Fashion and Textiles Design Practice

Within this new Foundation Degree you will have the opportunity to choose your own pathway. This could be textile design for fashion or interiors. Or you may wish to pursue the fashion design route which includes fashion design, illustration, pattern cutting and garment construction. Or you may be interested in the digital side of fashion which focuses on fashion styling and photography, promotion and communication. This course will help you to further develop your understanding of a range of creative disciplines and the contexts in which you can develop work, particularly if you are aiming to develop your own independent, creative business. This will be a hands-on degree where you will explore and experiment with different materials, methods and processes to design creative outcomes to real world problems. Students benefit from a full range of facilities to help support their academic and vocational study such as: industry standard sewing workshop, print workshop and 3D workshop, substantial IT equipment including Apple and PC based CAAD facilities, access to photography studios and equipment, spacious design studios, home Adobe access and WGSN account for all students to access. Annual field trips are optional but extremely beneficial to students and are viewed as an important aspect of the course. Recent HE Art & Design trips have included Paris, Manchester, London and Edinburgh. This experience has given students the opportunity to visit national and international trade fairs and studios gaining invaluable knowledge and experience in the workplace. This Foundation Degree, Fashion and Textile Design Practice is suited to those who would like to pursue a career within fashion or textile design. This includes textile design for fashion or interiors, fashion design or fashion communication. It also suited to those interested in developing their own independent, creative business. Applicants to this course will be creative and forward-thinking individuals who wish to develop as a creative professional with strong conceptual and technical skills. Academic progression is available through one of our one-year BA (Hons) Design Practice (Top-Up) degrees. Following a top-up to full degree, you could also pursue a career in teaching and progress to study onto a Masters or PGCE qualification. Upon completing this degree, you could go on to pursue careers in buying, styling, creative direction, e-commerce, brand management, copy writing, social media and marketing, fashion communication, trend consultancy, as a fashion designer or textile designer for fashion or interiors.

Year One: Personal Development • Academic Study Skills • Work Related Learning • Introduction to Textile, Fashion Design and Communication • Observation and Interpretation • Reflective Practice • Creative Showcase. Year Two: • Professional Development
• Work Based Learning • Brand and Business Development • Exhibition Planning and Promotion • Fashion Brand Development • Fashion Industry Report • CoCreate Project Proposal.

We aim to provide high quality learning opportunities using a wide variety of teaching and learning strategies. Methods vary from practical studio delivery to seminar, case-studies, work-based learning and team learning. Underlying this is a philosophy of initial support leading to greater independence in your skills acquisition and use. Work experience opportunities and industry-led projects and collaborations are also features of the course. You will learn through a variety of teaching and learning methods including written practical assignments, work-based projects, presentations, peer work and independent study. You will be assessed through the outcomes of the modules you will study. A range of practical and theoretical activities will determine your final grades. Assessment tools include, portfolio, practical, report, presentation and project work.