Fashion Design for Young Professionals

The Fashion Design for Young Professionals Short Course is part of the students’ involvement in the Balenciaga Museum Transmissions Project. There is a focus on the creative direction and initial design and technical processes, innovation and experimentation related to the students’ chosen concepts, creative design and construction methodologies. Students work on visualising a personal concept narrative related to the Transmissions brief and select an area of study to produce experimental design developments, creative sampling of materiality and surface design, explore shape creation and volumes as well as integrate technical detailing and clothing authenticity. Students produce an extensive personal artefact research and development sketchbook in a format of their choice, outlining their design direction. They also document their experimental 3D process from initial shape creation to technical pattern making and garment detailing. Students have design tuition leading them from research and concept building to creative responses through collage and drawing and further developments of more resolved design. A chosen design is translated into a 3D experimental process using a mannequin to decide on construction, volumes and proportions, which will then be resolved further with input from a pattern cutting tutor into a more authentic technical design outcome. Students are assisted by a stitch technician to create a resolved toile in a relevant fabric made from their technical patterns to achieve a prototype garment which can be further developed after the course into a final garment in their chosen fabrics.