For students in Chhattisgarh and across Central India looking for a fashion design course after 12th at a UGC recognised university with studio-grade infrastructure, industry-experienced faculty, and a curriculum that reflects how the fashion industry actually works today, AAFT University Raipur has announced that 2026 admissions are now open. Two distinct undergraduate fashion design programmes are available: the B.Des (Honors) in Fashion Design, a four-year degree for students who want the deepest possible design education, and the B.Sc in Fashion Design, a three-year programme for students who want a strong foundation in fashion with a science-integrated approach.
Both programmes are offered at AAFT Raipur's 27-acre campus in Raipur and are supported by the mentorship of Industry Dean Rina Dhaka, one of India's most celebrated and awarded fashion designers, whose career has been built on the philosophy that great design honours traditional craftsmanship while staying relevant to the demands of a global fashion market.
Which Fashion Design Course Should You Choose After 12th?
The most important decision a student makes when choosing a fashion designing course in Raipur or anywhere in India is not just which college to attend but which type of programme matches their career goals. AAFT University Raipur offers two clear pathways.
B.Des (Honors) in Fashion Design: It is a four-year undergraduate degree, the longest and most thorough fashion design degree course available at AAFT University's Raipur campus. The extra year compared to a standard three-year degree gives students significantly more time to develop their design identity, build a comprehensive portfolio, work through advanced specialisation subjects, and produce the kind of graduation collection that makes a strong impression on fashion houses and design studios at interview.
If you want to become a fashion designer, creative or design head, couture and bespoke designer, costume designer for film and OTT, or launch your own fashion label, the B.Des (Honors) is the ideal choice: the extra year of specialisation and the full graduation collection are exactly what these design-led career pathways reward at interview.
B.Sc in Fashion Design: It is a three-year undergraduate degree that blends creative fashion training with a sciences-oriented academic structure. It is the right choice for students who want a strong technical and creative foundation in fashion within a three-year timeline, covering garment construction, textile science, apparel production, and design fundamentals alongside fashion communication and styling. If you want to become an apparel or garment production manager, textile technologist, quality and merchandising executive, technical designer, or production coordinator, the B.Sc in Fashion Design is the ideal choice: its science-oriented, production-focused structure builds the technical foundation these career pathways demand within a three-year timeline.
Both programmes feed naturally into the M.Des in Fashion Design at AAFT University Raipur for students who want to continue at the postgraduate level, building on their undergraduate work within the same institution and developing the advanced creative and commercial skills that senior design roles require.
What Will You Learn in the B.Des (Honors) Fashion Design Course?
The B.Des (Honors) in Fashion Design covers the full range of what a working fashion designer needs to know, taught progressively across four years. The curriculum includes foundations of fashion theory and design history, textile science, surface techniques and material exploration, fashion illustration, draping and pattern making, garment construction and apparel production techniques, styling, visual merchandising, trend forecasting, sustainable fashion practices, fashion marketing, branding, and portfolio development.
The programme is built across six learning pillars:
● Teamwork
● Project Management
● Creative Decision Making
● General Awareness
● Problem-Solving Skills
● Practical Project-Based Learning.
These are not just academic categories. They reflect the actual competencies that fashion industry employers look for when they hire from design programmes, and every studio project, assignment, and presentation in the B.Des (Honors) is designed to develop one or more of these skills alongside the technical design work.
Assessment in the programme follows a balanced approach combining Continuous Internal Assessment and End Semester Examinations. CIA includes class participation, practical exercises, portfolio reviews, and viva voce throughout each semester, giving students regular feedback on their progress.
ESE includes theory papers, practical demonstrations, studio evaluations, and juries that require students to complete garment fabrication, pattern development, draping tasks, or digital design work within set timelines. This combination ensures students are assessed on both their design thinking and their technical execution throughout the four years.
Mentored by Industry Dean Rina Dhaka
The School of Fashion Design at AAFT University Raipur is supported by the mentorship of Industry Dean Rina Dhaka. With a career spanning decades in the fashion industry, she is celebrated for her innovative designs that blend traditional Indian craftsmanship with contemporary aesthetics, a commitment to sustainability and ethical fashion, and a creative vision that has earned her global recognition as one of India's most iconic fashion designers.
Her work has been acknowledged with the Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award and the Yuva Rattan Award, two of the most significant recognitions in Indian fashion. At AAFT University Raipur, she brings her wealth of design experience and industry relationships to mentor students in both the B.Des and B.Sc programmes, guiding their creative development and helping them build the professional identity they will need to succeed in India's competitive fashion market.
For students comparing fashion designing colleges in Raipur or the best fashion design colleges in Chhattisgarh on the basis of industry mentorship, having an Industry Dean of this calibre shaping the school's curriculum and student development is a differentiator that very few fashion programmes in the region can offer.
Why Is Sustainable Fashion an Important Part of the Curriculum?
One of the most important dimensions of the fashion curriculum at AAFT University Raipur is its treatment of sustainable fashion as a core subject rather than an optional module. The B.Des (Honors) programme includes dedicated coverage of sustainable fashion practices, ethical material selection, and environmentally conscious design approaches that reflect where the global fashion industry is heading.
This matters for students' careers. Fashion brands, retail companies, and design studios across India and internationally are increasingly hiring designers who understand sustainability, because their customers are demanding it and regulators are beginning to require it. A student who graduates from a fashion design degree course having worked through sustainable design methodology from the beginning is better prepared for the reality of working in fashion in 2026 and beyond than one who has only covered traditional garment construction and styling.
A Campus Built for Creative Professions
AAFT University's 27-acre campus in Raipur is home to students from 14 different creative and professional disciplines, including cinema, journalism, animation, music, interior design, fine arts, hospitality, and more. This multi-disciplinary environment gives fashion design students access to collaborations and cross-disciplinary perspectives that a standalone fashion college cannot provide.
Fashion students who want to understand how fashion interacts with film and OTT production in the form of costume design and styling can work with cinema students on campus. Those interested in fashion communication and editorial can collaborate with journalism and media students. Those building fashion brands benefit from the presence of management and marketing students in the same university community. This kind of cross-disciplinary learning environment reflects how the fashion industry actually works, where successful designers draw on film, art, architecture, music, and culture in equal measure.
What Career Opportunities Are Available After a Fashion Designing Degree?
AAFT University's Placement Cell works with fashion design students throughout their degree to build their career readiness and connect them to industry. Pre-placement preparation includes career talks, written assessments, mock interviews, group discussions, and industry networking events. The cell maintains long-term partnerships with national and international organisations across fashion, retail, media, and design, and works to place graduates in roles that match the skills they have developed across the B.Des or B.Sc programme.
Fashion graduates from AAFT University Raipur pursue careers as:
● Fashion Designer
● Pattern Maker
● Textile Designer
● Costume Designer
● Fashion Stylist
● Retail Merchandiser
● Visual Merchandiser
● Fashion Illustrator
● Fashion Communicator
● Brand Strategist
● Sustainable Fashion Consultant
● Fashion Entrepreneur
These opportunities span fashion labels, design studios, textile companies, retail chains, e-commerce platforms, and advertising agencies across India and internationally.
UGC recognition gives AAFT University Raipur fashion graduates full academic credibility for employment and further study. The university has trained more than 20,000 students from 180 countries, with alumni working across India's fashion, media, and creative industries.
In Their Own Words
Akshay Marwah, CEO, AAFT University Raipur, said: "The fashion industry in India is growing fast, and it needs designers who are trained well, not just trained quickly. The B.Des (Honors) and B.Sc in Fashion Design at AAFT University are built around that understanding. Whether a student wants four years of deep design education under the B.Des or a focused three-year foundation under the B.Sc, they will graduate with a real portfolio, real technical skills, and real industry connections. Having Rina Dhaka lead our School of Fashion Design ensures that the creative standard we hold students to is the same one the best designers in India hold themselves to."
Admissions Open for 2026
Students who have completed Class 12 from any recognised board can apply for the B.Des (Honors) in Fashion Design and the B.Sc in Fashion Design at AAFT University, Raipur. Admission is through the AAFT Global Entrance Exam (AAFT GEE) followed by a personal interview conducted offline or online. Applications can be submitted at aaft.edu.in/apply-now.
About AAFT University Raipur
AAFT University Raipur is a UGC recognised university located in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, with a 33-year legacy in creative and media education. Recognised by the Chhattisgarh Government and MHRD, it offers 100+ professional programmes across journalism, cinema, fashion design, animation, music, interior design, fine arts, hospitality, and management on a 27-acre campus with full residential and sports facilities. With 30,000+ students trained from 180+ countries and a strong network of alumni working across India's media and creative industries, AAFT University Raipur remains committed to preparing globally competitive talent for the creative and media economy.
For Admissions and Media Inquiries, Contact:
AAFT University Of Media And Arts
AAFT University GF-18, Ground Floor, Shyam Plaza, Pandri, Raipur,
Chhattisgarh-492001, India
+91-8064057209 , +91-9109112078
