Top 10 Fashion Design Colleges in North India

Clothing is one of the essential elements of life and fashion design is an art/craft by means of which we try to make our clothing as well as accessories more beautiful as well as comfortable to wear.

Fashion design is a diverse field to work in and to be eligible to apply for different design job posts, one needs to be adequately trained in different design genres.

Read more: Fashion Design courses one can study.

We have already listed the best fashion design colleges in East, West and South India. Thus, in continuation to our series on the best fashion design colleges in the country, we will now be informing you about the top design colleges in North India.

Note: The colleges listed below are not in any particular order.

National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi

Location: Hauz Khas, New Delhi

Ministry of Textiles, Government of India established National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi in collaboration with FIT, New York. Set up in 1986, NIFT New Delhi was given statutory status under Parliament of India Act in 2006.

NIFT Delhi has state-of-the-art-infrastructure. This design college is ISO 9001:2008 certified.

Courses offered at NIFT Delhi include:

• BDes in Fashion Design
• BDes in Fashion Communication
• BDes in Textile Design
• BDes in Knitwear Design
• BDes in Leather Design
• BDes in Accessory Design
• BFTech in Apparel Production
• Masters of Fashion Technology
• Masters of Fashion Management

International Institute of Fashion Technology (IIFT)

Location: South Ex-1, New Delhi

Established in 1990, International Institute of Fashion Technology (IIFT) has 70 centres in India and abroad. This fashion design college was established under the able guidance of famous fashion technologist – Ratnadeep Lal.

Apart from India, students from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius as well as other African countries are trained at IIFT. 

Courses taught at IIFT include:

• BBA and BSc in Textile Designing
• BBA and BSc in Apparel Merchandising
• BBA and BSc in Fashion Designing
• BBA and BSc in Retail Management
• MBA in Fashion Designing
• MBA In Retail Management
• MBA in Textile Designing
• MBA in Apparel Merchandising
• MBA in Interior Designing
• BBA and BSc in Interior Designing
• Diploma in Interior Designing (DID)
• Diploma in Interior Designing
• Diploma in Accessory Designing
• Diploma in Jewellery Designing

Pearl Academy, Delhi

Location: Naraina, New Delhi

Registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860, Pearl Academy was established in the year 1993 in New Delhi.

In 1995, this design college collaborated with UK based Nottingham Trent University and thereafter all courses offered at Pearl Academy were validated by this university.

Courses taught at Pearl Academy, New Delhi include:

• BA Fashion Design
• BA Fashion Styling and Image Design
• BA Fashion Media Communication
• BA Communication Design (choice of four pathways: Experience Design, Graphic Design & Advertising, Interactive Media Design and Film & Animation)
• BA Interior Architecture & Design
• BA Interior Product Design
• BA Fashion Business Management
• BA Fashion Marketing and Retail Management
• BA Branding and Advertising Management
• BA Luxury Brand Management
• BA Jewellery Design

WLC College India

Location: Khanpur, New Delhi

Formerly known as Wigan and Leigh College, WLC College India was established in 1996. WLC College India offers professional courses in more than 10 locations, which are, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Surat, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Bhubaneswara and Kathmandu.

At present WLC College offers courses in Business Management, Fashion Technology, Advertising & Graphic Design as well as Media. Fashion Design courses offered at the college include:

• Foundation Diploma in Fashion Technology
•  Higher Diploma in Fashion Technology
•  Advanced Diploma in Fashion Technology
•  Professional Diploma in Fashion Technology
•  Executive Diploma in Fashion Design & Pattern Making / Apparel Merchandising & Fashion Forecasting
•  Part Time Programmes in Fashion Design / Illustration / Pattern Making / Garment Construction

Footwear Design and Development Institute

Location: Noida, Uttar Pradesh

Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India established Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) in 1986. FDDI has eight campuses all over India which are located at – Noida, Rohtak, Jodhpur, Chennai, Kolkata, Chhindwara, Fursatganj and Guna.

The FDDI campus at Noida spreads across an area of 10 acres. Courses taught at this college include:

• BDes (Footwear Design & Production)
• BDes (Fashion Leather Accessories Design)
• BDes (Fashion Designing)
• BDes (Retail & Fashion Merchandise)
• MBA (Retail & Fashion Merchandise)
• MBA (Footwear Design & Production)
• MDes (Creative Design & CAD/CAM)
• Business & Entrepreneurship

LISAA School of Design

Location: Okhla, New Delhi

Founded by Monsieur Michel Glize, LISAA School of Design is a very popular design college in France. Aspirants can secure admission at this design school by clearing Lisaa CAT Online/Offline exam.

The official website informs: “LISAA School of Design has a multidisciplinary approach to design education that promotes both creativity and experimentation, studying and learning in this environment helps the students to develop a unique perspective”.

Courses taught at LISAA School of Design include:

• Fashion Design and Textile Design
• Graphic Design, Illustration and Web Design
• Interior Design and Product Design
• Fashion and Product Management
• Graphic Design and Web Design
• Interior Design

Northern India Institute of Fashion Design

Location: Mohali, Punjab

Established in 1995, Northern India Institute of Fashion Design (NIIFT) has branches at Jalandhar and Ludhiana. In 2010, the Punjab Government gave the go-ahead for a merger between NIIFT and NIFT Delhi. As part of this MoU, NIFT Delhi would be guiding and providing assistance to NIIFT with respect to admission procedure, curriculum scheduling/upgradation as well as faculty recruitment and training.

Programmes on offer at NIIFT, Mohali include:

• BSc Fashion Design
• BSc Textile Design
• BSc Fashion Design Knits
• MSc Garment Manufacturing Technology
• MSc Fashion Marketing and Management

JD Institute of Fashion Technology

Location: Hauz Khas, New Delhi

Established in 1988, JD Institute of Fashion Technology has centres at Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore. JD Institute of Fashion Technology is the alma mater of famous fashion designers such as Rocky S, Shane & Falguni, Urvashi Kaur, Reza, Niket Mishra, Gaurav Chabra, Maheka Mirpuri, Nitin- Isha, etc.

Affiliated to Kuvempu University of Karnataka, JD Institute of Fashion Technology has participated in events like Smirnoff International Awards, Dee beers Diamond Competition, International Jewellery Fair, Ebenzer Awards and the likes.

Courses taught at the college are as follows:

• Degree in Fashion & Apparel Design
• Degree in in Interior Design
• Post Graduate Degree in Fashion Communication
• Post Graduate Degree in Textile Technology
• Diploma in Fashion Design
• Diploma in Interior Design
• Diploma in Jewellery Design
• Diploma in Visual Merchandising
• Diploma in Fashion Business Management
• Diploma in Fashion Photography
• Diploma in Makeup Artistry

Apeejay Institute of Design

Location: Mehrauli, New Delhi

Set up in 1991, Apeejay Institute of Design started offering Bachelor of Design course in 1998. This design school is affiliated to Apeejay Stya University.

Apeejay Institute of Design has international collaborations with Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), Georgia College and State University (USA), Ecole Superieure des Arts Appliques de Troyes (France), Willem de Kooning Academy (Rotterdam, Netherlands) and European Fashion Certification Board (Paris, France).

Courses on offer at Apeejay Institute of Design are as mentioned below:

• Bachelor of Design
• MDesign (Integrated)
• MA in Design
• Integrated Design Course
• Post Graduate Diploma in Design
• BDiploma Certificate Course
• Advanced Diploma in Design

IMS-Design & Innovation Academy

Location: Noida, Uttar Pradesh

A group of academicians established IMS-Design & Innovation Academy in 2005. NID Ahmedabad, MICA and IIM Ahmedabad are the academic advisors of this design school.

The college conducts design competitions, conferences, seminars, exhibitions, events, student exchange programmes and research projects on a regular basis. IMS-Design & Innovation Academy also has academic associations with IFFTI and Indian Design Association.

Programmes on offer at the college include:

• Fashion Design
• Diploma in Fashion Design and Textile Design
• BFA - Degree in Fashion Design
• HND in Fashion Design
• Interior Design
• Diploma in Interior Design
• HND in Interior Design
• Jewellery Design
• Diploma in Jewellery Design
• HND in Jewellery Design
• Interactive Animation and Graphics
• Diploma in Interactive Animation and Graphics
• BFA - Degree in New Media
• HND in Interactive Animation and Graphics