At our School you will find a total focus on your creative development
Nationality: British
Course: Drama Foundation
Where is she now? Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), London
BA Fashion: Course Structure
The BA Fashion degree follows a typical three year structure:
- your first two years are spent at Cambridge School of Visual & Performing Arts in our specialist fashion studios;
- in your third year we ensure that you progress to a BA university of your choice. Typically students complete their studies at Central St Martins, London College of Fashion, Parsons New York, Goldsmith, Kingston and Falmouth amongst others.
Core modules
Year 1
Fashion Critical and Cultural Studies
Fashion: Developing Designs for the High Street
Fashion: Technical and IT Skills 1
Fashion: Technical and IT Skills 2
Introduction to Fashion: creative processes and skills
Year 2
Fashion in Context
Fashion: Negotiated Projects
Fashion: Technical and IT Skills 3
Fashion: Understanding Markets and Manufacture
Year 3
University transfer
Fashion Critical and Cultural Studies
This module encourages students to see Critical and Cultural Studies as a vital tool for innovative, well-informed, professional design practice. It aims to provide students with an understanding of some of the main historical, cultural, social and political issues that inform contemporary design practice and debates. Centered on a study of artefacts that relate to studio practice, students are required to write a 1500-2000 word essay on an aspect of recent or contemporary design/visual culture and make a critical examination of the various historical and cultural ideas that inform them. Particular emphasis is given to the relationship between recent and contemporary trends in design and design history and criticism and students' own work, and to the development and application of study skills and academic protocols that enable students to locate their work within professional and academic contexts. Students will be encouraged to undertake a series of guided study visits.
Fashion: Developing Designs for the High Street
In this module students are asked to research 'what are people wearing in the high street and why?'. It provides opportunities for in-depth customer analysis, team work and the eventual design of a garment. Short work experience opportunities further develop these skills. In addition, the use of practical skills and technologies are an important part of this module to ensure that technical competence continues to develop.
This module is aimed at introducing students to the fundamental skills and technologies underpinning the design and making processes. Both manual skills and the use of basic technologies are employed. The module includes introductions to construction methods, fabric awareness, basic pattern cutting and development techniques. Induction to general health and safety issues, as well as specific inductions to health and safety in relation to specific workshop areas and equipment. Students undertake learning in the workshops and studio spaces, working in groups on practical activities. Students are expected to document their work as they progress through the module.
Fashion: Technical and IT Skills 2
This module is designed to help students to further develop skills and understanding of the uses of the processes and technologies underlying fashion design and making. The student experiences will build on introductory knowledge gained in the first semester and identify the applications of skills to particular contexts. Content will include construction techniques, skills in working with different types of fabrics, pattern cutting and development and the uses of Photoshop. Safe working practices are emphasised. A technical folder of demonstrations of competencies and potential uses in a range of areas is built up during the module. Students undertake learning in the workshops and studio spaces, working in groups on practical activities. Students are expected to document their work as they progress through the module.
Introduction to Fashion: creative processes and skills
This module provides opportunities to understand some of the processes at work within the field of fashion creation and development. It will establish the notion of the 'anthropologist' within the retail environment investigating how shops function and how/why consumers buy fashion. Projects will focus on developing research skills in relation to design and will include aspects of drawing, representation and communication; the beginnings of designing and making for specific contexts.
Fashion in Context
The focus of this module is to progress the development of creative practice and at the same time project this within specified commercial contexts. The module emphasis mainly is on the 'front end' of the design process through a series of projects. The third block of the semester takes earlier projects forward into the development and production of garments or other related artefacts. Sets of ideas are developed around particular problems which require students to investigate aspects of the fashion business as a first step to developing their design work. Project work is informed by contemporary industry practices and problems, and the student experience takes the form of work-related learning. Projects could well include subjects such as taking current forecasts into designs and the translation of haute couture into high street design.
Fashion: Negotiated Projects
This module builds on previous experiences and integrates business and production knowledge into a context for specific design collections. The semester is divided into two long blocks of 6 weeks and the approach to teaching and learning should be intensified as a result. Students negotiate their own learning at the start of the block which will require them to identify specific concepts, markets, technologies and manufacture as part of the individual project. Live projects may be included in this module. Work experience is undertaken with an external designer or company and is expected to be related to at least one of the two projects. This project proposal will need to take account of the specified intended learning outcomes and be subject to agreement of tutors. The learning and teaching in this module takes the form of intensive studio working and access to workshops with tutor supporting individual students. A small selection of advanced workshops will be included in this module.
Fashion: Technical and IT Skills 3
This module is focused on the understanding of how computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture are used within contemporary design and production contexts. Talks by external speakers as well as members of the teaching team will give an overview of the topic supported by visits to show particular examples of CAD CAM at work. Hands on experience is gained within the Faculty in the use of software applied to different aspects of production. Teaching and learning includes, visits and practical experiences. Assessment takes the form of a technical folder with various specified components which may draw on projects elsewhere in the programme. Alternatively, students may undertake a faculty work experience instead of this module, subject to agreement with the Programme Tutor.
Fashion: Understanding Markets and Manufacture
This module is focused on the 'realworld' industrial and commercial context of fashion and clothing. The content is based on selected topics from contemporary industry practices and problems, and examines the various stages from design to production as an iterative process in order for students to begin to relate their work to aspects of this economic sector. The content will be drawn from the stages of design development, business practices, manufacturing and retailing from the UK, Europe and internationally. The focus will include examining case studies from contemporary fashion and clothing businesses. Aspects of career choice and employability matters inform the curriculum for this module. Teaching and learning will take the form of lectures and seminars to which students are expected to contribute. Visits to appropriate external venues and external contributors representing different sectors will be included as part of the module.
Year three
Students transfer for the third and final year of the BA to a university of their choice with the help and guidance of CSVPA.
I've just been accepted for my work placement at Jenny Packham this Summer and can't wait, but never would have got their without the unwavering support of my tutors."