BA (Hons) Fashion

What it's all about?

HE, full-time, day-time

This stimulating and creative programme will encourage you to build both self-confidence and high-level skills in all disciplines relating to fashion design. Conscious of the competitive nature and demands of this global industry, we've designed our course to cover all the key contemporary issues in fashion, and to give you the strongest employment opportunities when you graduate.

You'll be free to take your own creativity to the highest level, thanks to our disciplined approach to the design and communication of fashion ideas. Using a healthy mix of new digital technology and traditional skills, you'll challenge perceptions of what fashion can or should be in a learning environment which encourages and rewards innovation and originality. You'll learn about the culture of fashion, in addition to the practical skills involved in designing, promoting and producing fashion. By the end of the course, you'll have developed your own ‘design personality', enabling you to plan and execute your own projects in such a way as to position yourself for employment or further study at Masters level.

Is this the course for you?

If you want to study at degree level on a course that involves fashion design and production, this may be the course for you.

Mature students (21+)

We welcome applications from students who are returning to education. We offer many opportunities for adults even if you don't have conventional entry qualifications. We're interested in your motivation, your potential, and your ability to follow the course successfully.

Course content

First year

First-year students all follow the same modules in order to achieve a solid fashion grounding. You'll develop your visual and theoretical research skills, explore the design process, and communicate fashion imagery using a combination of traditional drawing techniques and computer-aided design. You'll be introduced to garment production, trend prediction and presentation.

Modules include Creative Approaches to Fashion, Creative Design Practices, Creative Design Realisation, Fashion, Art and Culture, Interdisciplinary Processes, Personal & Professional Development 1, Critical Studies 1.

Second year

This year, you'll begin to explore your strengths and start to specialise. You'll explore the different ways in which art and design disciplines interact, overlap and conflict, helping you to change perceptions of what fashion is and can be. You'll also choose one of two pathways: either Fashion & Innovation or Fashion & Design. Both share fundamental core modules in design, research and critical studies, and both require you to develop and channel your creativity. Each pathway is founded on understanding and applying fashion design, garment construction and presentation skills.

Modules common to both pathways include Personal & Professional Development 2, Application of Design, Research Practices, and Critical Studies 2.

Pathway A: Fashion & Innovation

This option offers you the chance to work with an emphasis on originality, innovation and creativity, and encourages you to use your vision to promote your work. You'll explore design development, innovative approaches to fashion design, and the communication of fashion concepts through digital media and fashion promotion. Unique modules include Innovative Cut, Fashion Concepts and New Media and Digital Realisation Techniques.

Pathway B: Fashion & Design

This option offers you the opportunity to explore creative design while using practical skills to transform two-dimensional design ideas into garments. You'll explore fashion trend prediction, tailoring, creative pattern-making and hand-crafting. You'll also develop your CAD and practical computer and making skills to create contemporary fashion designs. Modules include Design Realisation, Tailoring Processes, and Applied Fashion Design.

Third year

At this level, you'll be expected to develop an independent approach to your studies, putting into practice what you've learned so far and presenting your work professionally. You'll establish your own position as a professional fashion designer and independently undertake agreed projects and a dissertation.

Modules include Personal & Professional Development 3, Extended Research Practices, final project, and a dissertation.
Assessment

Assessment

is coursework-based.

Work placements

It isn't compulsory to undertake a work placement, although you are strongly advised to do so. Preparing for this is part of the Personal & Professional Development module in your second year. Recent placements have included such companies as Vivienne Westwood, Ben de Lisi, Jacques Vert, Berwin & Berwin, Zara UK Ltd, Katherine Hamnett, Dazed and Confused, M&S, Karen Millen, Tank Magazine, Harvey Nichols, Elspeth Gibson, Mamas and Papas, Dorothy Perkins, George, Frost French, Jonathon Saunders and Paul Smith.

Resources

We have studios allocated to each year group, and a shared space for manufacture and production.

Study visits

You'll have the opportunity to visit fashion capitals such as Paris, Berlin, New York and London (the location varies each year).

Progression & career opportunities

Our graduates follow a wide range of creative careers in the fashion industry, from design to public relations. Some have gone to work for designers such as Jonathon Saunders, Vivienne Westwood, Russell Sage and Hussein Chalayan; others now work for Moda in Pelle, Vicky Martin, Fashion Group, Umbro and Action Apparel. Others have set up their own businesses.