Fashion and Textile Design – (M.A.)

Contents

The course is offered in both full and part-time modes. It is normally one year (3 trimesters) in duration in full-time mode or 6 trimesters in part-time mode. The first two trimesters comprise taught sessions and assessed projects, while the Master’s Project in the final part of the course is by negotiated project only. Completion of the first 2 modules on the course lead to the award of the Postgraduate Certificate, and completion of the first 4 modules leads to the award of the Postgraduate Diploma. Subsequent completion of the MA double module leads to the award of MA Design: Fashion and Textiles.

You will be introduced to research skills and methods, product development, design management and methods, with marketing and business skills. The emphasis of the course is learning how best to present ideas, and where and how to place them in the market.

The course is developed through seminars, lectures, tutorials, visiting speakers, group critiques, market research and personal research.

You are encouraged to trial a product in the market. This may be through first hand experience, or through working with studios and agents for designers, shops and craft markets (for designer makers), or with galleries or public spaces (for textile artists).

Students propose a route of study through the course to explore and research a chosen area of textiles in knit, print, weave, or embroidery for fashion or interiors, or in fashion design.

Modules
* Research Methodologies: Part One introduces generic methodologies with Part Two considering subject specific data retrieval analysis and evaluation techniques.
* The Development of Product, Market Research and Product Ideas: Developing ideas technically and aesthetically, in-depth investigation into techniques and researching to market.
* Marketing Skills: Marketing and Business skills – developing an understanding of marketing requirements for textile designers and artists.
* Product Sampling and Development and Research: Initial product sampling techniques and investigation. Developing and progressing ideas to enable the creation of new products. Range planning.

Teaching Methods and Resources

The first trimester (PGCert) consists of two modules. Research Methodologies consists of a taught programme of lectures, seminars, group critiques, and assignments. You will also negotiate a programme of study for the Product, Market Research and Product Ideas module. The emphasis at this level is on ideas. During the second trimester (PGDip) you will take two further modules: Marketing Skills comprises of lectures, seminars and research; the Development of Product and Product Ideas is negotiated by each student. The final trimester, leading to the MA, involves a negotiated study which you will propose. The study will be research based resulting in a body of work for assessment.

Specialist facilities include computer studios with over 70 Macs, as well as flatbed and transparency scanners. There is a recently re-equipped digital media studio. Fashion and Textiles students benefit from specialist studio spaces for both digital and screen printing, knitting, weaving, embroidery, laser cutting and pattern cutting, using the latest digital technology for CAD/CAM. All students have access to workshops in photography, sound and video, etching and litho, as well as the specialist Art and Design library.