The BA Fashion Jewellery course is situated in the School of Design and Technology, and is concerned with the design of contemporary fashion jewellery. The emphasis is on design, and although you will be making jewellery this is not the main focus of the course. You will develop an appreciation of fashion image and trends, and you will have the opportunity to further your knowledge and understanding of fashion through collaborative projects with womenswear students. You will be exploring new approaches, materials and technologies, as well as learning about traditional techniques. You will learn about all sectors of the fashion jewellery market, from innovative one-off hand crafted pieces to batch and mass production using contemporary technological production methods. You will study a range of units that will equip you with the relevant professional, communication and business skills to succeed as a fashion jewellery designer in today’s fashion industry. There are opportunities within the course to enter jewellery design competitions, and the links with industry occur through projects with particular companies and the short work placement in the second year. At the end of the course you will be able to make an innovative contribution as a fashion jewellery designer to the fashion jewellery industry.

BA Fashion Jewellery is based at our Golden Lane site and our Mare Street site.

Golden Lane is on the edge of the City of London and very near to the Barbican Arts Centre, with its exhibition gallery, concert hall, theatre, cinema and cafes and restaurants. Clerkenwell, Hoxton and Smithfield, with their interesting mixes of shops, creative businesses, galleries, cafes, bars and clubs, are within walking distance, as is the Museum of London. The Barbican Estate is an excellent example of post-war urban architecture, and the nearby Whitecross Street has a very good lunchtime food market during the week, where you can select hot or cold food from a wide range of different cuisines.

Mare Street is in Hackney and the surrounding area boasts a number of east end art galleries, fashion and clothing enterprises, interesting shops, Broadway market and the famed Hackney Empire theatre. London Fields, with its excellent open air lido (heated in winter), and Victoria Park provide nearby green spaces, and the Regent’s Canal runs through the area from east to west. A short bus ride will take you to the V & A’s Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green and the Geffrye Museum in Kingsland Road.  

Course Units

Year One     Stage One     Level 4     120 credits 

Term One: Introduction to Study in Higher Education (20 credits); Introduction to 3D (20 credits);

Term Two: Introduction to Cultural and Historical Studies (20 credits); Creative and Technical Development (20 credits);

Term Three: Introduction to Industry Experience (40 credits);

Year Two     Stage Two     Level 5     120 credits

Term One: Cultural and Historical Studies (20 credits); Fashion Jewellery Consolidation (20 credits);

Term Two (or Three): Research Methods (20 credits); Fashion Jewellery Industry Placement (20 credits);

Term Three (or Two): Fashion Jewellery Professional Practice (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.

The Introduction to 3D unit introduces you to design through practical experimental processes which form the basis for working three dimensionally in an innovative and experimental way. You will gain a practical understanding of the language relating to basic solid geometry and form, and you will explore the relationship between 2D visualisation and working in 3D. You will be introduced to the practical and technical knowledge and skills you need to interpret research through a process of design development. You will gain an understanding of basic making techniques and different materials can be manipulated through demonstration and your own workshop practice. You will focus on initiating ideas that you can develop through samples, test pieces and practical investigations into materials and processes. You will introduced to ways of documenting and presenting your work in a visually effective, stimulating and informative way.

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.

Creative and Technical Development builds on the skills acquired in the first term and further explores the translation of ideas from 2D to 3D through form, surface development, measurement, scale and proportion. Three dimensional forming processes will be introduced, including casting in both hard and soft materials and more advanced joining and linking techniques. You will develop and further resolve test pieces and sample, and progress towards considered prototypes. You will learn more about presentation skills through the use of appropriate software, and this will help you to communicate your design ideas and final proposals effectively.

In the third term you will do the Introduction to Industry Experience unit where you will respond to a live or simulated professional brief. You will be working individually and as part of a group, and you will learn about the importance of being able to cooperate and collaborate with others to achieve successful final outcomes. Networking, communication, team work and presentation are all essential skills for working in the creative industries.

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 Fashion Jewellery Consolidation unit gives you the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills you have gained so far to a live or simulated professional brief. You will explore concepts of historic and contemporary body adornment and consider the impact of trend cycles on fashion accessories. You will be encouraged to challenge existing conventions and preconceptions, while still responding to the tastes and demands of an identified market and customer. Emphasis will be placed on the aesthetic evaluation of material, silhouette and fashion image in the final design responses. You will further develop your presentation skills through the use of CAD, drawing and oral articulation of your research, design development and final outcomes.

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 the role of research in design and technology, and ways of originating and developing research which will prepare you for later projects where research skills are needed to underpin your work.

Also in the second term, the Fashion Jewellery Industry Placement unit gives you the opportunity to further develop your skills learnt on the course and apply them within a professional working environment. You will have the opportunity to observe and understand at first hand how professional practitioners respond to various situations. This will increase your awareness of the realities of the industry and give you the opportunity to look at career options for when you graduate. 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.

In the third term the Fashion Jewellery Professional Practice unit develops your understanding of working with an external professional client, either live or simulated. You will be introduced to the business practices of the fashion jewellery industry and will gain an understanding of the role that marketing plays, and its relationship to design and product. You will learn about mass and small batch production methods, including emerging prototyping and IT technologies. You will analyse the client’s brief, and research and investigate market levels and products. In achieving your design solutions you will consider quality, feasibility and ethical production, and your final presentation should show your research, design development and final outcomes as specified on the brief.

Terms Two and Three will be reversed for some students to ensure that all students have a placement in industry.

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. 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, as well as identifying the lines of further research that you will undertake.

The Final Major Project in the first and second term is the culmination of your undergraduate learning experience. You will identify your own design brief, and through practical and theoretical investigation will demonstrate your ability to design, develop and produce an innovative collection of fashion jewellery designs that expresses your personal design vision. You will respond to the challenges of your chosen brief and evidence your ability to construct and manage your own learning.

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.

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. This is a new course and our first intake of students will graduate this year, so as yet we have no examples of student destinations.

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 BA Fashion Jewellery course draws on a broad range of specialist facilities at our Golden Lane and Mare Street sites. There are specialist rooms for casting and mould making using a variety of resins, plaster and wax, as well as specialist equipment for metal casting. There is a range of 3D equipment, and jewellery benches, equipment and tools for metal jewellery making. You will have access to CAD software such as Rhino, Flamingo and Adobe Illustrator, a laser cutter and a CNC router for realisation of digitally designed prototypes and engraving.

Jane Francis is the Course Leader and has a BA and MA in Fine Art. She has over twenty-five years of experience in the fashion industry, and in the 1980s she launched her own label for womenswear and accessories, selling to Liberty, Hyper-Hyper and Harrods. She then worked for ten years with Vivienne Westwood on the creation, production and catwalk presentations of her collections. Now she combines teaching with working as a freelance consultant, stylist and photographer to many international fashion brands and designers, including Ghost, Tank Magazine and Topshop.

Claire Swift is the Programme Director for the Fashion Design Technology Womenswear, BA Fashion Jewellery and FDT Designer Pattern Cutter programmes. She graduated in fashion and textiles from Bristol Polytechnic, and has extensive industry experience with a number of companies, including Ally Capellino, Duffer of St George, Boxfresh, Bodymap, Burro, Walé Adeyemi, Hoxton Boutique and Joe Casely-Hayford. Claire is the Widening Participation champion for the School of Design and Technology and has won an Art Works People Award for her work in this area. She has facilitated projects that highlight social issues for students, such as the HMP Send project and the projects with Hackney Schools.

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.

Showing your Work                            

All final year students are given the opportunity to profile their work online using the Showtime section of the University and College websites. 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.

Course Entry Requirements

This course requires portfolio evidence.

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.

Student Selection Criteria

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

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design PLUS passes in three GCSE subjects at grade C or above

OR

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

OR

Equivalent awards. For International qualifications see the International Qualifications Guide [PDF - 1.9mb]

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. 

English Language Requirements

All classes are conducted in English. The level required by the University for this course is IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each skill. 

For more information, read the University's English Language requirements page. 

What We Look For

The course team seeks to recruit students who can demonstrate:

• A strong interest in fashion jewellery
• A  keen visual awareness
• An aptitude for working in three dimensions and for the application 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 chosen career

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; a sensitivity to the selection of materials; 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 jewellery 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 fashion jewellery designer.

Home/EU Applicants

You apply online through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

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 W700.

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

If you have a question, you can contact our Enquiries Office by calling +44 (0)20 7514 7563 / 7344 or by completing our Online Enquiry Form.     

International Applicants

For specific details on how to apply as an international applicant please visit our international student pages 

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: If you have a question, you can contact our International Recruitment Office by calling +44 (0)20 7514 7656 / 7678 / 7629 or completing our Online 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 / interview where the course team will look at your work during your interview. 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.   

 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.