Fashion Design

This course encourages the development of your individual design identity through the translation of personal research into design ideas underpinned with strong technical skills.

During the course, you will be given the opportunity to develop individuality and creativity through concentrating on the following areas: research and development of ideas, colour and fabric sourcing, drawing and portfolio presentation all underpinned by strong technical skills including flat pattern cutting, construction, tailoring and stand modelling and draping.

The course has a unique partnership with the world famous Fashion Museum where you will have special access to an unrivalled collection of fashion.

The course offers a personalised learning environment, created through one-to-one tutorials and work reviews with staff and invited guests from industry. You will be taught by staff that have national and international reputations as professional designers and pattern cutters with many years fashion industry experience. There is also an extensive range of visiting lecturers and a lively programme of speakers from industry.

A fast-paced, dynamic and demanding course with a strong emphasis on creativity and skills.

Why study Fashion Design?

The course aims to give students the opportunity to develop individual design identity through the translation of personal research into design ideas that are developed into 3D through pattern drafting and construction.

Ratio of applications to places

No. of applicants (2011): 426

No. of places (2011): 27

National student survey results

Satisfaction with teaching for courses in this subject area (2011): 85%

Course structure

In your first year you will concentrate on five main areas:

• Introduction to Fashion History and Context (an introduction to the Fashion Museum and the Collections).
• Research, design, working/flat drawing and illustration.
• The development of ideas through Flat Pattern Cutting and Construction
• Tailoring: introducing the history and context of tailoring, designing tailored fashion, and tailoring skills.
• Professional Contexts.

As you progress to Year 2 you will continue to develop your unique approach to research, design and drawing skills, experiment and develop new skills, as well as carry out research at the Fashion Museum, whilst also being introduced to developing ideas through Draping and Modelling on the Stand, Couture Sewing Skills, Digital Technology for Fashion, and Portfolio Presentation.

During this year you have the opportunity to secure your own External Project Brief from within the Fashion Industry, these have included Mulberry, Fire Trap, Alice Temperley, Umbro, Ted Baker, and Sonia Rykiel.

In Year 3 you are encouraged to develop independently and have the freedom to negotiate your own body of final work, challenge originality and creative output utilising the skills acquired throughout the course, as well as:

• Professional Contexts: preparation of a professional portfolio, national design competitions, self-promotion, develop strategies for developing an entrepreneurial approach with regards to employability.
• Final Studies Essay/Dissertation
• Final Collection: the opportunity for you to generate unique and exclusive design concepts from initial idea through to final realisation and promotion.

Students have the opportunity to present their final collection in the university end of year exhibitions or fashion show, and you may be selected to show at Graduate Fashion Week in London.

Course assessment

Continuous assessment: 84% main study modules, 16% historical and critical studies.  There are no written exams

The course has a unique partnership with the world famous Fashion Museum in Bath where you will have special access to an unrivalled collection of fashion.

You will be taught by departmental staff who have national and international reputations with many years fashion industry experience. There is also an extensive range of visiting lecturers from the industry. Live industry projects are incorporated into the course and have been set by companies such as Jaeger, Nicole Farhi, Karen Millen, Whistles, Double O, and Griffin.

Students are encouraged to secure work placements between Years 1+2 and 2+3. Work placements have been undertaken at Erdem, Issa, Nicole Farhi, Alexander McQueen, Karen Millen, Griffin, New Look, Betty Jackson, Whistles, Stella McCartney, Chloe, Boudicca, Vivienne Westwood, Roland Mouret, Dewhirst, Warehouse, Ted Baker and Twenty8Twelve.

The course is a member of the British Fashion Council Colleges Council and Graduate Fashion Week.

Teaching methods

The course encourages active, experiential learning and places emphasis on individual development and an increasing independence of thought and critical engagement. Design principles are introduced through direct engagement with materials and processes and technical skill.

You will benefit from:

• Visiting lecturer programme: from practising designers, pattern cutters, stylists, magazine, buyers and other fashion related positions
• Workshops: a key part of the work of the course, including designing, drawing, pattern cutting, construction and draping on the stand
• Seminars: discussion groups to debate issues of interest and to ensure that you are well informed about past practise, current practise and future ideas
• Tutorials: regular personal tutorials and work reviews
• Visits/links with the industry: organised visits to exhibitions, industry, shows and museums both nationally and internationally
• Work placements and exchanges: may be made nationally and internationally

Application method

All full time applications are through UCAS

Course enquiries

For more information please contact enquiries@bathspa.ac.uk.

Entry requirements

Satisfactory completion of A-levels and a Foundation Studies course in Art and Design or appropriate BTEC course.

All candidates are interviewed and selected primarily on their creative ability.

Career opportunities

There are many career destinations open to you including the following: company/ in-house designer, freelance designer, design consultancy, creative pattern cutter, freelance pattern cutter, designing/pattern cutting for manufacturers, forecasting, fashion journalism, styling, buying, fabric/colour research, product developer and technical designer.

Recent graduates have been employed at Mulberry, William Tempest, Giles Deacon, Bastyan, Gieves and Hawkes, Esprit (Cologne), French Connection, Joseph and Nicole Farhi, whilst some have progressed to study Masters’ Degrees, or set up their own businesses.

Recent graduates are undertaking internships with Adidas (Germany), Diane Von Furstenberg (New York – 3 graduates in different departments), Karen Millen, Haizhen Wang,

A Graduate from Bath Spa was featured in Italian Vogue’s graduate design talent supplement – September 2011