Career as Accessory Designer

Last Updated By Samiksha Rautela on 29 Aug, 2022

How to Become a Accessory Designer

About Accessory Designer

A piece of clothing does not become a trend if it is not paired and styled with the right accessories. An accessory designer is responsible for conceptualizing and creating a range of products that compliments the costumes and images. The designers study trends, sketch designs and work on fashion products such as jewellery pieces, handbags, belts, scarves, hair accessories, footwear etc. Accessory designing is one of the highly-creative fields and most of accessory designers manage their own accessory line.

The growing fascination of people with the fashion industry has generated a huge number of job opportunities for the accessory designer. The job of an accessory designer demands immense artistic and creative skills. Also, an individual with a keen eye for detail can make decent money after establishing a career as an accessory designer. From the entertainment industry to fashion houses and from production firms to ramp shows, the accessory designer has a major role to play.

Responsibilities of an Accessory Designer

Given below are the responsibilities of an Accessory Designer:

  • To explore the recent design trends

  • To research and predict the future trends

  • To create and brainstorm fresh design ideas for accessories

  • To keep in mind consumers’ preferences, likes & dislikes and buying habits before zeroing on a design.

  • To study the different types of patterns and materials that appeal to the consumers. 

  • To sketch design for the accessories.

  • To promote designs to stores and consumers

  • To attend trade and fashion shows

Eligibility to become Accessory Designer

To be a successful accessory designer, it is important to meet the basic eligibility criteria specified below.

Education Required

  • Aspirant must possess a bachelor's degree in any disciplines of fashion design
  • Master’s degree is not a compulsion, however, it widens-up the career options
  • Good knowledge of CAD and the latest design software

Skills Required

  • Artistic Skills
  • Observational Skills
  • Communication Skills
  • Precision
  • Rationality
  • Originality
  • Creativity
  • Good Sketching/Drawing Skills

Work Experience

  • No prior work experience is necessary. Though students with involvement in internships, part-time jobs or full-time jobs get a head start

Courses to become an Accessory Designer

The table provided below captures all the relevant courses and colleges for an accessory designer. To apply for admission in any of the mentioned institute, feel free to call on our toll-free number 1800-572-9877 or fill the Common Application Form. 

Course

Total Fee (Approx)

Top Colleges for Hospitality Management

B. Des. (Accessory Design)

₹5,00,000 to ₹11,00,000

B.Des in Lifestyle Accessories

₹5,00,000 to ₹11,00,000

B.Sc in Jewelry & Accessory Design

₹1,80,000 to ₹8,00,000

B.Sc. in Life Style & Accessory Design

₹1,80,000 to ₹8,00,000

Graduate Diploma in Accessory Design

₹50,000 to ₹4,00,000

Post Graduate Diploma in Accessory Design

₹50,000 to ₹4,00,000

Types of Job Roles Accessory Designer

With the globalisation hitting the market and world turning into one small village, there are various accessory designer job profiles that one can choose from on the basis of their interest. Listed below are some of the popular job profiles for the accessory designer that you can opt for:

  • Jewellery Designer: Jewellery designers work with different metals and stones to create new beautiful intricate pieces of wearable art.

  • Footwear/Shoe Designer: Footwear designers are responsible for designing creative and practical designs of shoes and other footwear. The footwear designing is a world in itself as it ranges from high street fashion shoes to sports shoes, to kid shoes to catwalk shoes and others.

  • Leather Accessory Designer: Leather accessory designers design and create various leather good and accessories such as belts, hats, etc.

  • Men’s Accessories Designer: Men's accessories designers are responsible for designing men’s headwear, neckwear, bracelets, scarves, and other small accessories.

  • Fashion Designer: The duty of a fashion designer is to visualise and design aesthetically pleasing and functional clothing. They look for various styles, fabrics, prints, textures, colours and trims for a garment collection.

  • Product Designer: With sound technical knowledge and design skills, a product designer aims at improving or enhancing the existing look and function of a product.

In case of any doubts about the desired job profile, you can write to us in the QnA zone. Other than this, you can also take the Career Profiling Test to check out the most suitable career option for you as per the Aptitude, Personality and Interest. 

Top Employment Opportunities for Accessory Designer 

Most of the accessory designer prefer working as a freelance but there is an ample number of employment opportunities for the accessory designer in many sectors. Some of them are listed below:

  • Fashion Houses
  • Designer Stores
  • Freelancers
  • TV & Production Houses
  • Studios
  • Jewellery Houses
  • High-End Fashion Labels

Top Recruiting Companies for Accessory Designer

Some of the leading companies where an accessory designer can find relevant job opportunities are mentioned underneath.

  • Pantaloon
  • Frazer
  • Woodflake
  • ITC Wills Lifestyle
  • Gitanjali Jewellery Pvt.Ltd
  • Umbrico India Private Limited
  • D Damas
  • Hidesign
  • Magpie
  • Zara
  • Swarovski
  • Tanishq
  • Liberty Shoes
  • Tiffany
  • Titan

Planning to choose Accessory Designer as your career?

Pay Scale/Salary of Accessory Designer

The salary of an accessory designer may vary as per professional experience and the specialization of every individual. The salary package of an accessory designer usually increases with experience and time. Check out the detailed description below.

Job Profile

Average Salary (per annum) 

Entry Level Salary (per annum)

Mid Level Salary (per annum)

Senior Level Salary (per annum)

Accessory Designer

₹5,71,000

₹1,20,000

₹4,20,000

₹9,00,000

Note: The above salary packages are an estimate and may vary from individual to individual and company to company 

Books & Study Material to Become Accessory Designer

An accessory designer needs to focus on enhancing practical as well as theoretical knowledge in order to grow profoundly. Some of the best books and study material for the aspiring accessory designer are listed below:

  • Accessory Design by Aneta Genova
  • Fashion Design Course: Accessories: Design Practice and Processes for Creating Hats, Bags, Shoes and More by Jane Schaffer 
  • Drawing Fashion Accessories by Steven Thomas Miller
  • Fashionary Bag Design: A Handbook for Accessories Designers by Fashionary
  • Fashion Accessories: The Complete 20th Century Sourcebook by John Peacock
  • Marker Rendering for Fashion, Accessories, and Home Fashions by Bina Abling

Pros of becoming a Accessory Designer

  • Accessory designers who work with high-end brand and designers are offered great salary packages .

  • They get an opportunity to travel the world and attend some of the famous renowned fashion events which provides them with excellent exposure opportunities.

  • Accessory designers can have additional income by working as a freelancer or taking up independent projects or by starting their own accessory line.

  • There are ample job options in the field of accessory line and one can even become a marketer after that.

Cons of becoming a Accessory Designer

  • Accessory designers who freelance or work with big fashion houses do not have a set time and are required to work for long hours.

  • They are required to travel a lot in case they are working with production houses which may lead to health problems and stress in the long run.

  • The competitive job market in the field of the accessory designer may lead to limited job opportunities.

  • This field demands a lot of creativity which may act as a hindrance in the path of an accessory designer.

Career path for Accessory Designer

Following are some of the important points that aspirants must keep in mind if they are looking forward to become an accessory designer. Aspirants must have passed class 12th with any combination of subjects and must have appeared in a relevant entrance examination. 

Do you think this is the right career choice for you?

Take our test and find out if it suits your strengths.

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FAQs about Accessory Designer

What are the benefits of becoming an Accessory Designer?

Accessory Designers from all across the nation enjoy multiple benefits. Aspirants get to work with high-end brands that offer attractive salary packages. The job profile gives an individual the freedom to travel to different places in the world for work purposes. Also, the major advantage of an accessory designer is that an individual has plenty of job opportunities to pick out from.

What skills are required to an Accessory Designer?

To be an accessory designer, skills such as creativity, an eye for detail, originality, precision, visualisation, communication and rationality is required.

Name some top companies constantly looking out for skilful Accessory Designers?

Some top companies hiring accessory designers are Pantaloon, ITC Wills Lifestyle, Frazer, Hidesign, Gitanjali Jewellery Pvt.Ltd, D Damas, Zara, Tanishq, Liberty Shoes, Titan, Tiffany etc.

What study materials can be referred to be an Accessory Designer in India?

To become an accessory designer, it is important to crack the national entrance exams of designs such as NIFT entrance exam or NID DAT. Entrance books such as NIFT Exam Guide by Dr R. P. Datason, NIFT Exam Guide by Verma and NIFT/NID/NIT Entrance Examination by Shadan Usmani can be referred to ace the exam. While for enhancing skills books such as Concepts of Pattern Grading, Accessory Design by Aneta Genova, Basics Fashion Design 09 by John Lau can be explored.

What are the best colleges that can be considered to be an Accessory Designer?

Top-notch colleges that can equip an individual with right skills and knowledge in order to become an accessory designer are NIFT Navi Mumbai, Arch Academy of Design, Jaipur, JD Institute of Fashion Technology (JDIFT), Delhi, Vogue Institute of Art and Design (VIAD), Bangalore, Gandhi Institute Of Fashion and Textile, Ahmedabad, National Institute of Design (NID), Bangalore, Pearl Academy, Jaipur etc.

Can I be an Accessory Designer after completing a diploma programme?

An accessory designer generally requires a degree to enter the industry. However, with apt skills and knowledge, a candidate can become an accessory designer after completing a diploma programme too. The aspirant must make sure that the diploma is in relevant discipline.

Is it worth it to become an Accessory Designer?

With the growing popularity of the designing industry, demand for accessory designers is increasing day by day. Top companies and recruiters are constantly searching for skilful professionals that can help in complementing garments and costumes. Becoming an accessory designer is definitely worth it, as not only the opportunities are plenty but also because the salary is decent.

What is the difference between an Accessory Designer and Fashion Designer?

An accessory designer deals with designing, manufacturing and creating accessories while a fashion designer designs clothes that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional.

How much does an Accessory Designer earn?

An accessory designer earns anywhere between Rs. 2,40,000/- to Rs.6,90,000/-

What is the duty of an Accessory Designer?

The duty of an accessory designer is to study trends and sketch designs. They conceptualize, design and create a range of the product that compliments apparels or costumes such as handbags, scarves, jewellery pieces, belts, hair accessories etc.

I am pursuing M.Des. (Master of Design) to become an Accessory Designer. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Costume Designer , a Graphic Designer , a Footwear Designer , a Fashion Designer after studying M.Des. (Master of Design).

I am pursuing B.Des. (Bachelor of Design) to become an Accessory Designer. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Cartoonist , a Furniture Designer , a Footwear Designer , a Graphic Designer after studying B.Des. (Bachelor of Design).

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