Mahindra University | Admissions 2026
4000+ Placements to date | 6000+ Students | Advanced applied research, patents, and partnerships
Fashion design and interior design are two dynamic fields that shape careers in the design industry. Fashion design revolves around clothing and accessories, enhancing personal style and more. While interior design focuses on creating harmonious living spaces that reflect our tastes and lifestyles. But most of the students who are completely unaware of the design courses might get confused between fashion design and interior design. Read the complete article by Careers360 to know the key differences and similarities between fashion design and interior design courses, entrance exam, eligibility criteria, career opportunities, and other important details.
This Story also Contains
Particulars | Fashion Design | Interior Design |
Work stream | Garments, footwear, jewellery, bags, and other wearable items. | Room layouts, furniture, fixtures, lighting, colour schemes. |
Process steps | Research, sketching, fabric selection, pattern making, and garment construction. | Client consultation, concept development, space planning, and material selection. |
Skills required | Artistic, technical skills, and trend analysis | Technical skills, spatial awareness, and design principles |
Client types | Fashion brands, individual clients, and retail consumers. | Homeowners, business owners, corporations, and public institutions |
End product | Seasonal collections, fashion shows, and retail products | Commercial interiors, renovated houses, new houses, newly designed living spaces. |
Fashion Design: Fashion designing is the art of creating clothes and accessories that are stylish and beautiful as per the current trends and client requirements. Fashion designers express their creativity by choosing the colour, fabrics, and patterns, and bring them together through sewing and crafting garments to create outfits for individuals. Designers often think about the trends, individual choice, and cultural influences, and then they design their collections.
Interior Design: Interior design is the art of making indoor spaces look attractive with furniture, colour, and decoration that create a pleasant environment. Interior designers will select the colours and decoration that make the room feel comfortable and welcoming. They use furniture, textures, lighting, colours, and how things are arranged to create rooms that are practical and look good. They mainly focus on meeting the requirements of the people who live or work there.
Both fashion design and interior design can be done after the student has completed a 10+2 level of education. There is no requirement for a specific stream to study fashion design or interior design. However, some top fashion design and interior design colleges require students to appear and qualify for certain entrance examinations. Besides that, the students should aim to have 50% or more in the 12th class to get into the best design colleges.
Interior Design Education Qualification: Candidates who complete their 10+2 from a recognised university will be eligible to opt for the bachelor's degree. Candidates who complete their bachelor's degree in interior design can pursue their master's degree in interior design as well. This programme teaches various skills required for interior designing, such as space planning, colour theory, furniture design, and building codes.
Fashion Design Educational Qualification: Candidates who have passed their 12th standard from a recognised board or university can pursue a bachelor's degree in fashion design. Whereas, candidates holding a bachelor's degree in a related design course can pursue their master's. These programs focus on sketching, pattern-making, sewing techniques, textiles, and fashion history.
Choosing between fashion design and interior design as a career path involves not only understanding the differences between these creative fields but also the entrance exams required to get admission at top design colleges in India. Read the list below of design entrance exams for fashion design and interior design courses in India.
Fashion Designing Entrance Exams: Check the list below of fashion designing entrance exams in India:
Interior Designing Entrance Exams: Check the list below of interior designing entrance exams in India:
There are several fashion design and interior design courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level which allows the students to join at any stage of their lives. Here are some common courses that are opted for by students to pursue fashion design and interior design.
Designers usually undergo formal education through design schools or universities offering specialised programs. Apart from the educational qualification, designers require other skills to excel in their field. Candidates can check some of the essential skills required for a fashion designer and an interior designer from the list below:
Fashion Designers' Skills:
Get up to 100% scholarship on B.Des. & BBA admissions through your CUET-UG score | No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings
Application End Date: 10th Jul'26 | AICTE Approved | NAAC A++ | Category 1 University by MHRD | Highest CTC 1.4 Cr LPA from Amazon
Interior Designer Skills:
Fashion design and interior design, while both rooted in creativity and aesthetics, cater to distinct aspects of human life. Here are the key differences between fashion designing and interior designing.
Particulars | Fashion Design | Interior design |
Primary Focus | Clothing and accessories. | Living and working spaces. |
Scope | seasonal collections, Personal style, trends, and individual expression. | Functionality, spatial harmony, comfort, and individual expression |
Output | Footwear, bags, jewellery, Garments, and other wearable items | furniture, fixtures, lighting, Room layouts, colour schemes, and overall interior environments. |
Creative Process | Fashion design process involves research, sketching, fabric selection, pattern making, and garment construction, resulting in seasonal collections, fashion shows, and retail products. | The interior design process includes client consultation, concept development, space planning, material selection, and project management, leading to renovated or newly designed living spaces. |
Inspiration Sources | Art, culture, history, nature, and street fashion. | Architectural styles, environmental factors, client needs, and current design trends. |
Client Interaction Level | Moderate, often indirect through brand identity and retail experiences. | High, with direct involvement in understanding and fulfilling client needs and preferences. |
End Users | Individuals who wear the designed garments and accessories | Occupants of the designed spaces include families, employees, and customers. |
Impact | Personal style, self-expression, and confidence. | Quality of life, comfort, functionality, and well-being within a space |
Market Dynamics | Rapidly changing trends, seasonal collections, and a fast-paced industry. | Slower-paced with long-lasting design solutions. |
Product Lifespan | Short term with frequent updates | focusing on durability and timeless appeal. |
Also Check:
Both fashion design and interior design have immense career opportunities. Fashion design students get jobs in fashion houses, retail shops, e-commerce, and magazines. They work as fashion designers, fashion illustrators, bloggers, stylists, consultants, etc. They can choose to work under top fashion designers or become their own Boss by starting their label. They can choose to work in an office environment, by choosing retail options, or designing for the runway. Interior designers, on the other hand, work in interior design firms or architectural firms. They can work as space decorators, interior decorators, interior designers, furniture designers, etc. Many students after interior designing choose to become specific designers, such as kitchen designers, office space designers, bathroom designers, etc.
Fashion design and interior design are both creative fields that allow designers to express their thoughts and skills. Fashion designers focus on clothing and accessories, i.e, on wearable art, while interior designers focus on working and living spaces. Choosing between fashion design and interior design is a tough job for design aspirants. Each field has its advantages and challenges to face as a designer. Students can look at the Fashion design vs interior design pros and cons, which helps in making the decisions which fits better for the candidates.
The students who are confused between the two streams must know the interior design vs fashion design salary, which can help them make a better decision. The fashion designer vs interior designer salary depends on various factors such as experience, expertise, job profile, company, sector of employment, etc.
The average salary of a fashion designer in India is Rs. 3 - 4 LPA. Students after fashion designing can earn from Rs. 3 to 5 LPA. The salary of a fashion designer in India varies according to skills and experience. Similarly, for interior designers, expertise and experience matter a lot. The average salary of an Interior Designer in India is Rs. 4.1 LPA. The salary range of an Interior Designer varies between Rs. 1 LPA to Rs. 6.6 LPA.
The students must know about the interior design vs fashion design college fees, which can help them plan their education better. Being from the same field, the fashion design vs interior design cost of education is similar in nature. They both require theory and practical classes and studios to work in. The top cost of fashion design courses in India is about Rs. 9 - 54 Lakhs. The interior design fee for the top colleges ranges between Rs. 8 - 27 Lakhs.
Sl. No | Top Fashion Institute in India | Top Interior Design Colleges in India |
1. | ||
2. | ||
3. | Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore Courses & Fees | Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore |
4. | ||
5. | ||
6. | ||
7. | ||
8. | School of Design, UPES Dehradun - School of Design, UPES, Dehradun | |
9. | ||
10. |
You may also like:
Also Check:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Interior design is not typically categorised as a fashion but rather as a distinct discipline focused on creating functional and aesthetically pleasing interior spaces.
Interior design can be a lucrative career with high-paying opportunities, particularly for experienced professionals working on prestigious projects or in specialised areas like luxury residential or commercial design.
Choosing between interior designing and fashion designing depends on personal interests and career goals. Interior designing involves creating functional and aesthetic spaces, while fashion designing focuses on clothing and style innovation. Both fields offer creative opportunities with distinct industry dynamics.
Yes, it's possible to pursue careers in both fashion designing and interior designing, as they involve creativity, design skills, and aesthetic sensibilities that can overlap.
On Question asked by student community
Hello Dear Student,
Top government-run colleges offering a Bachelor of Design (BDes) in UI/UX in India. Admissions to these premier institutions are primarily based on national-level entrance exams like UCEED, NID DAT, and the NIFT Entrance Exam.
You can check, find and access more information here:
https://www.careers360.com/courses/ui-ux-course
https://www.careers360.com/courses/b-des-bachelor-of-design
Hope it
Hello Dear Student,
The total cost of pursuing a B.Des degree in India generally ranges from 4 lakh to 25 lakh or more for the entire course, depending on the institute.
Fees vary based on the college, location, and facilities offered.
Additional expenses may include hostel, mess, study materials, and
Hi,
The MIT Institute of Design B.Des final results for 2026 were published on May20, 2026 on the official portal. Candidates can download their scorecards by logging into the official website with their email ID and password.
You can also the results at https://design.careers360.com/articles/mit-dat-bdes-final-result-2026-out
Hello Romika, Please check the FDDI AIST BDes sample paper here . You can also check all the FDDI previous year sample papers for a better understanding and better preparation. Please let me know if I can assist you with anything else.
Hello Ishika,
For CUET 2026 exam preparation, you can refer to the CUET study materials such as NCERT books which are foundational textbooks covers all the important subjects, for science focused books you can refer to R.S. Aggarwal books and for current affairs you can refer to McGraw-hill books. These
Tie-ups with over 100 international Universities in USA, UK, France and Australia. Wide Range of scholarships available.
Among top 100 Universities Globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2026
NAAC A+ Accredited | Specializations such as Fashion Designing, Interior Designing, Accessory Designing, Textile Designing and much more
B.Des Admissions Open 2026 | #2nd in India by The World University Rankings for Innovation | 200+ Collaborations | 700+ Industry Recruiters
Global internship and placement opportunities
World-class design education with a global curricular collaboration with Parson’s School of Design