BA (Hons) Fashion and Fashion Business

What's the course about?

In the first year, you’ll learn core design and business skills. You’ll practice hand rendering techniques to produce technical drawings. You’ll visualise your designs with 2D and 3D technology. You’ll become competent in fitting and pattern cutting. We’ll teach you how different fabrics behave and the best way to construct garments. We’ll examine the issues facing contemporary fashion. You’ll visit fashion houses to gain insights from industry experts. You’ll start to understand different management approaches for a complex supply chain. You’ll study business strategy, theories, and principles. You’ll develop research, inquiry, and analysis skills. We’ll explain industry-relevant language, so you’ll feel confident to write reports and design proposals... you’ll develop photographic, presentation and portfolio skills... you’ve got to sell your idea, right?

In the second year, you’ll improve your technical design skills. You’ll learn advanced pattern cutting techniques using 2D and 3D technology. We’ll teach you new construction methods. You’ll explore your creativity on a deeper level. You’ll work independently and in a team. We’ll set you ‘live’ assignments from our industry partners. You’ll design functional and commercially viable fashion. You’ll design for real people, real shapes, real sizes. We’ll encourage you to enter your work in British Fashion Council and Graduate Fashion Foundation competitions. You’ll create engaging and inspired portfolios. We’ll teach you to articulate your ideas. You’ll explore customer psychology. You’ll focus your research on a global fashion company to produce a detailed case study. You’ll examine their products, branding, business processes and market research. We’ll encourage you to be proactive. You’ll have two opportunities this year to take a work placement. What will you discover?

Between your second and final year, you will have the option to study abroad or do a work placement for a year. This will not only give you an amazing experience to talk about, but you’ll also boost your cv. If you’d rather go straight to your final year, that’s absolutely fine too. 

In the third year, you’ll work with a greater level of independence. You’ll focus your business case study on your dream career. You’ll analyse company strategy. We’ll encourage you to initiate work placements. Spend time understanding a company’s unique challenges. Do you have a solution? You’ll use your research, critical analysis, and communication skills to produce a stimulating report. You may even design and make a protype to complement your findings. You’ll also pursue a detailed inquiry into an aspect of design culture that fascinates you. You’ll examine it from a historical, economic, and technical viewpoint to write a powerful essay. We’ll teach you how to communicate a visual identity. To develop your brand. We’ll help you to graduate with a professional portfolio. You’ll have the chance to enter your portfolio in the prestigious Graduate Fashion Week held at the Truman Brewery in London. One of our 2020 graduates did just that and became a finalist for the Digital Fashion Communication Portfolio Award. We’ll give you lots of opportunities to prove you’ve got what it takes.

Your main campus is College Lane   

This is where the creative arts, science and health-related subjects are based. This means you’ll share the campus with future nurses, scientists, artists and more. You can use the common rooms to relax with friends, work out in the 24-hour gym or have a drink in our on-campus pub or cafes. We also have restaurants for you to eat in or grab something on the go. Our Learning Resources Centres are open 24/7, which means you can study whenever suits you best. Want to pop over to the other campus? You can take the free shuttle bus or walk there in just 15 minutes.   

What will I study?

Degree programmes are structured into levels, 4, 5 and 6.  These correspond to your first, second and third/final year of study. Below you can see what modules you’ll be studying in each. 

Level 4

Module

• Fashion Design Fundamentals (1): Introduction to Fashion Principles
• Fashion Design Skills (1): Introduction to Fashion Function
• Fashion Design Studio (1): Introduction to Fashion Application
• Fashion Business (1): Introduction to Fashion Business

Level 5

Module

• Fashion Design Skills (2): Fashion Function
• Fashion Design Studio (2): Fashion Innovation
• Fashion Business (2): Principles of Fashion Business
• Fashion Business (3): The Practice of Fashion Business
• Professional Work Experience 30: Design

Level 6

Module

• Year Abroad
• Professional Portfolio
• Critical and Cultural Studies: L6 Fashion Degree Essay
• Fashion Business Investigative Study: Major Project
• Sandwich Year (Creative Arts)