MBA - Fashion Management: 

Master of Business Administration in Fashion Management or MBA Fashion Management is a postgraduate program. Similar to other MBA programs, students can apply for the course after completing a bachelor’s degree. It is a specialization in MBA, focused on operational management of the fashion industry and its organizations. The course helps aspirants to combine their fashion-based creative abilities along with the principles of management to nurture their strengths and have a successful career. 

MBA Fashion Management courses can be applied for in India through national-level entrance exams of CAT, GMAT, MAT, and institution-level entrance exams like NIFT GAT. There are full-time, part-time, online, and distance learning courses in the field that ensure not only flexibility but also high academic standards. 

While pursuing an MBA Fashion Management course, students are given the opportunity to study traditional management coursework along with subjects from the fashion world such as marketing luxury brands, brand culture, market management and development, fashion business forecasting, etc. The said management skills are necessary to cope with the ever-changing fashion trends and to manage a diverse group of professionals in the fashion world. Some of the top MBA Fashion Management colleges in India include NIFT, IIFT, IIFA Multimedia, and NID. The average cost of the course ranges from INR 4,00,000 to INR 10,00,000 which shall vary from one institute to another.


MBA Fashion Management Course Highlights

Here are some of the highlights of the MBA Fashion Management course in India: 

Full NameMaster of Business Administration in Fashion Management
Short NameMBA Fashion Management
Degree LevelMaster’s/Postgraduate
StreamBusiness and Management
Exam TypeSemester
Types of CourseFull-time, Part-time, and Online
Duration2 years
Minimum Qualification RequiredUndergraduate degree, preferably in Business and Management
Entrance ExamCAT, MAT, GMAT, RMAT, etc.
Average Annual Course FeesINR 1,50,000-2,50,000
Top MBA Fashion Management CollegesIIFT, NIFT, Jaipur National University, and IIFA Multimedia
Career OpportunitiesEntrepreneurship, Managerial Job Positions, Management Research, and Professorship
Top Recruiting CompaniesGodrej Interio, FabIndia, Tanishq, Li & Fung, Pantaloons, Lifestyle, and Vogue
Average Annual Starting SalaryINR 9,00,000-20,00,000

Why Choose MBA in Fashion Management?

The MBA Fashion Management course is a very thorough and cutting-edge program that leads to a fulfilling profession appropriate for the distinctive tastes of the fashion industry. It has grown to be one of India's most popular and lucrative industries. In addition, the curriculum makes sure that students are kept up to date on emerging trends, challenges, and innovations in the fashion business.

An MBA in Fashion Management broadens students' expertise in areas like retailing, fashion buying, fashion promotion, market research methodology, fashion forecasting, and visual merchandising strategies. Additionally, this course will teach students how to gather raw materials, how to manufacture goods, and how to promote their final goods both domestically and abroad via a variety of channels. Through field trips and internships offered in the sector, the curriculum will also give students the chance to develop projects on particular issues and earn expertise.

Fashion Industry growth will continue due to the increase in demand for people with a passion for fashion. In addition to the wide variety of jobs available in this field, it is also very rewarding. As a result, there are practically no limitations on the types of jobs a student can pursue, whether it is at a small store or a big brand, or even starting their own company.

The emergence of new platforms like Jabong, Myntra, Flipkart, KOOVS, and Amazon have given an impetus to Indian fashion as the e-commerce industry booms. Thus, creating many employment opportunities for MBA Fashion Management graduates. 


Types of MBA Fashion Management Courses

One of the most prognosticated MBA programmes after a bachelor's degree is the one in fashion management. MBA Fashion Management courses are offered to prospective students in all three modes of learning: full-time, part-time and online/distance schooling. Details are discussed below:

Full-Time MBA Fashion Management Courses

The full-time MBA course is for two years and students must attend in-person classes, complete regular assignments, and take semester-by-semester offline exams on campus. They must also present projects and perform practicals as part of the MBA in Fashion Management course curriculum. Students who enrol in a full-time study gain practical experience in the subject as well as in-depth learning through actively engaging with their instructors and other students.

Part-Time MBA Fashion Management Courses

For students who cannot commit to the full-time programme or who are working in their professions full-time, there is a part-time MBA in Fashion Management course available. A part-time course can consist of weekend, evening, or online classes, depending on its type. The part-time programme lasts two to three years.

Distance/Online MBA Fashion Management Courses

Similar to the part-time course, distance/online MBA Fashion Management courses also last two to three years and can be pursued from anywhere. This course is designed for students or researchers who are working professionals and who cannot attend full-time or even part-time courses. Colleges like Amity University (Noida), Jaipur National University (Jaipur), NIMS University (Jaipur), Sai Nath University (Ranchi), Swami Vivekanand Subharti University (Meerut), Vogue Institute of Fashion Technology (Bangalore), etc provide this course.


MBA Fashion Management Entrance Exams

In India, multiple entrance exams are held for MBA Fashion Management courses, such as at the national level, state level, and university level. Internationally acclaimed research has become a hallmark of many well-known business schools around the country. The following is a list of some of the entrance exams that applicants may take to enrol in this management course:

Common Management Admission Test (CMAT): For admission to the country's management programmes like MBA in Fashion Management, CMAT is a national-level entrance test. This test helps AICTE-accredited participating MBA colleges choose qualified graduate applicants for admission to their management programmes.

Xavier Aptitude Test (XAT): For admission to MBA Fashion Management at top b-schools like IMT Ghaziabad, XIMB, TAPMI Manipal, and 160 other leading MBA institutions in India, XAT is the management entrance exam.

Common Admission Test (CAT): The most prominent national-level entrance exam in India used to admit candidates to the best management colleges, especially IIMs is CAT. Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning, Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension and Quantitative Ability make up the three portions of the test.

Symbiosis National Aptitude Test (SNAP): It is a national-level MBA entrance exam conducted by Symbiosis International (Deemed) University (SIU). SNAP is conducted at the end of each year to admit MBA aspirants to 15 institutes that officially come under the umbrella of Symbiosis.

NMIMS Management Aptitude Test (NMAT): The NMAT is a national-level MBA entrance exam conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) for admission to leading b-schools in the country such as SPJIMR Mumbai, NMIMS Mumbai, VIT University, IFMR, K J Somaiya Institute of Management, SRM University, etc.

MBA Fashion Management Eligibility Criteria

In India, the eligibility criteria for MBA Fashion Management courses may vary from one college/university to another. However, applicants need to fulfil the basic minimum eligibility criteria as discussed below:

  • Applicants must have received a minimum CGPA of 50% or equivalent at the undergraduate level; there is a 5% relaxation for candidates who fall into reserved categories.
  • A minimum of 60% aggregate is required for admission to the top MBA institutions, IITs and IIMs.
  • Students applying for MBA in Fashion Management admissions must have received their three to four-year diploma (preferably in a relevant field of study) from a recognised institution.
  • Applicants must sit for university-level exams like the CMAT, CAT, MAT, NMAT, XAT, etc. and other management-related entrance exams.

How to Get Admission to MBA Fashion Management?

MBA Fashion Management is a combination of the elements of fashion and marketing and business planning. The admission process it follows is the same as other MBA specialisations. Students need to clear a three-step admission process to get admission to MBA Fashion Management courses. Each step of the admission process has been described below for the convenience of students:


Step 1 - Entrance Exams: It is widely known that to get admission into MBA colleges in India, students need to attempt entrance exams such as CAT and GMAT. It is only when they clear the cut-off score of a particular college that they can apply for admission there. These entrance exams are conducted on national, state, and institutional levels as well. Some of the popular entrance exam scores accepted for admission to MBA Fashion Management are CAT, MAT, and GMAT. Students can submit their applications to colleges whose cut-off scores they were able to satisfy.

Step 2 - Group Discussions (GD): The business schools to whom students have applied review applications and issue a letter of invitation to all those whom they found suitable to move to the GD round of admissions. In this round, a group of students, generally 7-12, discuss, debate, and argue on the topic given by the panel. These discussions are conducted under the supervision of a selection panel. There may be multiple rounds of GD, wherein each successive round students are eliminated. After the last round of GD, the panel inducts the successful candidates into a waiting area for their turn for Personal Interviews.

Step 3 - Personal Interview: On their respective turn, students need to present themselves in front of a selection panel. This panel comprises around four or five faculty members who have with them the application and other documents submitted by the student as references. They ask questions from the student and eventually decide upon their admission into the MBA Fashion Management course.

If the student manages to clear the final round of the admissions process, they get a confirmation letter from the college regarding their successful admission.


Popular MBA Fashion Management Colleges in India

There are many reputed business schools in India for MBA, however, not all of them offer MBA in Fashion Management courses. Here are some of the Indian business schools which do offer the course and their respective annual course fees:

Name of Business SchoolApprox. Annual Course Fees (in INR)
Indian Institute of Fashion Technology, Bangalore1,75,000
Institute of Interior Fashion and Animation1,50,000
Indian Institute of Fashion and Design70,000
Jaipur National University1,40,000
JD Institute of Fashion Technology1,80,000
Amity School of Fashion Technology1,50,000
National Institute of Fashion Technology2,20,000
MIT Institute of Design4,00,000
Pacific University75,000

MBA - Fashion Management Syllabus

As an MBA specialization, MBA Fashion Management subjects are focused on the study of fashion industries, operations, administration, and trends. The course syllabus is aimed at equipping students in handling the business operations of fashion houses, ventures, and related organizations. 
Here are the topics and areas which are a part of the course curriculum commonly followed by Indian colleges offering MBA Fashion Management:

First Year:

Marketing Research and Consumer BehaviorInformation TechnologyPrinciples of Fashion Marketing
Global Textiles and Apparel Product MarketOperations ResearchMerchandising and Management
Economic Analysis & StatisticsRetail Management & Advanced Export MerchandisingMinor Research Project

Second Year:

International MarketingVisual MerchandisingSupply Chain Management and E-business
Human Resource ManagementCustomer Relationship ManagementInternational Finance
Fashion ForecastingGraduation Research ProjectMarketing Strategies and Brand Management

Course Curriculum for MBA Fashion Management

As discussed, the MBA Fashion Management course is stretched over two years i.e., four semesters.

 The course curriculum includes elective, core, and lab subjects, internships, and projects. On the other hand,

 teaching methodologies consist of detailed study materials, labs, projects, new techniques, tools, 

and technologies. Furthermore, students can choose their specialization or elective subjects based 

on their interests. The following pointers make the course curriculum for MBA Fashion Management:

  • Workshop
  • Thesis writing 
  • Survey
  • Seminar
  • Research papers
  • Project
  • Practical sessions
  • Lab sessions
  • IV-semesters
  • Internship
  • Group projects
  • Elective
  • Core subjects

MBA - Fashion Management Career Options and Job Prospects

After pursuing a post-graduation degree in Fashion Management, candidates can access an ample number

 of job opportunities in both public and the private sector. Some of the top recruiting companies for fashion

 management graduates are Godrej Interior, Futomic Designs, Space Art, Synergy Corporate Interiors etc. 

The average starting salary of a fresher is Rs. 4 lakh to Rs. 15 lakh. Here is a list of popular employment areas,

 job profiles, and their respective annual salaries for MBA Fashion Management graduates:

Employment Area or Job ProfileAverage Annual Salary (in INR)
Garment Store Chains9,00,000
Jewellery Houses12,00,000
Textile Mills7,00,000
Fashion Houses20,00,000
Apparel Production Manager15,00,000
Visual Merchandiser6,50,000
Store Manager15,00,000
Fashion Consultants 12,00,000
Business Strategist25,00,000
Chief Financial Officer30,00,000