Fashion & Textiles (Vocational)

Outline

The course is structured around six units that develop your creative process, technical abilities and understanding of professional practice.

Unit 1 – The Creative Process

Explore how creative ideas are generated, researched and developed into original outcomes.

Unit 2 – Developing Creative Practice

Build your confidence through experimentation and practical projects while developing your own creative approach.

Unit 3 – Responding to a Set Brief

Develop work in response to a creative brief, reflecting the type of projects and challenges encountered within the industry.

Unit 4 – Researching a Specialist Industry Practice

Investigate specialist areas of the fashion and textiles industries and develop your understanding of contemporary professional practice.

Unit 5 – Specialist Technical Skills Development

Develop specialist practical and technical skills relevant to your chosen creative interests.

Unit 6 – Specialist Creative Outcome

Bring together your research, ideas and technical skills to produce a specialist creative outcome.

Throughout these units, you will explore key areas including:

Fashion Design and Development

Develop skills in research, design development, fashion illustration, trend forecasting and creative concept generation.

Garment & Costume Construction and Production

Learn sewing techniques, pattern cutting, manufacturing processes and garment production.

Textiles and Surface Design

Explore printmaking, embroidery, fabric manipulation, mixed media and innovative textile techniques.

Professional Practice and Final Major Project

Develop a specialist project that showcases your strengths and prepares you for progression into higher education or industry.

Enrichment opportunities

You will benefit from specialist fashion and textile facilities alongside industry-inspired briefs, live projects, exhibitions and opportunities to develop a professional portfolio.

Opportunities also include:

• Fashion shows
• Gallery visits
• University workshops
• Visits to cultural and creative venues

These experiences will broaden your understanding of contemporary fashion and design while helping you develop your professional practice.

Progression

Vocational Fashion and Textiles can support progression into higher education or a wide range of careers within fashion, textiles and the wider creative industries.

Fashion and Textiles

You could progress towards careers including:

• Fashion Designer
• Textile Technologist

Wider careers

The course can also support progression towards roles including:

• Interior Stylist
• Fashion Trend Forecaster
• Costume Curator
• Content Creator
• Social Media Manager
• Sustainable Garment Technologist
• Visual Merchandiser
• Craftsperson
• Digital Stylist
• Virtual Fashion Designer
• Digital Product Developer

Assessment

The course is assessed through 100% coursework, which is internally marked and externally moderated.

Practical Projects and Live Briefs

You will complete practical studio projects and creative live briefs, including opportunities to work on projects involving designers and brands.

Portfolio and Final Major Project

Your assessment will also include:

• Portfolio development
• Sketchbooks
• Presentations
• Final Major Project

This practical approach allows you to demonstrate your creative development, technical abilities, research and professional presentation through the work you produce throughout the course.

Entry Requirements

Students will need a minimum of five grade 4s at GCSE, which must include a grade 4 in English. Students who enrol on this course will typically have a GCSE (or vocational) qualification in a creative subject. Applicants who do not have a creative qualification will need to demonstrate that they have the necessary knowledge, skills and interest to succeed on the course, usually via a portfolio of creative work produced outside of the school environment.Additional Information: We will consider 1 Vocational qualification in place of a GCSE as long as a grade 4 is achieved in English.

* Fees

Don’t let the cost of studying put you off – most of our students study for FREE, and those who don’t qualify for funding are very often eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan.

Eligibility depends on both the course you have chosen to study and your individual circumstances.

Apply

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