Career as Accessory Designer

As with most creative fields, new entrants begin as apprentices. Later on they may work with jewellery houses or freelance. Large exporters employ designers or select designs from eminent freelancers. Branded and designer jewellery offers openings for dealership. Leather designers work with leather based industries such as shoe manufacturers etc. In the traditional studio-based design sector, crafts people have been working to prepare each article individually. Their work is sold through local outlets, at tourist destinations, emporias and through craft melas.

• Bholasons Jewellers
• Carbon
• D Damas
• Frazer
• Gitanjali Jewellery Pvt Ltd
• Haws
• Hidesign
• ITC Wills Lifestyle
• Li & Fung
• Liberty Shoes Ltd
• Magpie
• Michael Aram
• Pantaloon
• Ravisaant
• Swarovski
• Tanishq
• Tiffany
• Titan
• VIP Luggage

*NIFT B.Des. Accessory Design.Eligibility :XII Any subject/ 3 or 4 yr diploma recognized by AICTE.Maximum Age: 23 years. Relaxable by 5 yrs.
M.Des (Master of Design) Eligibility: Age - No limit. Undergraduate Degree /Diploma in UG Design from NIFT/NID only. Undergraduate Diploma of minimum three years duration from NIFT / NID.

Entrance Test : CAT/GAT are designed to test the knowledge, skill and aptitude of the candidates for the programme.

CREATIVE ABILITY TEST (CAT): This test is administered to judge the intuitive ability, power of observation in concept development and design ability of the candidate. An important aspect of the test is the creative and innovative use of colour and illustration skills

GENERAL ABILITY TEST (GAT)  This test comprises of various sections : Quantitative Ability, Communication Ability, English Comprehension, Analytical Ability, General Knowledge and Current Affairs
There is no negative marking.

On the basis of result of written test GAT and CAT, shortlisted B.Des candidates are called for second test called Situation Test.
The candidates for M.Des take GAT and CAT, Group Discussion/Personal Interview.

**Courses in jewellery designing are both short and long duration.  institutes offer courses of 1 yr to 18 months duration and a degree course of 3 years too.

*** Leather designing is offered at NIFT & Lifestyle Design course(M.Des)at NID.

****NID Bachelor of Design Eligibility : Max.20 yrs relaxable 3 yrs.,XII Any subject

NID Master of Design
Eligibility: Max 30 years (relaxable by three years for reserved category) Bachelor’s degree in any discipline under the 10+2+4/ Diploma in Design under the 10+2+4 system/ Bachelor’s degree in any discipline under the 10+2+3
NID Selection process- Students to all design courses are selected through a two-stage competitive exam which tests knowledge, skills and special abilities of candidates.

Stage1: Design Aptitude Test (DAT) Prelims is conducted at various test centers across India. DAT Prelims is a 2 part test of 3 hour duration. It tests : Knowledge, Comprehension, Analysis, Creativity, Visualization.

Part I: Multiple-choice questions marked out of 70 points.

Part II: Subjective questions marked out of 30 points, with responses to visual and/or written formats. The question paper is in English. All questions are compulsory. There is no negative marking.

Stage 2: Candidates shortlisted after the DAT Prelims appear for DAT Main. The test center is at NID Ahmedabad.

DAT Mains has two parts:

1-Studio Test:  which consists of tests in different formats such as drawing/sketching, hands-on model making, group discussions etc. (100 marks)
2-Interviews: for each discipline

Content on this page is by Career Expert Mrs. Kum Kum Tandon MA (Psychology), M.Ed, Diploma in Educational Psychology, Vocational Guidance & Counseling (NCERT, Delhi) | View Complete Profile