This is a fast paced, vibrant and demanding course where you will gain a well-rounded knowledge of a global fashion industry that encompasses designs, trends, manufacturing, marketing and retail.  Program’s will provide an insight into the work that goes on behind the glamorous facade, and help students to develop their skills, confidence and imagination, which in turn will allow them to push the boundaries of the possible and elevate clothes designing to new heights.

Fashion degree courses tend to be very practical, with a strong focus on building your portfolio and preparing for the final term shows, which usually account for a high proportion of course marks. Programs are tailored to students who want to gain the knowledge and skills they will need to pursue a professional career across a variety of fashion-related fields. Students will receive a broad education that combines both the creative and technical sides of this stylish industry, thereby preparing them for the challenges of the ever-changing, fast-paced world of fashion and design. In classes you will gain technical skills such as CAD (computer aided design), Photoshop, and explore strategy and innovation around topics of sustainability, social media and the emerging markets in fashion today.

A degree in this subject will help you to stand out from the crowd and set you on the road to making your mark in this exciting but highly competitive field. It will in essence give you the training and education you need to enter the fashion industry.

Fashion Degree course overview

Lecture-based study is used to contextualise practical work, with many courses allowing students to choose their areas of specialisation from the start, or if this is not possible then to leave their options open for the future. As an added bonus some courses are supported by leading fashion practitioners and many others have visiting well known fashion lecturers. Typically assessment is continuous throughout the course, and can include visual, verbal and written assignments.

Graduates of fashion merchandising courses are able to apply for positions such as visual merchandisers, display artists, retail store managers, fashion buyers, stylists, showroom sales reps, or fashion editors, among many others. Although these are the primary career options, other jobs are open to them fields such as; costume design for theatre, film or TV may also appeal to fashion graduates.

Typical course modules and areas of study on a Fashion Degree

  • Art and Design
  • Fashion Marketing
  • Fashion Merchandising
  • Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
  • Brand Management
  • Merchandising
  • Visual Merchandising
  • Product Development
  • Public relations
  • Global Sourcing
  • Manufacturing
  • Fashion Technology
  • Artwork

Students will learn about

  • Fashion and textile vocabulary and terminology.
  • Consumer trends and behaviour
  • Hand drawing
  • Pattern drafting and manufacturing
  • Fashion show production and promotion
  • Sewing and tailoring
  • Human anatomy
  • Balancing of colors, proportions, textiles, and moods.
  • The global fashion industry.
  • Fashion and art history and trends
  • Pattern Cutting
  • Digital art
  • Global perspectives on fashion.
  • Styling
  • Fashion photography
  • Elements of business knowledge relevant to the fashion industry.
  • Fashion textiles
  • Lace making
  • Machine knitting
  • Women’s wear
  • Men’s wear
  • Embroidery
  • Leather technology

Students will learn how to

  • Understand consumer trends.
  • Come up with new ideas.
  • Work collaboratively.
  • Use their own initiative.
  • Design for specific markets and target audiences.

Fashion personal statement

Below is a fashion personal statement written by one of our writers. You can use this example to gain an idea of how to structure and put together your own one. You are strongly advised not to copy or plagiarise it, instead use it as a resource to inspire your own creative writing.

Fashion personal statement example 1

“To me fashion is the ultimate artistic expression of individual style, it is a way of packaging the body and representing your inner and outer self. I consider myself to be a fashion visionary, and am constantly trying to envision what people are going to be wearing in 18 to 24 months from now. I am a creative individual, who is passionate about clothes and fashion, and is highly skilled at visual expression which in turn allows me to fully express myself creatively.

I want to study this degree because I have a strong urge to create clothes that people will want to wear. This course will provide me with the building blocks to do this, and to enter the world of fashion.

To be a fashion designer these days you need to possess a formidable range of skills and personal qualities, all of which I have. My experiences to date have given me a clear understanding of how to find out what a ‘client’ really wants, along with an ability to identify key trends. Once I have done this i can then put together or re-create a look to fit any profile and requirement. I have excellent communications skills, which are essential in this field, as most fashion design work is a team effort, and there will be many occasions where you have to explain, listen, negotiate and delegate, if you can’t do this then you really will struggle.

I am fully up to date with the latest fashion trends and of what’s happening in high street retailing, of what’s in and what’s not. To stay in the know, I regularly attend fashion shows and exhibitions, read fashion magazines, and talk to as many relevant people as possible. All of this helps me to keep up to date with current trends, and has given me a comprehensive understanding of the world class iconic designers and labels.

At both college and during my work experience I gained a reputation for being able to organise and analyse material and also make reasoned critical judgements. On all projects that I was involved in I consistently completed my tasks on time, without cutting back on quality or originality, and all to the required specifications and expectations.

On a more personal level I am a determined individual who will see projects through from conception through to completion.  Over time I have developed good presentational, analytical and people skills, all of which are very useful when I try to inspire and motivate my contemporaries.

At college where I studied Fashion at A level, I was involved in a major project to transform a vision and idea I had into clothing, and to then display it at a show. I started off by sketching out a design, then pattering and sewing a prototype that was fitted on a live model, and making the necessary adjustments along the way. The final product was then shown at a college fashion show that was held towards the end of the course.

Recently over the summer months I tool a part time job at a fashion company. The team I worked with were responsible for developing an innovative and commercial range of fashion products. My own duties included researching and interpreting forward trends, areas which are vital to the design of inspirational and distinctive styles. I really enjoyed the experiences, and left this temporary job with an increased awareness of the fashion industry, in particular price architecture, margins and selling prices.

My ambition now is to study fashion at degree level. I want to enrol on a course where the classroom sizes are kept small, there is access to ample resources, and where I will be supported academically in experimenting, challenging and exceeding my own expectations. I have chosen to apply to your university for a number of reasons. Your university has cutting-edge design studio’s for students to practice production techniques, photography, computer-aided design and IT. On top of this your Fashion School has a strong reputation for having academics from varying professional and cultural backgrounds, this last point is exactly what I want, as it will give me a chance to assimilate influences from across the world.”

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