Fashion Communication & Industry Practice

This industry-focused degree programme taught over three-years, offers a unique opportunity for you to learn about the fashion and media industries from within Vogue and its parent company Condé Nast, a global media and content company

Our BA (Hons) Fashion Communication & Industry Practice introduces you to communication concepts and industry practices specific to fashion, media, and the creative industries, including beauty and lifestyle. This multi-disciplinary course examines a range of areas that include:

• the fashion industry and the world of Vogue

• fashion image, photography and film

• fashion styling and creative direction

• fashion media and journalism

• fashion marketing, branding and promotion

• fashion campaign strategies and content creation.

• fashion business and entrepreneurship

This course is ideal for those who are not yet sure on their area of focus, or for students who wish to take a multi-disciplinary and holistic approach to the subject.

The course covers essential theory and practice, offering you direct exposure to and interaction with industry professionals. You will have an opportunity to explore both the strategic and the creative facets of the fashion and media industries, investigating how the two work in tandem. The aim is to accommodate those of you who prefer hands-on creative subjects such as styling, art direction, or image-making; as well as those of you who prefer taking a more strategic or business-minded approach, plus of course, those who want to look at fashion from both perspectives.

The curriculum is designed to allow for flexibility so that the newest and emerging trends, philosophical debates, theoretical approaches, and industry practices can be integrated into your learning experience. The college encourages you to consider diverse attitudes and cultural viewpoints, recognising fashion’s role and significance in cultural, economic, global, local, and community contexts.

The aims of the programme are to:

• Introduce you to the social, cultural, economic, and political histories from which fashion, media, and communication practices have emerged

• Provide a platform for debate, encouraging you to explore possible and likely scenarios for the future of the fashion and media industries, with a focus on the potential for systemic and positive change

• Develop your communication skills across a variety of media, with an emphasis on the understanding of both strategic and creative outputs

• Provide opportunities for you to develop key transferable skills in research and analysis, intellectual autonomy, creative thinking, innovation, and the production of creative and strategic outputs

• Enable you to develop knowledge and understanding of industry practice, through learning and interaction with professionals within the fashion, media, and associated industries

Support you in determining your personal and professional strengths through critical reflection, with a view to identifying and pursuing a suitable career path within fashion, media, and related industries, or continuing with further study within Higher Education.

At the College, we believe that your professional development is paramount throughout your degree. Our unparalleled industry links inform the curriculum, and the project briefs that you will undertake across your three years of study.

The programme includes an industry placement, as well as collaborative industry projects, giving you the opportunity to work on briefs and live projects set by a partner company. Previous industry project partners include Vogue, Louis Vuitton, Jaguar Land Rover, Estée Lauder, Coach, Anya Hindmarch, Molton Brown, Modus PR, Manolo Blahnik, and GQ.

Year 1

The first year provides you with a core foundation in theory and creative practice. You will learn about the inner workings of the fashion and media industries from academics and professionals, giving you initial information on industry job roles and possible career routes. This foundational year will help you to consider the multiplicity of fashion – its role within culture, as a tool for communication, and as a global manufacturing and creative industry.

Year 2

In the second year, you will build on the knowledge and skills acquired during your first year of study. This will be your chance to further develop your creative ideation and conceptual skills combining these with more strategic thinking. You will gain deeper insight into consumer behaviour and psychology, learn about fashion business and entrepreneurship, undertake collaborative projects and assignment briefs set by industry partners. A key element of your year two studies will be the industry internship.

Year 3

During your final year, you will be able to pursue an area of interest connected to your intended career path, with a focus on researching, developing and completing your final independent project, and portfolio of work. There will be more emphasis on independent study, supervision with your individual tutor, and reflection on your specific skills, aptitudes and accomplishments in preparation for entry into the industry.

Course work, short class tasks and project assignments.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS