Fashion Design

On this course you can specialise in menswear, womenswear and or fashion knitwear, and will study a range of topics including fashion illustration, innovative concept development, pattern cutting and computer-aided design (CAD) for fashion and design development.

You will be introduced to the academic, professional, industrial and commercial challenges of design practice and gain skills such as tailoring and fashion prediction. The first year provides grounding in fashion and design through practical, creative and technical classes and projects, while the second year is more focused, with emphasis on experimentation, in-depth project research and 3D development. In the final year, you will set your own briefs and create a final collection of work to showcase your unique vision and talent.

There are opportunities to work with leading brands on live projects, work placements and competition awards, thanks to the course’s unparalleled links with the UK and global apparel industry. We aim to prepare you for a career in a creative multibillion-pound industry where you will need to be innovative, adaptable and forward-thinking.

Key features

• We are recognised as one of the country’s most sustainable fashion and textiles schools (Green Gown Awards, 2021) and one of the best fashion schools in the world for 2022 (CEOWORLD, 2022).

• Work on live industry projects with a focus on sustainability. Students have recently collaborated with research teams on zero waste pattern cutting and repurposing and have also worked on briefs set by the British Fashion Council, Burberry, Warehouse and New Look.

• Enter prestigious national and international competitions to boost your industry exposure. Previous graduates have won a number of accolades at Graduate Fashion Week and received coveted bursaries from historic livery companies.

• Talented graduates have recently showcased their collections as part of various fashion weeks and events across the UK and worldwide in destinations such as Shanghai, Dubai and Hong Kong.

• Gain valuable international experience as part of your studies with our DMU Global programme. Previous trips have taken students overseas to visit global brands including GAP, Burberry, Coach and Joules in New York.

• The award-winning Vijay Patel Building provides both the space and the facilities to foster creative thinking, where ideas can develop and flourish for all of our art and design students.

If you are interested in advanced entry into Year 3 of this course, please visit the DMU website for the course details: https://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/pre-edu-2030/fashion-design-ba-degree/fashion-design-ba-degree.aspx

First year
Block 1: Inquire: Creative Contexts and Fundamental Technologies
Block 2: Connect: Application and Communication
Block 3: Product: Creative Design and Technologies
Block 4: Define: Digital Abilities and Design Cultures

Second year
Block 1: Enhancing Expertise
Block 2: Cultural Contexts and Realisation for Outerwear
Block 3: Creative Collaborations
Block 4: Surface Application and Promotion

Third year
Block 1: Innovation and Investigation
Block 2: Pre-Collection
Block 3 and Block 4: Major Project with Design Cultures

We want to ensure you have the best learning experience possible and a supportive and nurturing learning community. That’s why we’re introducing a new block model for delivering the majority of our courses, known as Education 2030. This means a more simplified timetable where you will study one subject at a time instead of several at once. You will have more time to engage with your learning and get to know the teaching team and course mates. You will receive faster feedback through more regular assessment, and have a better study-life balance to enjoy other important aspects of university life.

Structure
The focus of your first year will be to ‘Investigate’ through a grounding in research, concept development, 2D illustration, basic technical skills and design development. After completing your first year you will have the opportunity to transfer from Fashion Design onto one of our specialist courses - Contour Fashion, Fashion Textile Design, Footwear Design or Textile Design. Taster sessions in each course will give you a flavour for the different avenues available to you within the global fashion and textiles industry. You can transfer onto one of these courses for your second year should you decide that that area of fashion and textiles is for you.

If you choose to remain on Fashion Design, the second year aims to ‘Develop’ your skills and knowledge, building on the foundation gained in the first year. Your third year will ‘Consolidate’ your learning by bringing together all the skills you have learnt into a final garment that reflects your chosen area of focus and individual design aesthetic.

Critical thinking and research skills related to contemporary issues in the global fashion and textiles industry are integrated in each year, alongside career development skills and opportunities. Project briefs will enable you to produce work to a professional standard that responds to current industry demands and you will develop a personal portfolio that can be used to launch your career after graduation.

The assessments are designed to build on each other as you progress in your studies and you will have opportunities to receive feedback on your work throughout your learning journey. Assessment can be varied but generally will take the form of a visual presentation either as a catwalk, or digital display.

Contact hours
In your first year, you will normally attend around 18 hours of timetabled taught sessions each week, and we expect you to undertake at least 18 further hours of independent study to complete project work and research.