STUDY

You will investigate and analyse visual imagery, through workshops and viewings of relevant exhibitions to enable you to understand how others use visual language to communicate to an audience or purchaser. You will research, explore and apply others techniques and processes to produce creative and experimental visual imagery of your own. Ideas explored will provide an inspiration or a starting point for other level 4 modules.

During this module you will be encouraged to develop skills and knowledge of various textile techniques and processes. You will study a wide range of techniques and skills including construction, embroidery/embellishment and fabric manipulation, all of which will underpin other modules on the course at both level 4 and level 5. The module will also allow you to explore, experiment and reflect to identify where your own particular skills and interests lie.

Digital design processes are increasingly utilised in the fashion and textile industries. Designers use software and hardware to produce accurate designs and patterns, thus increasing productivity and enabling designs and patterns to be reproduced across the globe. The emphasis of this module is to explore and develop skills which will enhance your design experiences and contribute to your wider employability within the industry.

This module embraces the need to introduce a range of research techniques and creative exploration that underpins successful textile design. To develop a critical and analytical approach to sourcing ideas and encourage an awareness of the broader contexts in which the textile designer operates. Where possible Live projects and competitions will be a key feature in ensuring learners are up to date with the needs of this ever-changing industry.

To establish and progress within the fashion and textiles industry, you will need to identify a role and framework in which to operate; this module seeks to build a sturdy foundation of activities from which to develop and seek opportunities. Activities include: identify role/s, identify areas of practice, seeking out case studies, skills checking (including transferable and adaptive skills), developing new skills, reading, observing practice through case studies or work experience/industrial visits, study skills, knowing your responsibilities, amongst others.

This module provides an introduction to the fashion industry from design to catwalk and the processes and practices in between. The focus is fashion, both as an art form and presentation for design; enabling the you to express design ideas in 2D and 3D. You will work to a self-directed design brief for a specific target market. The core skills of pattern construction and draping on the stand will enable the you to produce commercial standard patterns. An introduction to manufacturing techniques will lead to the learner designing an outcome for a chosen target market. The outcome will be presented on the catwalk, digitally or in exhibition.

Printed textiles play a key role in fashion today and will continue to do so into the future with developments in new and exciting technologies. This module will introduce traditional and non-traditional printed textiles. Traditional and digital processes and techniques will be explored to give students contemporary design experience. You will be encouraged to create innovative functional and non-functional printed textile samples for fashion, interiors and fine art sectors. Exploration will be undertaken with textile materials, technologies, techniques and processes.

The knowledge of career pathways within the fashion and textile industries and the modes of employment and self-employment that this entails, thus enabling an understanding of employment possibilities within this creative field. This module is designed to introduce you to current models of employment, self-employment and entrepreneurship within their own area of practice/specialism. This may range from salaried employment within the fashion/textiles industry to self-employment as a designer/maker. Students are required to place their own specialist area of study/interest/practice through critically engaging with the research undertaken.

This module investigates both historical and contemporary art and design, visual language and related contextual influences providing knowledge that can be applied to practical aspects within the rest of the programme. You will select an individual theme relevant to fashion and textile design, which together with developing knowledge of theory and contextual influences, and a growing understanding of art and design processes can also be used to inform to your studio practice.

This module forms the realisation and conclusion of the course and an opportunity to apply the skills accrued throughout your studies. The major project represents the major body of work in the students’ second year, and an opportunity to carry out the roles of a practitioner. This module provides an opportunity for those who aim to develop their knowledge within the specialised and focused disciplines of fashion and/or textiles.

The development of visual communication skills and concepts through research and creative practice leads to an increased understanding of context and anticipates transference with impact across all areas of both personal and specialist, professional development. You will be encouraged to research and develop their own ideas and personal style and response to materials, techniques and approaches to set design briefs. Skills and methodologies acquired during this, and other modules can be used to generate the final presentation and concept proposals for 3D outcomes produced in the other modules for the final major projects. You will work to (live) briefs to explore and develop design ideas for a specific target market, acknowledging current practice in sustainability and manufacturing.