The BA Fashion Design Technology Menswear course is situated in the School of Design and Technology, and is for students who want to be designers in the menswear industry. This encompasses a broad range of options, and students are encouraged to develop their own style and approach to menswear over the three years of their undergraduate experience. The course provides you with tailoring skills to underpin your design work, and some staff work both in menswear and womenswear, which gives you the opportunity to explore and experiment with techniques and fabrics not normally associated with menswear. Additionally, you have the opportunity to collaborate with students from the fashion textile course if you wish to incorporate this element into your work. Through this course you will develop the core skills of research, design, development, realisation, communication and presentation, together with key business and marketing skills. The essential academic elements of the course enable you to appreciate the cultural and historical context of your practice, and to develop your ability to critically evaluate your work and the work of others. You will have the opportunity to undertake a short work placement in the industry, which gives you experience of working in a company and the chance to make contacts in the industry before you complete your studies. Industry led projects form part of the course, and collaborations with students from other courses and / or Schools within the College are sometimes undertaken. By the end of your course you will be fully equipped to succeed as a creative designer in the challenging international field of menswear.

BA Fashion Design Technology Menswear is based at Curtain Road in Shoreditch, on the edge of the City of London and very near to Hoxton. The area is rich in creative studios, fashion PR companies, magazine head offices, art galleries and hip restaurants, bars and clubs. Specialist markets nearby include Spitalfields and Columbia Road, and the Geffrye Museum is a short walk away at the bottom end of Kingsland Road.

This course is currently being revalidated so the course structure and units may change.

UAL statement on learning and teaching

Courses in UAL span a broad range of art, design, communication, business, media, science and communication subjects. So the ways in which you learn and how your time is used will vary according to the specific course you are studying; this may be in studios, labs, classes, involve working alone, learning from peers in pairs or groups, or with external partners. Most importantly, no matter which course you enrol on, you will learn not only about your subject but also about how you learn and how to increase your knowledge base.

Our courses will guide you to take increasing responsibility and ownership of your work and your learning. We do this so that you will be ready and able to take full advantage of the full range of opportunities offered by the creative industries in the global economy.

UAL statement on assessment methods

Assessment always sounds austere and foreboding, but it is not. We see assessment as a very real part of learning, rather than just a means of looking back at past work and measuring achievement; we believe that assessment helps you plan future work and develop new ideas.

Your work will be assessed through projects or portfolios, with written papers or research journals, and, on some courses, examinations. You will be graded according to a set of marking criteria that relate to such things as research, subject knowledge, methodology, and your capacity to analyse and reflect on your achievements. So don’t be afraid of assessment - it is the way to progress.

Course Units

Year One     Stage One     Level 4     120 credits 

Term One: Introduction to Study in Higher Education (20 credits); Introduction to Design and Realisation (20 credits);

Term Two: Introduction to Cultural and Historical Studies (20 credits); Stretch and Drape (20 credits);

Term Three: Shape and Structure (40 credits);

Year Two     Stage Two     Level 5     120 credits

Term One: Cultural and Historical Studies (20 credits); Introduction to Professional Practice (20 credits);

Term Two: Research Methods (20 credits); Placement and Professional Brief (20 credits); 

Term Three: Professional Brief (40 credits)

Third Year     Stage Three     Level 6     120 credits

Term One: Design Project Report (20 credits);

Terms One and Two: Final Major Project (60 credits);

Term Three: Negotiated Portfolio Project (40 credits)

Course Outline

Year One

In the first term you will study two units.

Introduction to Study in Higher Education gives you an understanding of your personal and professional development at university, with three core purposes: to introduce you to the necessary learning skills for undergraduate study; to show you where you are situated within the College and the University; and to help you understand what you will learn on your course and how you will develop your skills.

Introduction to Design and Realisation introduces you to research methods and their relevance and application to the design process and the realisation of ideas. Research and creative concepts are the basis for design development and you will be exploring the relationship between these areas and the 3D outcome. You will be introduced to ways of recording your work in a visually stimulating way using a variety of methods and media, and you will learn the core skills of pattern cutting and garment construction. You will be encouraged to be innovative in all areas of your work.

In the second term you will study two units.

Introduction to Cultural and Historical Studies introduces you to key concepts and ways of thinking about fashion and its context in society and culture. You will attend lectures, seminars and workshops, and do a significant amount of reading of academic texts in order to complete a formal academic essay for assessment.  Completion of this unit will allow you to make an informed choice of subject for study in the second year Cultural and Historical Studies unit.

Stretch and Drape introduces you to the characteristics of stretch and woven fabrics and the differences between structured and unstructured garments. The translation of your ideas into two and three dimensional form will be explored further, with an emphasis on the application of specialist techniques and machinery to produce innovative outcomes. Your research will underpin your work, together with the development of your drawing and presentation skills to facilitate clear communication of your design ideas. You will develop your use of CAD for both design presentation and technical drawings. Emphasis will be placed on the use of 3D experimentation to develop your response to the project brief.

In the third term the Shape and Structure unit gives you the opportunity to demonstrate the progress made in the first and second terms and to build on this progress. You will explore the translation of 2D to 3D through looking at the principles of structured garments with an emphasis on tailoring techniques and 3D stand development to create contemporary outcomes. The importance of colour, fabric, proportion, shape and detail will be emphasised throughout the unit.

Year Two

In the first term you will be able to study a Cultural and Historical Studies unit of your choice that will broaden or deepen your learning of areas relating to your interests in your chosen field. You will have the opportunity to participate in lectures, seminars and workshops with students from other courses within your School, and will read relevant academic texts and complete a formal academic essay for assessment.

Also in the first term, the Introduction to Professional Practice unit gives you the opportunity to work with an external client, either ‘real’ or simulated. You will learn about fashion and business related practices, and will be given an overview of the role of marketing and its effect on and relationship to the design process. You will analyse the client brief and establish independent working methods to identify and solve problems. Recent collaborations with industry have included projects with Marvel Comics and the English National Ballet.

You will develop your knowledge of market levels and product, and the project will require you to use the essential skills of negotiation, presentation and professional communication.

In the second term the Research Methods unit provides a broad overview of the different critical and methodological approaches to research and introduces you to a range of research methods. You will learn more about the role of research in design and technology, the relationship between primary and secondary sources, and ways of developing and originating research. This will prepare you for later projects where considerable research skills are needed to underpin your work.

Also in the second term, the Placement and Professional Brief unit gives you the opportunity to further develop your skills learnt on the course and apply them within a professional working environment. You will observe and understand at first hand how the industry works, and what opportunities exist for your career progression. You will complete a report detailing your experience, which will include a profile and analysis of your company together with a personal reflection of your experience on placement. Short recent placements in the industry have been with companies ranging from H&M to Margiela, Altor Throup and Viktor & Rolf.

In the third term the Professional Brief unit gives you the opportunity to develop your ability to work as part of a team, to collate relevant information, and to expand upon creative concepts and theories related to your research. You will have the opportunity to use a variety of techniques to undertake critical analysis of the information gathered, and then to propose solutions arising from the analysis. Networking, communication and presentation skills will all be developed through this unit, which culminates in a group design presentation.

Year Three

In the first term you will do your Design Project Report. This unit give you the opportunity to explore and evaluate the research you are doing for your Final Major Project. This research is focussed on your chosen concept or theme and should include both primary and secondary research. Critical analysis of the context of your work is essential, and the Design Project Report should communicate the reasons why you have chosen to do your Final Major Project on this concept or theme.

The Final Major Project in the first and second term is the culmination of your undergraduate learning experience. You will be able to demonstrate your ability to identify your own design brief and design, develop and produce an innovative collection of garments for menswear that expresses your personal design vision.

In the final term you will undertake the Negotiated Portfolio Project. This gives you the chance to reflect on achievements so far, evaluate your personal strengths, and develop a visually stimulating, professionally presented portfolio of work establishing a clear direction for your future career. This may be an extension of an element in your Final Major Project, or may be a portfolio targeted at a specific career aim.

This course is currently being revalidated so the course structure and units may change.

Learning and Teaching at UAL

Courses at UAL span a broad range of art, design, communication, business, media and science subjects. The ways in which you learn and how your time is used will vary according to the specific course you are studying; this may be in studios, labs or classes; involve working alone, learning from peers in pairs or groups, or with external partners. Most importantly, no matter which course you enrol on, you will learn not only about your subject but also about how you learn and how to increase your knowledge base. Our courses will guide you to take increasing responsibility and ownership of your work and your learning. We do this so that you will be ready and able to take full advantage of the range of opportunities offered by the creative industries in the global economy.

Assessment Methods at UAL

Assessment always sounds austere and foreboding, but it is not. We see assessment as a very real part of learning, rather than just a means of looking back at past work and measuring achievement; we believe that assessment helps you to plan future work and develop new ideas. Your work will be assessed through projects or portfolios, with written papers or research journals, and, on some courses, examinations. You will be graded according to a set of marking criteria that relate to such things as research, subject knowledge, methodology, and your capacity to analyse and reflect on your achievements. So don’t be afraid of assessment - it is the way to progress.

Developing your skills

All our undergraduate courses are concerned with the development of your personal and professional skills. On your course you will evolve from learning basic skills in your discipline through to a position where you are an independent creative thinker capable of making an effective contribution to the relevant sector of the fashion industry. PPD (Personal and Professional Development) skills are embedded in all units on every course. Speaker programmes with contributions from alumni, members of industry and others are a part of many courses, as are work placement opportunities in industry. Where relevant, students have the chance to attend trade fairs, enter industry competitions, visit exhibitions and go on field trips and visits. The central position of our John Prince’s Street site in the West End affords students easy access to all sectors of the fashion retail market. In addition, our position as a constituent College in the University of the Arts London means that our students have access to the wide range of activities and events that occur in all the Colleges and at the University’s centre. Last but not least, being in London gives every student opportunities to explore and be inspired by the cultural, intellectual and social life of one of the great capital cities of the world.

Resources

Our excellent resources for educating our students are two-fold: people and premises. People includes everyone at the College who contributes directly in some way to your education, whether as a subject tutor, a technician, an Open Access Officer, a librarian or a study support tutor. Premises include the buildings and the facilities contained in them, such as specialist machinery, design studios and workshops, lecture and seminar rooms, and the library.

The Curtain Road site contains three floors of industrial machinery and equipment that can be used to make any type of garment in any appropriate fabric. This gives students a real opportunity to experiment, and menswear students have the opportunity to develop their practical and technical skills in pattern cutting and sample room. Open access provision, supported by technical staff, enables students to further develop their skills outside daytime teaching hours.

Tom Adams is the Course Leader, is a Fine Art graduate, and has worked in the fashion industry for twenty years. He has sold his collections in high-end shops, including Browns in London, Collette in Paris and Patricia Fields in New York, as well as creating clothes for many celebrities, including Robbie Williams, Darren Hayes, U2, Skin from Skunk Anansie and Bjork.

Polly Kenny is the Programme Director for Textiles and Menswear and has an MA in Fashion Studies. Her industry experience is extensive and has been through collaborative partnerships with, for example, Broderie Anglaise and Peter Wright Europe Ltd, with clients, including Ronit Zilka and Morris Angels, and at the industry’s textile fairs. She is a member of the Higher Education Academy, the LCF Fashion Education and Research Group, and the Textiles Futures Research Centre at UAL. She is Vice Chair of the London Branch of the Society of Dyers and Colourists, and continues her practice-based textile work focussing on the mark of the hand through digital and craft processes.

Rob Phillips is the Creative Director for the School of Design and Technology and his career started in fashion womenswear, menswear and illustration. He worked at publishers Benjamin Dent as Fashion Editor for International Textiles magazine, and as Creative Director of Fashion Forecast magazine, where his progressive work promoting young fashion talent garnered him much acclaim from industry. Rob continues to nurture talent at LCF across all courses within the School, preparing students to develop their full potential and make their unique contribution to the fashion industry. He furthers the work of the College through many routes, including the recent collaboration between LCF, English National Ballet and the V&A. He also curates the School’s fashion shows and exhibitions, and is fully engaged with all external events and competitions.

Future Careers and Graduate Prospects

Graduates who wish to continue their education at postgraduate level are encouraged to progress to suitable courses within the College, the University or elsewhere.

Many graduates prefer to seek employment as soon as they have completed their undergraduate studies. Recent graduates from this course have gained positions with Burberry, Aquascutum, ASOS, John Lewis and New Power Studio. Graduates are working as studio managers for JW Anderson and Omar Kashoura, who are themselves both former graduates of this course. Two graduates have received financial backing from Harrods to set up as Baartmans and Siegel, and two other graduates have joined to form Jaiden rVa James. Both duos are making a considerable mark on the industry.

Enterprise and Employability at UAL

We know what it takes to be successful in your chosen field. Your tutors are professionals in their own right and understand what you need to help you establish your career. Staff in our dedicated Centre for Student Enterprise and Employability Service (SEE) are specialists at supporting you onto the right career path and at helping you to build up work‐relevant skills, knowledge and experience throughout your time here. You will also benefit from our many relationships with industry, which give our students exclusive opportunities and access to networks and funding.

Artists and designers tell us they value UAL’s informed engagement with their career development concerns across a whole spectrum of activities and practice interests and our ability to offer them practical advice, guidance and opportunities across the possible pathways open to them - as entrepreneurs and employees. Staff value the resources and skills UAL makes available to help them deliver effective professional and career development through the curriculum.

This course is currently being revalidated so the course structure and units may change.

Showing your work

All final year students are given the opportunity to profile their work online via Showtime. London College of Fashion can make no guarantee that your work (either in sum or in part) will be shown, exhibited or profiled in any way as part of your course. All student work appearing in College organised events, catwalk shows, exhibitions and other forms of showcase, is selected by a panel of senior staff and, in some instances, external industry judges.

For details of the wide range of careers support provided for students, please visit our Careers Support page.

Opportunities for All

We are committed to making university education an achievable option for a wider range of people and seek to recruit students from diverse socio-economic, cultural and educational backgrounds. We are committed to supporting all our students in achieving their potential both during and after their courses.

Course Entry Requirements

Entry to this course is highly competitive: applicants are expected to achieve, or already have, the course entry requirements detailed below.

Two ‘A’ level passes at grade C or above PLUS passes in three GCSE subjects at grade C or above

OR equivalent awards

Preferred subjects include Art, Design, English and Maths.

This course requires a minimum 160 UCAS tariff points.

Exceptionally, applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered if the course team judges the application demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by: related academic or work experience; the quality of the personal statement; a strong academic or other professional reference; or a combination of these factors.

This course requires portfolio evidence.

English Language Requirements

All classes are conducted in English. If English is not your first language you will be asked to provide evidence of your English language ability when you enrol.

The level required by the University for this course is IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in any one skill.

Please go to: http://www.arts.ac.uk/international/apply/englishlanguagerequirements/

read carefully and look at the relevant documents.

Student Selection Criteria

What We Look For

The course team seeks to recruit students who can demonstrate:

• A strong interest in fashion, visual imagery and an awareness of technology
• An understanding of the need for a critical and analytical approach to the area of study
• An approach suited to the demands of the course and the projected career futures

This might, for example, be demonstrated by: related academic or work experience; the quality of the personal statement, a strong academic or other professional reference; or a combination of these factors.

Portfolio and Interview Advice

For this course your portfolio should show evidence of: drawing/presentation skills; contemporary fashion/cultural awareness; a level of research, exploration and experimentation; fabric and material selection/knowledge; construction/technical competence; ability to think/work in 3D; and visual communication skills.

Applicants will be expected to demonstrate the following at interview: a strong interest in fashion and visual imagery; an awareness of technology; a critical and analytical approach; a motivation to succeed on the course; and a motivation for working as a menswear designer.

This course is currently being revalidated so the course structure and units may change.

Home/EU Applicants

You apply online through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) at   http://www.ucas.com 

Go to ‘Apply’ from the UCAS home page, where you will be able to register and create a password that gives you unique access as you complete your application form.

The University code is U65.

The UCAS code for this course is W293.

The deadline for equal consideration of your application is 15 January 2013.

Contact us on:

• Telephone: +44 (0)20 7514 7563 / 7582 / 7344
• Course enquiry form

International Applicants

For specific details on how to apply as an international applicant please click on the following link:

http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/lcf-international.htm

The International Recruitment Office at the London College of Fashion will help to guide you through the application process and answer any specific questions that you may have regarding our courses. This may include portfolio advice, the application process and fee advice. We offer a ‘drop-in’ facility for applicants who may be in London and wish to obtain further course and admissions information. Please contact us for further information on this facility. We can also arrange a tour of our facilities if we are given prior notice.

Our contact details are: International Recruitment Office London College of Fashion 20 John Prince’s Street London W1G 0BJ.

• Telephone: +44 (0)20 7514 7656/7678/7629
• Course enquiry form

Deferred Entry

Deferred Entry is normally only allowed in exceptional circumstances. Please contact us before you submit your application if you are considering applying for deferred entry.

What Happens Next?

All application forms, personal statements and references are read and considered by the course team against the selection criteria listed under What We Look For. Depending on the quality of your application, you may be asked to submit copies of a small number of pieces of your existing work (not more than ten pieces). If the course team wish to consider your application further, you will be invited to a full portfolio review where the course team will look at your work. If you are successful at the portfolio review stage you will be interviewed by the course team. If you are successful at the interview stage you will be offered a place. Applicants are not guaranteed a portfolio review or an interview.

Please note that if you are unable to attend the College may not be able to re-schedule.

If you applied through UCAS the result of your application will be communicated to you via UCAS through ucastrack. You will only receive further communication directly from the College if your application has been successful. This will be in the form of a full offer pack including details of accommodation, fees, and other important information.    

Applicants have the right to ask for feedback if their application is unsuccessful. Requests must be made in writing to the Student Administrator, and we will respond within 20 working days. 

Additional Information

Additional Costs

Some courses charge a fee for the bulk purchase of materials and/or equipment used on the course. Further details will be supplied at a later date.

This course is currently being revalidated so the course structure and units may change.