The fashion industry is a multibillion global sector involving the design, manufacture, production, promotion and retailing of all styles of clothing, from designer brands to affordable daily wear. The word “fashion” can be described as the style of clothing or accessories worn for a certain period of time by a group of people. Fashion may vary in terms of luxury designer fashions on fashion runways to mass-produced affordable sportswear and daily wear sold in malls and global markets.
Fashion related degrees and courses will give students an understanding of the fashion business, from design concept to manufacturing, as well as the branding and marketing of the end product. If you believe that expressing yourself through fashion is your biggest motivation for creativity, then the fashion industry is the right career path for you.
Types of Fashion Degrees & Courses
Fashion Design
Fashion design course takes students from research, design and makes clothing through to final production. Students will be exposed to technical knowledge such as fabric technology, drawing, sewing and garment construction. This provides an integrated approach, combining creativity with applied technical proficiency.
Fashion designers create women’s, men’s and children’s apparel. They conduct research to understand the styles, colours and fabrics that will be popular for a particular season in the future.
Fashion Accessories Design
This course allows students to learn designing and making fashion accessories, products using various materials such as leather, metal, wood and resin.
A career with this degree will lead to developing fashion accessories on the market, including hats, scarves, jewellery and handbags. Designers will need to sketch and work with teams to develop prototypes and monitor the production of final products.
Textile Design
Textile designers create multiple colourways of existing designs and arrange layouts in the CAD (computer-aided design) to come up with the best composition for that product.
The textile design course emphasises textile development through traditional craft techniques and also digital processes. Students will also learn about types of fabrics, colours as well as engage in textile prototype testing in CAD software.
Fashion Design Marketing & Retail Management
The course is designed to equip students with fashion branding and marketing skills. Students will study management principles of brands, finances, events and people across the fashion chain, from design and development to manufacturing and supply chain.
Graduates in this course will pursue their career in serving customers to purchase their preferred merchandise from the retail stores for consumers daily use. Client communication, merchandise shipment, sales, management and administrative services are part of the job scope as well.
What is Fashion Week?
Video credit: Pavillion Kuala Lumpur
Fashion Week is a week-long event where the industry’s top designers across different countries present their upcoming collections in a series of runway shows and presentations. There are more than hundreds of Fashion Weeks taking place worldwide. Currently, there are four important fashion weeks, also known as the “Big 4”, which includes Paris Fashion Week, New-York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week.
Initially, fashion week was about presenting designers’ collections to fashion editors and potential buyers to promote or sell pieces for the next season. Over the years, designers are required to present their garments with visual displays of how it is created and the origin of its inspiration. Social media presence and live streams have made them accessible throughout the world.
Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (KLFW)
Image credit: Diva-in-me
KLFW was initiated in 2013 and has been held every year. The event takes place for a week in Kuala Lumpur, where fashion professionals showcase their Ready-to-Wear collections, which can be marketable in a few months. Ready-to-wear is the primary focus of KLFW as it is to highlight the strengths and creativity of Malaysia’s Fashion Industry to local and international consumers. Each year, organizers will select five brands to present their collections while featuring a mix of other exciting designers.
Top Designers from Malaysia
Jimmy Choo
Image credit: Forbes
Jimmy Choo was born into a family of cobblers and he started fashion design early by working with shoes throughout his childhood. Upon his graduation from a London technical college, he handcrafted and sold his own designed shoes, which gained international attention. Many celebrity customers have helped him boost his popularity to worldwide fame for his detailed design of footwear.
Khoon Hooi
Image credit: Kingssleeve
Khoon Hooi honed his skills from various fashion competitions and was acknowledged as a runner-up for the Malaysian Young Designer Award and second runner-up for the ASEAN Young Designer Award in 1996. The following year he secured the grand prize at the Asian Young Designer Award in Japan.
Bernard Chandran
Image credit: wargabiz
His influence and talent have gained him numerous recognitions and accolades. In 2007, he was conferred Dato by the Sultan of Pahang for his immense contribution to fashion design. The Sultan Abu Bakar Museum, an old palace turned Museum, even invited him to hold a solo exhibition in its prestigious halls.
Farah Khan
Image credit: Business of fashion
Farah Khan has climbed up her ways to the international fashion spotlight with her on-the-go designs, which were made for travelling. Continually dressing the hippest names of the modern era, Khan’s brand boasts hand-sewn beadwork of Asian heritage featured on modern evening wear for women.
Zang Toi
Image credit: Forbes
Zang’s work has been featured in top publications such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, etc. He also dressed Hollywood celebrities such as Sharon Stone, Elizabeth Taylor, Farrah Fawcett and Fergie (Black Eyed Peas). He has also created luxurious wardrobes for philanthropists and royalty.
Academic Entry Requirement for Fashion Degrees & Courses
Diploma Courses
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SPM |
A minimum of 3 credits including Bahasa Melayu |
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O-level |
3 credits in Art Subject |
*The requirements may vary among universities, for inquiries on other entry requirements, contact Excel Education.
Degree Courses
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STPM |
A minimum CGPA of 2.00 with a credit in Bahasa Melayu |
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A-Levels |
Minimum grades of CCC |
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Foundation |
A minimum CGPA of 2.00 |
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Diploma |
A minimum CGPA of 2.00 |
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UEC |
A minimum 3 subject Grade B |
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International Baccalaureate (IB) |
A minimum score of 26 points |
*The requirements may vary among universities, for inquiries on other entry requirements, contact Excel Education.
Top Universities offering Fashion Degrees & Courses
#1 The One Academy
Image credit: The One Academy
The One Academy develops students with the creative element in Fashion Design and the practical or technical skills in Pattern Making. This program is based on the ESMOD syllabus from Paris, the first and oldest fashion design school in France and also one of the Top 50 fashion design schools in the world.
Program | Diploma in Fashion Design & Pattern Making |
Intake (2021) | March and September |
Duration | 3 Years |
Indicative fees (2021) | Contact Excel Education |
#2 Taylor’s University
Image credit: Taylor’s University
The fashion design technology degree is designed, where the course is combined with a standard design and sewing curriculum injected with technological components in both the learning experience and module contents.
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Program |
Bachelor in Fashion Design Technology (Hons) |
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Intake (2021) |
March & August |
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Duration |
3 Years |
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Indicative fees (2021) |
Contact Excel Education |
#3 Raffles University & College
Image credit: Raffles University
Since its establishment, Raffles UC has expanded to operate 18 colleges and universities in 19 cities across 11 countries, including Italy. Flexible inter-school transfer scheme allows students to indulge themselves in different cultures and experience living abroad by enrolling in any of Raffles’ network of colleges and universities. Fashion Design students will also have the opportunity to participate in London Fashion Week.
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Program (Diploma) |
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Program (Degree) |
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Intake (2021) |
January, May & September |
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Duration |
Diploma: 2 Years Degree: 3 Years |
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Indicative fees (2021) |
Contact Excel Education |
#4 UCSI University
Image credit: UCSI University
The course is designed to nurture versatile Fashion Designers by equipping students with fundamental proficiency and design knowledge in the fashion frontier. UCSI University also provides opportunities for students to pursue degree courses in the UK upon completing 2 years of diploma studies as well as the opportunity to transfer to the UK for Bachelor degree students.
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Program |
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Intake (2021) |
January, May and September |
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Duration |
Diploma: 2 Years Degree: 3 Years |
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Indicative fees (2021) |
Contact Excel Education |
#5 Malaysia Institute of Arts
Image credit: Malaysia Institute of Art
Textile and Fashion Design equips students with fashion and textile knowledge, marketing and practical skills. The program covers all aspects of fashion design from basic to advanced drafting, draping, construction and designing.
Program | Diploma in Textile & Fashion Design |
Intake (2021) | January, April & August |
Duration | 3 Years |
Indicative fees (2021) | Contact Excel Education |
#6 LimKokWing University
Image credit: LimKokWing
Lim Kok Wing University enables students to be more creative, progressive, and able to evaluate and respond to fast-changing fashion trends. Fundamentals of fashion will equip students with the ability to engage in fashion merchandising, retailing and display using their individual skills and creativity.
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Program |
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Intake (2021) |
Feb, April, July & November |
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Duration |
3 Years |
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Indicative fees (2021) |
Contact Excel Education |
About the Author
Sasvin Ravi
I am a freelance content writer, writing on a weekly basis while discovering my true passion..