Fashion (with Foundation Year) BA (Hons)

You are introduced to the contexts of creative and design history, investigating problem solving and themes to inform your current studio practice. You research and learn to analyse ideas about past British and international styles, design and theory. This develops your understanding of the role of the designer, the meanings and vocabulary of space and design, and the relationship between design, society and the environment. You develop skills in research, analysis, communication and critical thinking, and produce and present interpretations of historical material.

This module aims to guide you through the production of a small-scale individual project defined in part by you, with guidance from the tutor. The final project aims to develop an individual working approach and good project management. You will develop original ideas and concepts for an appropriate project in your chosen field of study. These may take the form of a short story, artefact, report, campaign, comic, concept art or other appropriate form related to the arts and media industries.

You take part in a range of specialist studio activities. You investigate, experiment and explore pathways in fashion, textiles, graphics, interiors and product design. You study creative processes and develop independent project skills to help identify the specialist subject which best suits your interests and abilities.

You explore learning skills for undergraduate study at University, providing you with a range of learning material and practical sessions. You develop your professional skills including teamwork, researching a topic, report writing and delivering presentations, as well as time management and learning practice.
You learn by a combination of lectures, e-learning material and support.

You are introduced to the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) at Teesside University, exploring e-learning material and reading lists, and student support and learning resources.

Your assessment is a portfolio based on set tasks, including research into set problems.

You are introduced to a range of fundamental drawing approaches for a variety of purposes. Practical workshops include measured drawing, scale, composition and perspective as well as creatively using colour, materials and expressive mark making. These experiences increase your observational skills that help you visualise and realise ideas for potential design projects.

You further develop and deepen your knowledge gained from the induction programmes, enhancing your skills in model construction, prototyping, printmaking, and production analysis. You gain greater insight into the complexities of model construction and printmaking by working in detail with various materials, developing techniques and creative skills. This module is project-based – you transfer your knowledge from lectures to hands-on demonstrations in a workshop environment. You primarily learn through producing models and prints from drawings.

You develop your visual communication, creative thinking, and research skills within the creative field of fashion. You make efficient and effective use of the industry computer aided design (CAD) skills and engage with trends and trend forecasting. You develop visualisation skills and techniques to utilise throughout your studies and professional life.

You are introduced to the fundamental principles and practices of the fashion industry – from branding and design, through to garment manufacturing and the supply chain. You research the design of the product and product cycles, ethics and sustainability, sourcing and production, the supply chain, distribution, and retail.

You explore and expand your approaches to visual investigation and representation through drawing, image and printmaking. You create visual language through observation, response, emotive expression and visual enquiry, experimenting with ideas generation and establishing new ways of looking and thinking.

You gain an introductory understanding of contemporary fashion practice through design development, pattern cutting, and garment manufacture. And an understanding of the processes, working practices and design communication involved in the production of a range of fashion samples. You create a fashion range that brings together visual realisation, fashion design development, fabric selection, garment manufacture and project presentation skills.

You gain an understanding of the skills and practices required in the construction of fashion garments, and explore the development processes, from research initiation through development to a final outcome. You gain an understanding of the technical aspects of pattern cutting and through practical exercises and skills development gain knowledge of professional approaches to garment construction.

You are introduced to key art, design, architectural and cultural histories that are central to studying a creative subject. You explore a range of contexts and influences including art historical, ecological, critical theory, industrial, technological change, social and political movements, examining the changing face of art and design and informing your future research.

You develop general digital production skills with an additional focus on post-production. You enhance effective practical, technical and aesthetical approaches required to create a variety of digital media artefacts across a number of platforms, with more relevance to the subject-specific disciplines. You have the opportunity to gain Adobe Accredited user status.

You are introduced to effective practical, technical and aesthetical approaches required to create a variety of digital media artefacts across a variety of digital delivery platforms. You learn a variety of sector specific and industry standard digital delivery methods and production techniques surrounding the acquisition, manipulation and operation of media production hardware and software applications. In addition to the supervised contact time, you also have access to freelance resources. You are assessed on two pass/fail components. Your first assessment is a series of practical exams that determine your proficiency across a range of digital media production disciplines. Your second assessment is a digital portfolio of work developed during the module.

You are introduced to fashion communication and industry practice, studying contemporary fashion design, communication and promotion, and related audience and markets. You develop skills in visual communication, trends, styling, promotional channels, audience, ethics and social media marketing, and explore a range of written and visual research methods relating to fashion communication and styling.

You develop an understanding of marketing and its implications for organisations. You consider the main principles of marketing and the impact on a dynamic and competitive environment.

Develop your understanding of building a career in the creative industries through key skills in creative leadership, collaborative entrepreneurship and sustainability.

You develop creative and technical skills using industry-standard software through the design and production of 3D digital forms. Taking inspiration from and appreciating how immersive media is creating radically creative and disruptive opportunities, you explore virtual catwalks, digital clothing and the use of avatars to visualise fashion concepts that are rapidly shaping the future of fashion.

Further investigate a range of contemporary social, environmental, technological and ethical issues to inform all types of art and design practice. You broaden your understanding of creativity as a practice-based form of contemporary social discourse and explore a variety of issues through the development, production and presentation of potential future scenarios.

Focus on the creative techniques of cut, form, and proportion in design and pattern development. Produce innovative sample solutions through problem solving and the advanced processes of pattern cutting, such as moulage, subtraction cutting, zero waste and tailoring.

You broaden your market awareness and its relevance to garment development, creative pattern cutting and innovative garment design. You research a given market to develop a fashion concept, taking an experimentation approach to fabric manipulation, pattern cutting, and the use of new technologies to discover new practices.

Covering a specialist range of digital and technical skills and processes relevant to the textile’s specialist, you explore the commercial practices of making and the production of textiles samples for fashion. You utilise research skills by referencing the work of professional and commercial designers in relation to digital outputs, applications and machine and hand craft processes.

Brand creation and effective brand management are considered as essential for success in the marketing and business context. This module explores key branding concepts and allows you to apply them to sector specific (fashion industry) examples with a view to investigating the necessary principles for effective brand marketing, including appropriate brand development. 

You analyse alternative definitions of branding before focusing predominantly on consumer markets where you consider the relationship between brands and consumers and explore the social and cultural context. You study brand marketing issues such as brand identity, brand positioning, brand planning and brand development, as will the key challenges and technologies facing brands.  The fashion industry is frequently referenced to demonstrate the importance of the brand in terms of creating a differentiated and meaningful image in a dynamic and complex sector. 

Build your awareness of fashion journalism, publishing, market and audience. You explore the roles of fashion journalists and image makers, and the changing nature of how fashion is communicated in print and digital media.

You explore the practical representation of fashion in the media, and investigate approaches to fashion text and imagery in the form of a fashion shoot and editorial layout. You explore the process of managing a fashion shoot, fashion film or other alternative forms of fashion and promotional media from concept, storyboarding, team negotiation, call sheet, edit and selection.

You have the option to spend one year in industry learning and developing your skills. We encourage and support you with applying for a placement, job hunting and networking.

You gain experience favoured by graduate recruiters and develop your technical skillset. You also obtain the transferable skills required in any professional environment, including communication, negotiation, teamwork, leadership, organisation, confidence, self-reliance, problem-solving, being able to work under pressure, and commercial awareness.

Many employers view a placement as a year-long interview, therefore placements are increasingly becoming an essential part of an organisation's pre-selection strategy in their graduate recruitment process. Benefits include:

· improved job prospects
· enhanced employment skills and improved career progression opportunities
· a higher starting salary than your full-time counterparts
· a better degree classification
· a richer CV
· a year's salary before completing your degree
· experience of workplace culture
· the opportunity to design and base your final-year project within a working environment.

If you are unable to secure a work placement with an employer, then you simply continue on a course without the work placement.

You critically analyse your chosen area of practice and demonstrate the creative application of individual production skills and techniques within your chosen area of specialism. Beginning with independent research on a topic of personal interest you develop your specific skills, techniques and abilities within a chosen field to develop a creative concept to develop further as a major fashion project.

You undertake a major project to consolidate and celebrate your strengths and skills in your individual field. You initiate an appropriate negotiated brief and increase your ability to manage a complex project through all of its stages, informed by an awareness of the relevant contexts and the needs of clients/users/ contexts and applications.

You bring your design project ideas to fruition, considering all aspects of research and development. You demonstrate a high level of professional competence in the realisation of your projects. On completion of your design development work, you organise your work for presentation in an exhibition and develop a professional portfolio of work to launch your career.

You undertake one or more live projects, simulated external workplace activity or fulfil a live project brief. You demonstrate your entrepreneurial skills, process and knowledge in the context of external evaluation that will influence the direction of your chosen career and be meaningful to prospective employers and/or clients. Areas of research are tailored to your chosen areas and focus of interest and nurture your career strategy.

You demonstrate business skills in a professional approach to work related and real time external projects and industrial experience. Areas of practice and activity will be tailored to the your areas and genres of interest.