the fashion industry and earn a lucrative salary. The individuals who are fit for this course are as follows:

  • Fashion designers who want to shift to management or leadership roles.
  • Those who want to do an MBA and want to specialize in the fashion and textile sector.
  • Professionals who are already working in retail and want to advance their career and salary.
  • Designers who want to become entrepreneurs and start their own brand, fashion startup, or boutique.

 

MBA Fashion Design Eligibility

Mentioned below is the pointers of MBA in Fashion Designing eligibilitycriteria:

  • Should have a bachelor's degree from a recognized university.
  • Should have scored a minimum aggregate of 45 - 50% marks in graduation.

 

MBA Fashion Design Entrance Examination

The institutes usually consider the national level exams or university level entrance exams for admission to the MBA Fashion Design Management course. Some of the entrance exams that are considered for this course are mentioned below:

Exams Name

Application Date (Tentative)

Exam Date

 

(Tentative)

Application Fees

CAT 2025

Aug 1 - Sep 20, 2025

Nov 24, 2025

INR 2,500

XAT 2026

July 15 - Dec 10, 2025

Jan 05, 2026

INR 2,200

MAT 2026

PBT: May 2026

 

CBT: June 2026

PBT: May 2026

 

CBT: June 2026

INR 2,200 (for CBT/ PBT)

 

INR 3,800 (CBT + PBT)

NMAT 2026

Jan 2026

Jan 2026

INR 3,000

ATMA 2026

May 2026

June 2026

INR 2,000 (Male)

 

INR 1,500 (Female)

CMAT 2026

Nov 14 - Dec 14, 2025

Jan 25, 2026

INR 2,500 (Male)

 

INR 1,250 (Female)

Pearl Academy Written Entrance Test 2026

May 2026

May - June 2026

INR 2,000

 

MBA Fashion Design Colleges in India

There are very few institutes that offer an MBA in Fashion Design. Here is the list of some of the design colleges that offer the course:

College Name

Location

Total Fees

Admission Process

Pearl Academy

Delhi

-

CAT, XAT, MAT, NMAT, ATMA, CMAT, or Pearl Academy Online Entrance Test.

Jaipur National University

Jaipur

-

Entrance Test (JEST) + PI

JD Institute of Fashion Technology

Bengaluru, Surat, New Delhi, Mumbai

-

Merit-Based

IIFD

Chandigarh

-

Direct Admission

Nelson Business School

-

-

Merit Based

Amity University

Noida

INR 3.9 Lakhs

Personal Interview

Sunrise University

Alwar, Rajasthan

-

Written Test + Interview

SGT University

Gurgaon

INR 3 Lakhs

Merit Based

 

MBA Fashion Design Admission Process

The admission to the MBA in Fashion Design course is based on a national-level entrance examination or through the institute's conducted entrance examination. Here is the admission process for the MBA in Fashion Design course offered by Pearl Academy:

 

Step 1: Interested candidates will have to visit the official website of Pearl Academy: apply.pearlacademy.com. They can fill out the online application form and pay the admission fee.

 

Step 2: The applicants will have to appear for the Pearl Academy Entrance Test. Those who have appeared for exams like CAT, XAT, MAT, NMAT, ATMA, or CMAT will be exempted from taking the entrance exam.

 

Step 3: The candidates will be shortlisted based on their exam scores and will be called for a personal interview round.

 

Step 4: The candidates will be selected based on overall performance in the entrance exam, personal interview, academic performance, and the overall profile.

 

Step 5: The selected candidates will receive an offer letter and will have to accept the admission within the given deadline and pay the required admission fees.

 

MBA Fashion Design Syllabus

The MBA Fashion Design Management is a 2-year course divided into 4 semesters. Here is the MBA in Fashion Management syllabus offered by Jaipur National University to get an idea of the topics covered in this course.

Semester 1

Semester 2

Management Accounting

Human Resource Management

Introduction to the Global Fashion Industry

Apparel Production Technology

Managerial Economics

Marketing Management

Basics of Textiles

Digital Design(PRACTICAL)

Basics of Garment Construction (Practical)

Research Methodology

Principles and Practices of Management

Fashion Brand Management

Computer Applications in Management

Enterprise System Management

Sustainable Development

Fashion Orientation

 

Sustainable Fashion and Ethical Practices

Semester 3

Semester 4

Strategic Management

Visual Merchandising

Fabric Structure, Material, and their applications (PRACTICAL)

Core Dissertation (Project)

Consumer and Industrial Buying Behaviour

Retail Management

Fashion Industry Internship and Training (4-6 weeks)

Advertising and Brand Management

Security Analysis and Portfolio Management

Luxury Management

Fashion Forecasting

-

Selling & Negotiating Skills

-

 

MBA in Fashion Design VS MBA in Fashion Management

Mentioned below is the comparison between an MBA in Fashion Design and an MBA in Fashion Management:

Aspect

MBA in Fashion Design

MBA in Fashion Management

Focus Area

Creative and technical aspects of fashion design

Business, marketing, and management side of the fashion industry

Core Subjects

Garment construction, textile science, fashion illustration, design thinking

Fashion marketing, brand management, retailing, merchandising

Skills Developed

Creativity, design software skills, visual presentation

Strategic thinking, marketing, retail analytics, supply chain

Career Options

Fashion designer, stylist, product developer, costume designer

Brand manager, fashion buyer, fashion marketer, retail manager

Industry Role

Creates new fashion collections or designs

Manages how designs are marketed, sold, and positioned

Tools/Software

Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, CAD for fashion

CRM tools, ERP systems, retail and trend analytics tools

Work Environment

Design studios, fashion houses, own labels

Fashion brands, e-commerce companies, retail chains, marketing agencies

Global Demand

High but competitive, requires strong portfolio

Increasing demand due to growth of global fashion retail and branding

 

MBA Fashion Design Job Opportunities

The graduates with an MBA in Fashion Design can work in various areas of the fashion industry, like fashion retail, e-commerce, textile industry, fashion branding & marketing, export houses, and many more. Some of the job roles available to them are mentioned in the table below, along with their average salary as per PayScale:

Job Roles

Experience

Top Recruiters

Average Salary

Fashion Brand Manager

1 - 4 years

Adidas, Nike, etc

INR 6.21 - 6.6 LPA

Store Manager

1 - 4 years

H&M, Zara, Forever21, etc.

INR 2.9 - 3.6 LPA

Retail Merchandise

1 - 4 years

Allen Solly, Biba, W for Woman, etc

INR 2.79 - 3.54 LPA

Supply Chain Manager

1 - 4 years

Fab India, Myntra, Shopper Stop, etc

INR 3.47 - 5.89 LPA

Customer Relationship Manager

1 - 4 years

Tata CLiQ, Reliance Retail, etc.

INR 2.84 - 3.86 LPA

 

MBA Fashion Design FAQs

Do I need to have a degree in fashion design to apply for an MBA in Fashion Design?

No. Any graduate degree holder is eligible to apply for the MBA in Fashion Design. Having a bachelor's degree in design can come in handy as they will have prior experience in the fashion industry and its workings.

What are the areas where the MBA in Fashion Design graduates can get employed?

The fashion industry has various areas where MBA graduates can get employed. Some of the areas include Fashion Retail, E-Commerce, Apparel & Textile, Luxury & Lifestyle brands, Fashion marketing, Export houses, Fashion media, etc.

Does an MBA in Fashion Management require work experience?

No, there is no requirement for prior work experience to apply for an MBA in Fashion Management. Freshers can also apply for this course, but having work experience is beneficial for admission selection and placements.

Does NIFT offer an MBA in Fashion Design Management course?

No, NIFT does not offer an MBA in Fashion Design Management course. NIFT offers a 2-year Master's in Fashion Management (MFM), which has almost similar focus to the MBA course.

What is the fees of MBA in Fashion Design?

MBA in Fashion Design fees ranges between INR 3-6 lakh, depending upon the type of institutrion, city and quality of education with placement opportunities.

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