FA5014 - Fashion Design Project 2

In this module you will learn through your engagement in creative practice in response to a self-initiated Fashion Design brief, which will encourage enquiry-based learning. The School of Design operates an extended studio approach (X-Studio) that embraces our physical studios and making workshops as well as our virtual spaces to create a flexible and rich environment that is responsive to our learners’ needs. This dedicated approach has been developed over many years of continuous teaching innovation, research and industry collaboration. It has created a supportive extended studio culture that encourages our students to learn flexibly, dynamically blending their learning and University experience between physical and digital interactions both in real-time and online at their own pace. This extended studio culture not only helps our students to become more confident autonomous learners but also prepares them for a dynamic design industry in which an extended studio philosophy is current practice. The blended studio and workshop environment is integral to this process encouraging individual intellectual freedom, a creative collaborative community, and collegial exchange. This approach emphasises creativity and experiential enquiry, enabling the generation of ideas, through active participation in observation, recording and making through design practice. Project-based learning engenders an enquiring, analytical and creative approach to the progressively interrelated nature of practical and intellectual skills. Analytical and adductive thinking, experimentation, trial and error, are characteristics of the creative process and are embedded and supported throughout programme design and delivery.

Hands on participation enables students to display evidence of creative thinking through the exploration and communication of a design concept/artefact that has a purposeful outcome. This type of experiential activity engages the learner in self-initiated research, encouraging independent judgement and critical self-awareness through practice.

There is focus on the development of technical skills and the advanced use of materials and processes in identifying and solving problems. Traditional, new and emerging technologies are used both in the delivery observation and realisation of outcomes.

The project is introduced at a briefing session, where it is fully explained and explored by both staff and students.
• A named lead Module Tutor manages the module including arranging potential collaboration with industry partners, organising any visiting professionals, procuring yarns and cloth for the production of garments and sample collections.
• The lead Module Tutor and the academic teaching team direct the studio based practice through presentations and tutorials and are available to answer queries in relation to the module during timetabled studio sessions.
• Tutorials provide feedback on your project work and your progression on the module and offer direction on how to develop your work further, including guidance for student-led independent learning.
• Formal formative feedback stage is included in the module, when you will receive academic feedback on your progress.
• In addition to academic support this module also has specialist Fashion technical support including practical demonstrations and exercises, and Blackboard-based electronic resource (ADS0053)
• Learning materials for this module are available on the university eLearning Portal, including the module documentation, announcements, presentations, assessment, study skills, online resources, reading list and timetable.
• Additional study skills materials and workshops, that are available through Skills Plus at http://nuweb2.northumbria.ac.uk/library/skillsplus/topics.html?l3-0.
• Support for Academic Language Skills (ALS) is available for international students.
• Students requiring additional support are advised to contact their Guidance Tutor for advice, who will be able to refer them to the relevant university services for specialist support regarding their personal circumstances.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Knowledge & Understanding:
4. Demonstrate an enhanced autonomy through your ability to independently source and engage with a broad range of research materials.

7. Demonstrate a progressed knowledge of aesthetic principles through the undertaking/completion of garment, printed textile or constructed knitwear sample prototyping.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. Display evidence of critical thinking by conceiving, progressing, evaluating and communicating potential creative solutions to future fashion challenges through creative design portfolio

7. Link your knowledge and understanding to display a confident and sophisticated application of fashion design materials and/or processes to the design/realisation of an experimental garment, printed textile or constructed knitwear collection.

8. Produce and communicate an experimental garment or fashion fabrics with distinguishable skill, application and presentation.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

5. Demonstrate effective employability skills including organisational and project management through effective investigation of industrially referenced processes necessary to achieve professional outcome.

Assessment will be conducted through:

Formative feedback received from tutors and peers during seminar, X-studio and workshop engagement. Feedback from external partners may be given where appropriate.

Component 1: Fashion portfolio

Component 2: Garment prototypes or sample collection


Formal formative feedback
Tutorials will be scheduled at key points of the learning programme, to provide feedback and informally record academic progress.

Summative assessment
By collecting a variety of evidence/outputs from the learner via multiple dimensions (coursework, observations, presentations, etc.) tutors will assess your overall performance holistically with a single grade from 2 components at the end of semester 2.

Student self-assessment
Students are encouraged to be reflective learners through scheduled self-assessment opportunities.

Verbal feedback will be provided from peers
and academic staff.

Assessment
There will be 2 parts to the assessment:

Component 1: Fashion portfolio. KU 04; IPSA 03; PVA 05

Component 2: Garment prototype(s) or sample collection – sketchbook (shared with FA5013), KU 04; KU 07; IPSA 07; IPSA 08; PVA 05


Other
Additional forms of assessment practice may take place within projects in the form of peer assessment/self-assessment which may contribute to the overall module outcome.

Prior modules or equivalent experience

N/A

In ’Fashion Design Project 2’ you will develop an individual fashion concept inspiring a luxury collection. Building on prior learning and experience gained over your industrial placement and/or study abroad experience, you will consider a wide range of global, historical, contemporary and cultural influences in your investigative research and design work that confirms your creative identity within the context of the current zeitgeist.

In the award winning Design School’s studios, X-studio and specialist workshops you will engage with academic and technical staff who will encourage you to challenge your knowledge and understanding of fashion production processes in your specialism of either pattern cutting, printed textiles or constructed knitwear. You will produce an investigative sample collection or garment prototype(s), capturing your fashion concept exhibited in an appropriate arena for fashion.

A design portfolio will conclude with an illustrated fashion collection where you will be encouraged to integrate traditional and digital media to communicate your fashion outcomes defining ambitions for your personal development in level 6 and employment in the fashion industry.