Careers360 Logo
ask-icon
share
    What is Difference Between Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising?

    What is Difference Between Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising?

    Team Careers360Updated on 11 Jun 2026, 11:58 AM IST

    Fashion design and fashion merchandising are interconnected and play an important role in the fashion industry. However, both are different fields of study. Fashion design includes the designing of the accessories and clothes whereas fashion merchandising includes the development of marketing strategies, brand awareness, merchandising and retail of the product. Both the professions are crucial for the fashion industry.

    What is Difference Between Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising?
    Fashion Design Vs Fashion Merchandising

    Fashion Design Vs Fashion Merchandising

    Fashion design is the process of designing clothes and accessories. It is an art form that depends on creativity, artistic and analyzing skills. Fashion designing does not only limit to making or designing clothes but also includes other lifestyle fashion such as accessories, jewelry, and footwear.

    A fashion designer understands the customer's needs, conceptualizes clothing, accessories and works on new fashion trends. The activity of fashion designing includes generating ideas, sketching, selecting fabric, pattern making, sewing, and drafting the design. The fashion designers attend the fashion and design events such as trade shows, fashion exhibitions, fashion shows, etc. Fashion designing is about creativity, style, and new ideas that amaze the audience.

    Browse Top Fashion Design Colleges by Location

    Fashion Merchandising

    Fashion merchandising is about the planning and promotion of a product for sale by presenting it to the correct audience, market at the right time. The product can be presented by carrying out artful advertisements, flyers or attractive displays at the retail store. Fashion merchandising includes stock planning and management.

    The fashion merchandiser works with the production of fashion designs and distribution of final products to customers end. The objective of the fashion merchandiser is to earn profit for the designer or departmental they worked for. They ensure the designer designs the product with affordability and desirable by the target market.

    Skills Required for Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising

    Fashion Designing

    Fashion Merchandising

    • Verbal and written communication skills

    • Design strategies

    • Technical design

    • Trend analysis and application

    • Consumer behavior

    • Pattern making and draping

    • Product development

    • Branding

    • Verbal and written communication skills

    • Building relations

    • Management and leadership

    • Consumer behavior

    • Product development and management

    • Buying

    • Sourcing and logistics

    • Branding and marketing

    • Trend analysis and application

    Top Design Entrance Exam

    Eligibility Criteria for the Fashion Designing and Fashion Merchandising Courses

    The eligibility criteria for pursuing fashion designing and merchandising may vary for different institutes. The general eligibility criteria to pursue the courses are as follows.

    • Aspirants must be a 10+2 passed or its equivalent from an recognized national or government board of education for a bachelor's degree in fashion management.

    • For a master's degree, aspirants must obtain an undergraduate degree or its equivalent degree from any stream from a recognized university.

    UPES B.Des Admissions 2026

    Last Date to Apply: 30th May | Ranked #45 amongst Universities in India by NIRF | Ranked #1 in Academic Reputation in India by QS World University Rankings

    Pearl Academy B.Des Admissions 2026

    Last Date to Apply: 4th June | No. 1 Design & Fashion Institute by ASSOCHAM, India Today, Outlook and The Week rankings

    Top Fashion School in India

    Students can earn a fashion designing or fashion merchandising course from a reputed fashion school. The top fashion institutes in India are as follows.

    Popular Fashion Courses

    Fashion design institutes not only train the students with the required skills but also assist them in the right career path. Popular fashion courses that you can pursue to fulfill your dream are as follows.

    The fashion industry is a giant business. It is more than just designing clothes. Fashion design is the form of art, including design aesthetics and bringing personal touch to the clothing and accessories.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: What is the difference between design and merchandising?
    A:

    The fashion design is an art form that depends on creativity, artistic and analyzing skills whereas merchandising is about the planning and promotion of a product for sale by presenting it to the market.

    Q: Can you be a fashion designer with a fashion merchandising degree?
    A:

    No, the fashion merchandising degree will not qualify the candidates to become a fashion designer.

    Q: What is merchandising in fashion designing?
    A:

    Fashion merchandising is about the planning and promotion of a product for sale by presenting it to the market. The fashion merchandiser works with the production of fashion designs and distributing of final products to the customers end.

    Q: What skills are required for fashion design?
    A:

    The skills required for fashion designers are creative skills, artistic and organizational skills.

    Q: What skills are needed for fashion merchandising?
    A:

    The skills needed for fashion merchandiser are marketing, analytical skills, creativity etc.

    Articles
    |
    Certifications By Top Providers
    PG Program in Data Science
    Via UPES, Dehradun
    PG Program in Data Science
    Via UPES, Dehradun
    Explore Top Universities Across Globe
    University College London, London
    Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT
    The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh
    Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh, Post Code EH8 9YL
    University of Nottingham, Nottingham
    University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD
    Indiana University, Bloomington
    107 S. Indiana Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana, 47405-7000
    University of Birmingham, Birmingham
    Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT
    University of Alberta, Edmonton
    116 St. and 85 Ave., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2R3

    Questions related to NIFT Entrance Exam

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to NIFT Entrance Exam ?

    Hello aspirant,

    The nationwide Institute of Fashion Technology offers a nationwide entrance exam called NIFT for admission to its fashion design programmes.

    Every course has specific requirements that must be met in order to apply. For NIFT, there is no minimum age requirement, however it is evident that passing the

    Yes, for the NIFT entrance exam in Fashion Designing, you are required to give both the GAT (General Aptitude Test) and the CAT (Creative Ability Test). The GAT assesses your general knowledge, quantitative ability, and reasoning skills, while the CAT evaluates your creative skills, including drawing and visualization. Both tests

    Yes, you can appear for the NIFT 2024 exam even if your 12th board exams are scheduled after the NIFT exam. NIFT allows students to take the exam as long as they are in their final year of school education. If you qualify for the exam, you can submit your

    Dear Aspirant,


    Yes! If you want to pursue your under graduation from nift after 12th or even if you are appearing for12th exam then you are eligible to apply for the exam. There are several courses offered by nift which includes undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes.


    Age (Undergraduate degree programmes)

    Dear aspirant

    NIFT 2023 ELIGIBILITY - B.DES admission

    1. Aspiring students must have completed a 10+2 board exam from any recognized Central/State Board of Secondary Examination, such as Central Board of Secondary Education/State Board New Delhi, and Council for Indian School of Certificate Examination, New Delhi or,

    2. Any Board/Public