Fashion and Textiles with Foundation Year

This course is offered as a four-year programme. The Foundation Year will allow you to develop your academic study skills and build confidence in your abilities, identifying your own strengths and development needs for progression onto an undergraduate programme.

Why study BA (Hons) Fashion and Textiles at BNU?
Top-ranked
Our fashion and textiles programmes are ranked 3rd best in the UK (The Guardian University Guide 2023).
Our students and graduates are also highly rated. Some of our student success includes winning a British Fashion Council scholarship, being shortlisted for Real Leather. Stay Different. International Design Competition, being a runner up for New Designers collaboration award with OPPO and being shortlisted for the Artsthread /Gucci award.

Best of both worlds
Covering both disciplines of fashion and textiles you’ll explore creative problem-solving strategies and techniques in pattern cutting, manufacturing, textile and fashion processes and materials, and a clear understanding of how these can be applied to realise a unique fashion product.

Upon graduation you’ll have the skills and knowledge you’ll need to face the constantly evolving industry with new technologies, ways of working and changing customer values and expectations. This maximises your career and postgraduate opportunities.

Industry-level facilities
You will master materials, both through traditional methods and using digital software. This includes an in-house fabric and yarn store, screen printing facilities, a dye laboratory and sewing and garment production facilities. In our professional-working studio you’ll have you own workspace which you’ll be able to turn into your own personal area, where you can bring your designs to life and surround yourself with inspiration.

We also have specialist technicians and demonstrators on site to support and share their knowledge with you, when and if you need it.

Taught by industry
Led by a dedicated and experienced course team, you’ll benefit from their industry knowledge and the industry links they bring to the course. You’ll get direct access to guest lectures, who are specialists in the sector, and can benefit from live project briefs, master classes, and networking opportunities.

Connections
You could also benefit from masterclasses and industry brief opportunities, where you’ll gain an insight and feedback from current industry-leaders. For previous projects, we've collaborated with Alexander McQueen Studio, Chittleborough and Morgan, Mackintosh, Burberry, Topshop and Armani, Stella McCartney, Mint Velvet, New Star, British Fashion Council, UKFT and many more.

What will I study?
At the core of this fashion and textile degree are creativity, innovative thinking, and an exploration of contemporary approaches to the creation of fashion and textiles.

During your time with us, you’ll be introduced to different textile specialisms, along with the core technical and design foundations required for fashion design. These specialisms include knitwear, print and surface design for fashion. As you go through the course, you will continue to develop your understanding and practice of these specialisms, eventually focusing on one chosen specialism in preparation for your final year of study.

You'll work with a variety of different elements including colour, materials, pattern, structure, and composition. All of which helps you to create a capsule fashion collection based on your chosen specialism or create textile samples for a specific market.

Upon graduating from this fashion and textiles design degree you’ll have developed your aesthetic style, which will then lead on to the completion of a final capsule collection, and an industry ready portfolio and promotion package.

Foundation year
Collaboration in Creative Practice
Portfolio
Introduction to Fashion, Textiles and Costume Design: Materials, Processes, Techniques
Fashion/Textiles/Costume advanced skills/techniques
Contextual Studies: Ideas, Concepts, Intro to research & writing
Project

Year one
Core Modules
Principles and Methods: Knit
Principles and Methods: Print
Materials and Processes: Part 1
Creative Technology
Contextual Studies 1

Year two
Core Modules
Design and Application
Design and Market Awareness
Industry Brief
Professional Studies for Fashion and Textiles
Contextual Studies 2: Research Strategies

Year three
Core Modules
Research & Development
Final Major Project
Professional Practice
Creative and Professional Development
Contextual Report on Practice

During you time studying the BA (Hons) Fashion and Textiles degree, the majority of your modules will be practice-based. These will enable you to delve into a range of projects that will grow your skillset whilst mirroring a professional real-world environment.

As Fashion and Textile student you’ll also be assessed though; 1:1 or small group tutorials, lectures and seminars, portfolio and presentations, written assessments, sketchbooks, group critiques and self-directed study.

By the end of your time with BNU, you’ll benefit from a full portfolio, and collection, to go to employers with.