Fashion Textiles BA (Hons)

As well as an introduction to fashion and printed textile design, visual studies, drawing and illustration, you'll learn about the exciting possibilities of print through creative studio practice and cultural studies.

Your studies will also include:

• Introduction to digital textile design and production (CAD and CAM)
• Research and cultural studies
• Printing, traditional and digital
• Introduction to garment production (pattern cutting and sewing)
• Seminars, discussion and presentations.

Getting Into Print
You’ll get straight into the print room and working on fabric, translating your ideas into print. You’ll learn the foundations of fundamental practical, technical knowledge and the grounding in printed textiles techniques, pattern cutting and research - required for the course and for your career.

Pattern and Repeat
In this unit you’ll get to explore print design through repeat and non-repeating pattern design. We'll introduce you to the exciting creative potential within the structural applications of pattern and repeat in textile design and how these devices can inform your design work. The formal and informal use of repeat, combined with scale and colour, will be explored to create innovative and original design work.

Digital Technicolour
In this unit you’ll get to translate your creative ideas into digital print. A key focus is the introduction and exploration of digital textile design and production methods CAD (computer aided design) and CAM (computer aided manufacture). The digital manipulation of hand generated design ideas ready for digital print production will be explored as you learn how to translate your drawings and paintings into digital formats. You will be encouraged to examine in detail how digital design and production methods can enhance and expand your creative ideas.

Fashion History and Theory
You’ll get to explore how fashion has been shaped through history. A series of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials will establish a foundation for the evaluation and discussion of fashion, dress and textiles in both written and oral form. This unit will draw on seminal works and the latest academic research to explore the production and consumption of fashion and textiles in their historical and theoretical context. This will give you an understanding of the methodology of fashion research for both the historical and recent past.

The second year of the course has an industry focus with a live project, and opportunities for a work placement and to study abroad. You'll expand your knowledge and skills through more in-depth experimentation in a wide variety of materials, techniques and processes.

Your studies will also include:

• Preparation for employment and business practice
• Contemporary fashion and professional industry practice
• Printed textile design and innovation, production techniques, pattern cutting and sewing
• Research and self-critical practice
• Digital printing, silk screen printing and dyeing explored in greater depth.

Textiles Futures
This unit is all about experimentation and the innovative use of print. You will undertake in-depth experimentation with a wide range of materials, techniques and processes as you create a body of samples, prints, fabric samples, fabric manipulation and print swatches. These will be inspired by the idea of “textile futures”, advances in print technology, new fibres, products and concepts related to contemporary society.

Print Application
You’ll get to explore a range of construction and sewing methods for a range of products. A key focus of the course is to learn how print ideas can be applied to a range of products and contexts. This unit provides a further opportunity to explore the potential of a variety of pattern cutting and making techniques and builds an awareness of how these techniques can enhance your printed textiles work.

Industry Placement
You’ll get to experience what it is like to work in the fashion textiles industry. This option enables you to undertake a self-initiated work placement relevant to your course aims and potential career direction.

OR

Industry Case Study
This option offers you the opportunity to study an aspect of the industry you’re interested in. You’ll undertake fieldwork into a self-selected topic or question, using both primary and secondary research methods.

Designs Into Industry
You’ll get to create commercially aligned print design for a specific company, producing a design statement for the development of a capsule collection of printed design ideas for a specific market/company. The unit focuses on a live project scenario in which a selected company profiles, product lines, promotion and branding as well as future markets are researched.

Design Concepts and Contexts
You will explore significant movements and moments in the history of design and the arts in order to help develop your appreciation of how these movements and moments shape culture - and potentially your own work.

Developing Research and Critical Enquiry
Through exploration of a subject area related to either broader contextual issues, or a concern within the industry you aspire to work in, you will develop appropriate research skills applicable to your final year of study.

Study Abroad (optional)
This is an optional unit allowing you to spend a period of time in an overseas educational institution.

Year three is all about the final collection you want to design, make and showcase to the industry. You’ll consolidate your acquired knowledge and understanding, enabling you to prepare for professional practice in your chosen career pathway with your final major project.

Your studies will cover:

• Final Major Project and dissertation 
• Individual design brief, industry competition and specialist professional practice
• Research, design and create a final collection of your choice for fashion, interiors or textile art
• Present your work at your Degree Show, or London showcase such as Graduate Fashion Week and the New Designers Exhibition
• Production of a professional portfolio.

Final Major Project
You’ll prepare, develop and realise your final major project, define your creative identity as a designer and demonstrate your ability to manage your project independently, efficiently and professionally.

Research activity into a range of ideas related to your chosen project theme can also involve working with a company sponsor as you align to your skills, interests and career aspirations to the needs of the fashion industry.

Professional Portfolio
In this unit you’ll demonstrate your individual creative identity, through the creation of a professionally presented portfolio. This will typically consist of art work, design work, fabric samples, fabric/paper textile collections, swatches, illustration and photographs which show your final collection in the best light possible. You will be asked to consider the importance of creating an on-line presence to promote and showcase your work to the industry.  This may also include final collection work and live project/ competition work.

Dissertation
This unit consists of a substantial period of sustained, individually negotiated research on a subject that is likely to be related to the contextual and/ or theoretical concerns of your discipline or chosen area of practice, towards the provision of structured written argument.

This course offers the opportunity to study abroad for part of your second year. To find out more about studying abroad as part of your course please see the Study Abroad section:

• Study abroad information

We have strong industry connections with a range of leading organisations, including:

• Zandra Rhodes
• Alexander McQueen
• Peter Pilotto
• Jonathan Saunders
• Erdem
• Tom Cody
• Keeler Gordon
• Preen
• Vooprint Studios
• TO3 Textiles Innovation Centre
• Cite de la Dentelle et de la Mode Museum, Calais
• Turner Contemporary
• Quex Park Museum

Graduates from this course have secured positions at many fashion and textile companies - just a few of them include: 

• Jimmy Choo 
• Debenhams
• Skinny Dip
• Monsoon
• House of Fraser
• Circleline Design
• print.one.

Key areas of graduate work include: 

• Textile design for clothes
• CAD design for printed textiles
• Fabrics and print products
• Fashion accessories
• Interiors and exterior print applications
• Freelance design or research
• Design forecasting
• Entrepreneurship and artists- in-residence.