Fashion Fabrics and Accessories BA (Hons)
Starting dates and places
Description
About the course
Fashion Fabrics and Accessories will provide you with an opportunity to develop fashion, textiles and accessory design specialisms within the context of the fashion industry. Focusing on a contemporary and innovative approach, you can explore and combine a range of practical skills, including printed textiles for fashion, mixed media textiles, knit for fashion, and fashion accessory product design.
Reasons to study Fashion Fabrics and Accessories at DMU- Design and create dynamic textiles and products to be worn on and around the body
- Apply textile design techniques in a contemporary and cutting edge fashion context
- Explore the interplay between fashion, textiles, accessori…
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About the course
Fashion Fabrics and Accessories will provide you with an opportunity to develop fashion, textiles and accessory design specialisms within the context of the fashion industry. Focusing on a contemporary and innovative approach, you can explore and combine a range of practical skills, including printed textiles for fashion, mixed media textiles, knit for fashion, and fashion accessory product design.
Reasons to study Fashion Fabrics and Accessories at DMU- Design and create dynamic textiles and products to be worn on and around the body
- Apply textile design techniques in a contemporary and cutting edge fashion context
- Explore the interplay between fashion, textiles, accessories and the body
The course will give you an opportunity to design and realise innovative fashion textiles and fashion artefacts. You will explore image, placement, colour, scale and textile materials in the broadest fashion context possible throughout the course. You will also be exposed to a wide range of textile and accessory design elements including:
- Knitted textiles
- Digital, machine and hand-made stitch/embellishment
- Fabric manipulation
- Print (screen and digital)
- 3D design and accessory product construction
- Material experimentation covering fabrics, leather, plastics, wood, metal etc
These elements are developed in context with the needs of the contemporary fashion industry, and complemented by instruction in the fundamentals of pattern cutting, garment design and accessory design. This will enable you to see how your designs work in 3D and to understand how they relate to the body. You will build a working knowledge of fashion design, but will ultimately be training to be a textile and/or accessory designer, developing the appropriate skills base for this.
Through this hybrid skills base that you will develop, you are encouraged to produce experimental and highly individual cutting edge creations to adorn the body. You will undertake a wide range of project briefs (internal, external and competition) as well as developing groundbreaking design work through self-negotiated briefs. Live projects are a key part of the course, as is professional practice investigation, which includes guidance in securing internships/placements and personal promotion and communication.
There is a strong emphasis on concept development, visual research and design interpretation. All design work is underpinned by access to a diverse range of well equipped textiles, product and fashion workshops, CAD suites and studios.
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Key facts
UCAS course code: WW2R
Duration: Three years full-time, six years part-time
Institution code: D26
Entry and admission criteria
2013A good portfolio and normally:
- Art and Design Foundation or
- 260 points with a minimum of 160 points from 2 full A levels and including grade C in Art and Design (AS/A level) or
- National Diploma MMM or
- International Baccalaureate: 28+ Points
Five GCSEs grades A* - C including English Language or Literature at grade C or above.
We also accept the BTEC First Diploma plus two GCSEs including English at grade C or above
Interview and PortfolioUK applicants with relevant qualifications will be invited to bring their portfolio of work to an open day and interview.
Overseas applicants will be invited to send samples of their work. For further details check our international students portfolio page|.
International StudentsIf English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent when you start the course is essential. English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching includes formal lectures, group seminars, tutorials, presentations, practical workshops and self-directed studio sessions.
Assessment is at the end of each module with informal critiques throughout the course to provide you with formative feedback.
Course modules
Year one
- Textile Design Studies
- Observation and Interpretation
- Design Practice and Accessory Design
You will develop a platform of textile design skills, which can be built upon in the subsequent years of the course. Year one is a partially shared year with the Textile Design BA (Hons), developing the appropriate visual research, design development and technical skills. This is complimented by the standalone module, Design Practice and Context; providing you with an underpinning of fashion contextual and intellectual knowledge, whilst aiding development of the relevant fundamentals in pattern cutting, 3D prototyping and fashion concept visualisation.
Year two
- Creative Fashion Fabrics
- Creative Design Communication
- Fashion Artefacts
This is the defining year of the course. You will have the opportunity to develop the skills from year one within a highly focused and broadening fashion context. The modules allow specialisms to be investigated and combined in print, knit, mixed media textiles and fashion accessories, blending skills and consolidating new territories for further exploration. You will also explore a range of fashion contexts, such as men’s, women’s, etc, whilst also exploring conceptual approaches, fashion portfolio skills, personal promotion and visual communication.
The specialist module in Fashion Artefacts explores the relationship between the body, materials and product design; offering an opportunity to experiment with new materials, workshops, practical design and new innovative approaches to body adornment, luggage concepts, and fashion jewellery, amongst others.
Year three
- Portfolio Development
- Major Project
In the final year of study you will further explore and evaluate your personal directions and specialisms, developing a range of primary skills to portray your personal design vision and fashion context. You will undertake projects which are self initiated and negotiated with staff, providing you with support and guidance in exploring your chosen direction to the fullest extent. The modules provide further opportunities to experiment and develop a broad portfolio, before expanding into a full final design collection. This collection can take the form of a mix of techniques and outputs, but bring to the fore the primary skills developed over the three years. This can range from collections of textile and accessory designs, prototypes and samples encompassing for instance, print for womenswear, menswear knit, luggage concepts and fashion jewellery.
Academic expertise
The staff team offer diverse expertise in the field of contemporary textiles and fashion product design; many of whom are involved in practical research and have national profiles in both design and exhibiting. This is supported by frequent visiting lecturers and practicing designers, covering the cutting edge of fashion to the more commercial end of high street retail.
Work experience and placements
Students have achieved work placements and internships with internationally renowned designer-makers, couture embroiderers, London-based design studios, well known high street brands.
Graduate careers
Graduates go on to careers in the textile and fashion industry, gaining employment within design agencies as freelance or in-house designers, developing their own businesses as bespoke designers and high-end designer-makers. They can also go on to work for major UK fashion chains and design labels. In recent years a strong postgraduate culture has developed, with graduates going on to MA courses at the Royal College of Art, London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martins.
Fees and funding
2013 entry
UK/EU Fees: £9000
International Fees: TBC
Learn more about fees and funding information 2013|
Scholarships
Learn more about our Undergraduate scholarships and awards| information.Facilities
You will share a lively studio area, which is used for drawing and painting and self-directed study time. A large print room is dedicated to the course, with extensive facilities for dyeing and printing. There is a broad range of woven and knit equipment, sewing machines, digital embroidery facilities, heat transfer plotter and cutter. The course is also equipped with a digital fabric printing facility and CAD suites. Access to the faculty product workshops is also available, allowing engagement with a wide range of materials, machinery and techniques, covering plastics, wood, leathers, metals etc. This is complimented via access to fashion construction workshops and cutting rooms.
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