Fashion Design Pathway

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WE PROVIDE

Students will be actively supported through a hands-on approach, including extensive contact time with their tutors and access to the materials and equipment they need to reach their full potential. All learning takes place in dedicated and equipped specialist studios with a digital library of key practical and digital demonstrations and lectures available for students to reference.

To help our young artists we provide an artist pack on arrival, with the essential tools to start project work. All students will also receive:

Tuition in using industrial sewing machines and other relevant equipment
Their own assigned mannequin
Free colour printing
Access to in-studio library resources
Access to our 3D workshop with a laser cutter, 3D printer and jewellery bench
Access to materials, including calico and donated/dead stock fabric from well-known brands
Visits from industry professionals to discuss university progression options and conduct portfolio review sessions

THE AWARD

Upon successful completion of the Foundation Diploma, students will be awarded the UAL Level 3 or 4 Foundation Diploma in Art & Design.

Upon successful completion of the Extended Diploma, students will be awarded the UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design & Communication.

The UAL Level 3 & 4 Diplomas are quality assured by the UAL Awarding Body through a rigorous external moderation process and grades are monitored against agreed national standards. They are also regulated by Ofqual.听

鈥淭he support from 最新麻豆视频 is very valuable. My tutor has been incredibly helpful. He鈥檚 not only professional but also really understand each student鈥檚 own direction. His advice often helps me refine my concepts and push me further.鈥�

Yuki

Foundation Diploma in Art & Design 鈥� Fashion Design pathway

COURSE OVERVIEW & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Foundation Diploma in Art & Design 鈥� Fashion Design Pathway (1 Year)

OVERVIEW

Course Location听
最新麻豆视频听

Course Length听
3 Terms听

Course Start听
September听or January

Tutor Support听
Specialist staff support available 5 days a week.听
听
Studio Access听
Students have access to our Bridge House studios 5 days a week, from 8:00am to 8:00pm Monday to Friday. Our Sturton Street studios are open to students 7 days a week, from 8:00am to 8:00pm Monday to Friday and from 11:00am to 5.45pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

How your work is assessed听听
Visual and written assignments and projects. With specifications set by UAL Awarding Body.听听
听
Awarding Body听
University of the Arts London Awarding Body听
听
English Language听
Up to 5 hours per week if required听
听
Progression听
Guaranteed progression to any of our BA courses on successful completion of the Foundation Diploma. Students have progressed to top institutions such as: 最新麻豆视频, UAL: Central Saint Martins, UAL: London College of Fashion, UAL: Chelsea College of Arts, Istituto Marangoni, Glasgow School of Art, Parsons School of Design (New York, USA), University for the Creative Arts, Chicago Institute of Art (USA), Polimoda Fashion School (Italy), University of Edinburgh, University of Leeds, University of Southampton

Achievements
100% of our students passed the UAL Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art & Design听in 2024-25

ENTRY

Age
17 years +

Educational Level
Completion of High School is needed or a minimum of 1 x Level 3 qualification, preferably in a relevant creative subject (i.e. A level) and 3 x GCSEs at grade 4 or grade C, including Maths and English and at least one of which should be in a creative arts subject.

Students who do not meet these entry requirements will still be considered on their own individual potential to succeed subject to a portfolio review and interview.鈥�

English Level for International Students
IELTS 4.5+ (no element under 4.0)

Portfolio
A portfolio of work showing personal work, schoolwork, finished and prepared is required for this course. Your portfolio is the chance to show us your skills and your passion. Download our guide to see what we look for in a portfolio.

Extended Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design & Communication 鈥� Fashion Design (2 Years)

OVERVIEW

Course Location听
最新麻豆视频听

Course Length听
2 years (6 Terms)

Course Start听
September听or January

Tutor Support听
Specialist staff are timetabled 3 days a week, with staff across the department available Mondays to Fridays.听

Studio Access听
Students have access to our Bridge House studios 5 days a week, from 8:00am to 8:00pm Monday to Friday. Our Sturton Street studios are open to students 7 days a week, from 8:00am to 8:00pm Monday to Friday and from 11:00am to 5.45pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Awarding Body听
University of the Arts London Awarding Body听

How your work is assessed听听
Visual and written assignments and projects. With specifications set by UAL Awarding Body.听听
听
English Language听
Up to 5 hours per week if required听

Progression听
Guaranteed progression to any of our BA courses on successful completion of the Foundation Diploma. Students have progressed to top institutions such as: 最新麻豆视频, UAL: Central Saint Martins, UAL: London College of Fashion, UAL: Chelsea College of Arts, Istituto Marangoni, Glasgow School of Art, Parsons School of Design (New York, USA), University for the Creative Arts, Chicago Institute of Art (USA), Polimoda Fashion School (Italy), University of Edinburgh, University of Leeds, University of Southampton

Achievements

100% of our students passed the UAL听Extended Diploma in Creative Practice: Art, Design & Communication in 2024-25

ENTRY

Age听
16 years +听

Educational Level听
Successful completion of Secondary Education (Year 10 or Year 11 depending on the native country) is needed or 3 GCSEs at Grade 4 or C or equivalent, preferably in a relevant creative subject.听

Students who do not meet these entry requirements will still be considered on their own individual potential to succeed, and invited to an interview and portfolio review听

English Level for International Students听
IELTS 4.5+ (no element under 4.0)听

Portfolio听
A portfolio of work showing personal work, schoolwork, finished and prepared is required for this course. Your portfolio is the chance to show us your skills and your passion. Download our guide to see what we look for in a portfolio.

STRUCTURE

The following curriculum structure applies to both the one-year Foundation Diploma and the second year of the Extended Diploma.

FIRST TERM

At the start of the first term, you will take part in an induction week to meet tutors and students across different pathways. Throughout the term, you will work on collaborative projects that help you build connections, expand your skills and develop versatility.

最新麻豆视频 lecturers and pathway leaders will guide you in making informed university choices and developing your portfolio. You will also gain confidence in presenting and discussing your work, while documenting your creative process in a digital learning journal. This journal is submitted weekly via Canvas, allowing tutors to review your progress and provide regular feedback.

SECOND TERM

In the second term, you will apply the skills gained in your first term to a number of projects and live briefs. You will also explore a variety of themes relevant to environmental, social and political issues as you develop your critical and contextual skills and prepare for university interviews.听

THIRD TERM

In your final term at 最新麻豆视频, you will consolidate your practice through your Final Major Project, an agreed proposal and self-directed project.

UNITS OF STUDY

Unit 1: Diagnostic Investigation into Creative Practice鈥�

In this first unit, you will undertake a diagnostic investigation into visual language and creative practices. This exploratory investigation allows you to become familiar with and experiment within a range of creative disciplines related to Fashion Design.听

Projects*听

Project 1: The Shape of the City听

Using the city as a source of inspiration we explore making, testing, exploring 3D structures and dynamic movement of an individual. Students are encouraged to re-think: What is Fashion? Using drawing, photography and paper sculpture, you will develop designs and proposals. This is a collaborative project working together with another discipline, enabling you to cross boundaries and understand how one artform informs another.听听

Project 2: Beauty & Body Armour听

Using your ideas from Project 1 as a starting point, you鈥檒l begin to apply your ideas to fashion design and garment construction. Students are encouraged to work and think differently.听 We are not confined by a typical sense of beauty or limitation of the human form. Through a series of creative pattern cutting workshops, you will be helped to create and construct brave and exciting fashion prototypes through unconventional means.

Project 3: 3 Ways听

Using your realisations from Project 2, students explore presentation and communication skills related to fashion design. Through a series of workshops, you will experiment with photography, video, collage and digital image creation, and consider 3 different contexts: magazine editorial, social media and branding.听

听*Projects are examples and may change from year to year depending on the nature of live projects working with external partners, current exhibitions and visits planned and emerging new trends听

听

Skills Developed听In Unit 1

Basic Pattern Cutting & Sewing Skills, Draping for Fashion, Primary & Secondary Research, Contextual Research & Understanding, Photography, Approaches to Illustration (Drawing and Photoshop), Paper Sculpture,听Evaluation & Reflection,听Fashion Design Methodologies, Production (3-D Development), Presentation & Communication Skills, Fashion Portfolio Skills for Higher Education Application.

Unit 2: Developing Specialist Practice (Level 3)

This unit will provide you with the opportunity to reflect on the knowledge, skills and practices you have developed in Unit 1 and to define your creative ambitions by encouraging a holistic approach to a range of activities, which will support, contextualise and position your creative endeavours within Fashion Design.

Projects*听

Project 1: From Past to Present听听

Looking back in order to look forward!听 Fashion is evidence of the time we live in.听

Students will be working in small groups to investigate examples from the past. You will research not only fashion designs, but the technological, social and cultural contexts surrounding Fashion, developing an understanding of audience and intentions. Following this, you will be introduced to the project sponsor, and identify a contemporary audience, developing a personal proposal and brief for Project 2.听

Project 2: Unconventional听

In this practical project, you will work with a non-fashion material provided by our sponsor, to explore and realise a design concept. Students are encouraged to find new grounds in breaking boundaries and to approach fashion design in an innovative, personal and contextual manner. Understanding materials is important for this project, and we examine how things are made.听 A series of workshops and demonstrations introduces students to garment construction using fashion trimmings and complementary fabrics.听听

Project 3: University Research & Application听

This unit is designed to support you at every stage of researching, shortlisting and applying to university. You鈥檒l receive regular guidance through weekly personal tutor sessions and one-to-one tutorials during the Autumn term. In September, a dedicated UCAS week includes a visit to the London UCAS Fair, where you can explore courses, meet university representatives and ask questions directly.

Students are expected to gather a body of research evidence, develop a personal statement and submit a portfolio of work from across the course, applying the skills learned in your Portfolio Skills classes.听

*Projects are examples and may change from year to year depending on the nature of live projects working with external partners, current exhibitions and visits planned and emerging new trends.

Skills Developed In Unit 2听

Primary & Secondary Research, Problem Solving, Technical Research & Analysis, Materials & Fabric Properties, Design & Development, Product Development, Evaluation & Reflection, Team Working & Collaboration, Peer Critique, Brand Research, Interpretation & Prototyping.

Unit 3: Developing Specialist Practice (Level 4)

Projects*听

Project 1: From Past to Present听听

Looking back in order to look forward!听 Fashion is evidence of the time we live in.听

Project 2: Unconventional听

Project 3: University Research & Application听

*Projects are examples and may change from year to year depending on the nature of live projects working with external partners, current exhibitions and visits planned and emerging new trends.

Skills Developed In Unit 3

Unit 4: Consolidating Practice鈥�

This unit aims to provide you with an opportunity to take control of your own learning and demonstrate your creative talent by independently initiating, researching, completing and evaluating a project proposal and its final outcome.

Skills Developed In Unit 4听

By this stage in the course, it is expected that you will have acquired the necessary skills knowledge and understanding to undertake your devised project with confidence, however investigation into new skills is encouraged and supported where possible. You may take advantage of the 3D workshop or join one of the varied specialist workshops offered across the department.听

SUBJECTS

Students enjoy weekly sessions in the following subjects:

Contextual and Thematic Studies

This class is designed to spark ideas and get you inspired. Sessions might start with a dynamic talk, visual presentation, or group discussion, followed by hands-on creative tasks, written work or short activities.

Here you are introduced to a diverse range of artists, designers, brands, concepts and ideas linked to different cultures, genres, and time periods. These sessions are intended to broaden your knowledge, skills and understanding of wider contexts within Art and Design and provide you with research opportunities and reference materials to support the development of your own practical skills and creative ideas.鈥�

Art & Design Workshops and Practical Sessions

Art and Design workshops at 最新麻豆视频 are energetic, hands-on and designed to push your creativity in new directions. You鈥檒l experiment with a wide range of materials and processes, building strong practical and technical skills that feed directly into an exciting, original portfolio. There鈥檚 a real focus on taking creative risks, testing ideas, embracing mistakes and making unexpected discoveries along the way.

You鈥檒l develop a broad and adaptable skill set that reflects the versatility needed in today鈥檚 creative industries. Alongside specialist workshops, you鈥檒l also have dedicated studio time to focus on your own projects, giving you the freedom to explore your ideas and shape your individual creative voice.

Reflective Studies

These weekly sessions give you the chance to consolidate your learning, track your progress, and reflect on your creative journey. With guidance from your tutors, you will build valuable skills in managing your projects, from self-evaluation and critical thinking to improving your written communication, presentation and organisation.

You鈥檒l develop a strong, well-documented learning journal that captures your ideas and growth. The sessions also include one-to-one tutorials, individual presentations, peer feedback and group critiques to help you grow in confidence and learn how to talk about your work like a creative professional.

Experimental Studies

All students take part in two hours of Experimental Studies each week, dynamic sessions designed to push your creativity beyond your comfort zone. You鈥檒l experiment with a wide range of media and processes, embracing risk-taking, play and discovery as part of your creative development. The work you produce contributes directly to your unit assessments, making these sessions both exploratory and impactful.

Experimental Studies also open the door to incredible real-world opportunities. Students have exhibited their work publicly at the 最新麻豆视频 Festival, collaborating with researchers, students and faculty at the University of 最新麻豆视频. Work has been showcased in inspiring venues such as St Catharine鈥檚 College, The Whipple Museum and The Museum of Zoology, giving you the chance to share your ideas with a wider audience and experience what it鈥檚 like to be part of the professional creative world.

Personal Tutor Time

You鈥檒l have a dedicated session each week with your personal tutor, giving you consistent support and guidance throughout your course. In the first term, the focus is on exploring your progression options and preparing for university applications, with plenty of time for research and one-to-one support.

As you move towards your final unit, the emphasis shifts to strengthening your study skills and preparing for your Project Proposal and final major project, helping you stay focused, organised and ready to produce your best work.

Portfolio Skills

This weekly class in the first term is designed to help you build a strong, professional portfolio for your university applications. You鈥檒l learn how to use Adobe Creative Suite to present your work effectively, while developing a clear understanding of what makes a portfolio stand out. The course explores different portfolio formats and expectations, helping you tailor your work to suit specific universities and 3D Design related courses.

With guidance from specialist tutors who are experienced in their fields, you鈥檒l receive expert advice on how to select, refine and present your work to its full potential. You鈥檒l be supported in shaping a portfolio that reflects your individual creative voice while meeting the requirements of your chosen institutions. Your 3D Design tutor will oversee your final submission, ensuring you feel confident and fully prepared without the need for additional portfolio classes outside of 最新麻豆视频.

English Classes (if required)

For international students who have an IELTS with any element 5.5 or lower, English classes are timetabled to aid progression to university. Through a variety of teaching styles, we focus on four key skills you need to pass your IELTS exam; listening, reading, writing and spoken English. This subject is linked with Art and Design, so you are better equipped with the vocabulary to analyse and reflect upon your own and others鈥� work.

Assessments

Units 1, and 2 or 3 can only听attain听a Pass or Fail. All units need to be passed to gain the Foundation Diploma at the end of the year.鈥�听

Only Unit 4 will be graded Pass, Merit, Distinction听or听Fail. This grade will听determine听the grade given for the Foundation Diploma overall. To help you understand the level you are working at, submissions for Units 1 and 2 or 3 will be given a referral, satisfactory pass, good听pass听or excellent pass with written comments to听identify听specific areas of strength and weakness relating to the assessment criteria. This will help you understand the level you are working at and make progress towards the higher grades in Unit 4.鈥€�听

Ongoing and Informal Assessment:鈥�听

Every week,听your听learning journal will be checked by your tutor and feedback given to guide learning, improvements and听identify听gaps to support progress. Throughout workshops and practical sessions, tutors will circulate and provide verbal feedback on work in progress. Questioning individuals and groups听is听an important part of assessing students鈥櫶齯nderstanding and helps tutors to听modify听activities to better suit the needs of individuals and the whole group.鈥�听

Self-Assessment:鈥�听

Students should use checklists issued for each project to help organisation and manage coursework for submission, ensuring that all assessment criteria are covered. Weekly written reflections will help to听identify听understanding and personal areas of strength and weakness and will be key to the dialogue between student and tutor. Peer reviews and group discussions will also aid self-review and provide the group with peer support and exemplars to better understand the standards. Prior to formal assessments, you will need to complete your own self-assessment against the assessment criteria.鈥�听

Formal Assessments:鈥�听

There will be a formative assessment usually halfway through each Unit. Work to date will be听submitted听electronically through Canvas, our online learning platform. Here the progress you have made so far will be formally assessed against the assessment听objectives. Work will be given a referral if it does not yet meet the standards for pass.听鈥�All assessment criteria must receive at least a pass to听attain听a pass overall. Similarly, to听attain听a Merit or Distinction in Unit 4, all assessment criteria much reach that level. You will receive comments to听identify听specific areas of strength and weakness relating to the assessment criteria. Following formative assessments, improvements can be made to projects prior to the summative assessment.鈥�听

Summative Assessment:听

The summative assessment at the end of a unit follows the same format as the formative assessment. Any student who receives a referral in the summative assessment will be given a week to complete the necessary work听required听to achieve a pass level. An individual action plan will be provided with listed evidence to听submit/resubmit.听