FASHION DESIGN BA HONOURS THREE YEAR FULL-TIME FOUR YEAR SANDWICH

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1 FASHION DESIGN BA HONOURS THREE YEAR FULL-TIME FOUR YEAR SANDWICH 1

2 ABOUT THE COURSE The BA (Honours) Fashion Design course is famous for producing both highly individual and creative designers capable of working within all levels of the fashion industry. The course offers a comprehensive design education at degree level for dedicated and ambitious individuals looking for a specialist career within the creative arena of the fashion design industry. Our graduates work as fashion designers, stylists, freelancers and creatives in London, Paris, New York and Milan. Alumni of the course include: Christopher Bailey, Creative Director - Burberry Katie Hillier, Accessories Designer Marc Jacobs Markus Lupfer, Designer Markus Lupfer Carri Munden, Designer - Cassetteplaya Stuart Vevers, Creative Director Loewe Claire Barrow, Designer Claire Barrow We select approximately 40 of the most dedicated and driven students who can demonstrate they have the potential to work with the high energy and creative dynamism that the course requires. Throughout the course, the emphasis is on the development of the students own personal design philosophy. Our lively programme includes classes in design, pattern cutting, construction, illustration, print, textiles, CAD and industry awareness. The main areas of study on the course include: Fashion design, trend research, illustration, menswear, textile print; sportswear, live industry projects, introduction to fashion business, sourcing and sampling; industrial work placements; creative textiles; and contextual studies in fashion history. Whilst on the course, our students gain the specifi c and transferable skills needed to ensure success in their chosen area of the fashion industry. The course offers a choice of study: 3-year full time, or 4-year sandwich year. Industrial work placment is integral component of the Fashion Design course, whether students are on the 3-year pathway, when all students undertake an 8-week placement in their second year; or the 4-year sandwich pathway. The course s exceptional links with the fashion industry ensure fast-track access to both cuttingedge and established designers. Students are currently working with the following designers: In London: Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh, Giles, Burberry, Christopher Kane, Mulberry, and Celine. In Paris: Lanvin, Haider Ackermann, Givenchy and Chanel. In New York: Diane Von Furstenburg, Marc Jacobs and Alexander Wang. Our students gain an enormous amount of specifi c and transferable knowledge from working within the fashion industry, whether these are in the context of live design projects at university or while they are out for an extended period of work placement. Whether negotiating the design elements appropriate for commercial fashion design or exploring the individual conceptual practice of the designer, you are critically challenged to extend your creativity. We do not instil a prescriptive design style into our students, but help them to develop their own innate design sensibility as creative individuals. 2

3 THE COURSE IN DETAIL Year 1 (Credit Level 4) The fi rst year of study at Westminster concentrates on introducing you to a variety of skills and techniques related to all areas of 2D and 3D fashion practice. Design, research, illustration, cut, construction, print, and CAD are all covered. Research is fostered through a variety of methods including visits to London Fashion Week, fashion shows, exhibitions, sketchbooks, and industry visits. There are lessons in life drawing and illustration so that students understand proportion in 2D as well as 3D. Students undertake a range of design work that includes menswear and womenswear, spanning both conceptual and commercial. By the end of Year one, all students are fully equipped with the relevant technical and theoretical skills to successfully address the specifi c industry projects of their second year projects. Year 2 (Credit Level 5) The second year focuses on understanding and addressing the demands and needs of the fashion design industry through design assignments. This is accomplished through: Industry-led design projects. Recent partners for these design based projects include ASOS, Abercrombie & Fitch, River Island and Topman. Guest industry speakers and lecturers, allowing students to understand their personal design practice within the context of the wider international design industry. Recent guest lecturers include Richard Nicoll and Hannah Marshall. Industrial work placement and internships. This takes place over 8 consecutive weeks, starting at the end of December until the end of Paris Fashion Week. The timing enables students to have the opportunity, if they wish, to work with a designer on their collection from its conception through to the runway show presentation. Optional Sandwich Placement Year Students on the four year pathway undertake a year-long period of placements between Credit Levels 5 and 6 of the course. The purpose of the sandwich year is to enhance the profi le of industrial placement within the framework of your undergraduate studies, and it allows students to work within the fashion industry for a far more substantial period of time, usually abroad in Paris, New York or Milan. The course has very strong industry connections, and a great track record of successful placements that have benefi tted both the students and the fashion companies. This means we can offer suitable students outstanding industrial placement opportunities both in the UK and abroad. The optional sandwich year is subject to an annual University administration fee. Final year (Credit Level 6) In the fi nal year of study on the course, we help you to develop your own signature aesthetic style in both 2D portfolio work and 3D design projects. Advanced research, sourcing and design development leads to a full runway collection range being developed and realised. A precollection is developed alongside this with full market research and design proposals alongside a marketing strategy. A sustained piece of written work, in the form of a fashion thesis is written focusing on the chosen theme or research of the students Final Design Proposal. All fi nal year students are considered for inclusion in the graduate runway show held in central London in June. 3

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5 SANDWICH PLACEMENT YEAR The 4-year placement option is for applicants who feel they would particularly benefi t from an opportunity for more professional development within the fashion industry spending one sandwich year in between their second and fi nal years at university working with one or more companies in the international fashion industry, either in London or abroad. The course has very strong industry connections, and a great track record of successful placements that have benefi tted both the students and the fashion companies. Students gain an enormous amount of specifi c and transferable knowledge during this period. This means we can offer suitable students outstanding industrial placement opportunities. Examples of where our students have worked on their placements include: A.Sauvage Aitor Throup Alexander McQueen American Vogue Ann Demeulemeester Anne Valerie Hash Ann-Sofi e Back Aquascutum Burberry Cassetteplaya Celine Chanel Chloe Christian Dior Christopher Kane Christopher Raeburn Christopher Shannon David Koma Erdem Gareth Pugh Giles Givenchy Haider Ackermann Harper s Bazaar, USA Holly Fulton Hussein Chalayan J.W. Anderson James Long Jeremy Scott Jonathan Saunders Lanvin Marc Jacobs Marios Schwab Mary Katrantzou Matthew Williamson Moschino Mulberry Paul Smith Peter Jensen Peter Som Preen Richard Nicoll Roksanda Illincic Stella McCartney Tata Naka Thom Browne Todd Lynn Topman, Topshop Ungaro Versace Viktor & Rolf Vivienne Westwood Vogue 5

6 FASHION INDUSTRY CAREERS ENTRY REQUIREMENTS After graduation, most students go on to work in the international fashion industry whilst some go on to study fashion design at MA level either in the UK or New York. Graduates of the course are extremely successful in the job market with over 90 percent of all fi nal year students going directly into fashion related work, predominantly as designers or assistant designers working within established companies, or starting up their own design businesses. Examples of where Westminster graduates from the last three years are now working include the following international fashion companies: Abercrombie Acne Adidas Armani Exchange Alexander McQueen ASOS Aubin & Wills Bally Burberry Celine Chloe Dior French Connection Givenchy Halston Harrods Lanvin Levi s Louis Vuitton Paul Smith Roberto Cavalli Tom Ford To apply to the Fashion Design BA Honours course at the University of Westminster you will need to meet these minimum entry requirements: Foundation Diploma in Art & Design Grade Merit/Distinction or BTEC National Extended Diploma Grade DDM In addition, you must have a minimum grade C in fi ve subjects at GCSE including both English and Mathematics. International Baccalaureate Score of 30 with at least Grade 5 in either A1 or A2 level (SL or HL) English, or Grade 6 in B (HL). Non native speakers of English will be expected to demonstrate their English profi ciency and may have to take a recognised English test: IELTS with an overall score of 6.0 TOEFL IBT with an overall score of 80 WE DO NOT TAKE STUDENTS WHO HAVE ONLY COMPLETED THEIR A LEVELS. WE DO NOT TAKE DIRECT ENTRY INTO YEAR 2 OR 3. Entry onto the course is highly competitive and judgements will be made based on the quality of portfolio work that you present in your interview. Please note, due to the course being heavily oversubscribed, qualifi cations alone are not enough to gain an offer of a place on the course. For all full-time higher education courses at universities and colleges in the UK, you must apply online via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website, at ucas.com. UCAS COURSE CODE W230; with sandwich W232 Please contact the Admissions Offi ce for advice on the other equivalent qualifi cations we accept for entry. 6

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8 OPEN DAYS COURSE CONTACTS Due to the reputation of the course, its graduates and the teaching staff, entry onto the course is highly competitive with over 1200 people applying to the course last year. Therefore we strongly advise that you attend one of our open days so that you are aware of the courses facilities, can speak with both students and staff and are more prepared should you be called to an interview if you apply to us. Our open days are a great opportunity to look around the fashion course, see our facilities, meet current fashion design students and staff, and fi nd out important information about our teaching methods, student fi nances and career opportunities. For more information and to book a place contact: Course Enquiries T: +44 (0) E: course-enquiries@westminster.ac.uk westminster.ac.uk/fashion You can view all our students portfolios and runway images at our website: You will be able to look around the design studios, print studios, fashion resource archive rchive as well as our specialist machine rooms. Additionally, you will see examples of current student work in the form of sketchbooks, fi nal garments and portfolio work. There are also presentations from the fashion design team on all aspects of the course including our work placement scheme where you can ask any questions that you have about the course. All open days last approximately two hours and pre-booking your place is essential. Dates of our next Open Days in 2012 are as follows: Thursday 11 October 2pm Thursday 18 October 2pm Thursday 25 October 2pm Thursday 1 November, 2pm Thursday 8 November, 2pm Thursday 15 November, 2pm Thursday 22 November, 2pm Thursday 29 November, 2pm Thursday 6 December, 2pm And in 2013: Thursday 10 January, 2pm 8