FA6021 - Fashion Concept Research

In this module you will learn through a diverse range of activities and methods that immerse you in the dynamic world of fashion design. Learning and teaching strategies in Fashion encourage you to acquire a flexible and imaginative approach to creative problem solving: to think divergently and to develop your ability to articulate fashion concepts and ideas through research-rich enquiry-based learning. You will become an active participant in this process through integrating specialist creative design practice with academic and intellectual skills.

Your learning will feature workshops, combining hands-on practical activities, short lectures, and group discussions. You will work alongside your specialist tutors and technicians to develop meaningful experimental research and sampling within your own creative practice via a critically-reflective fashion design proposal and an experimental Creative Process Journal (CPJ).

Using design thinking and a learning- through-making methodology, you will conduct meaningful conceptual and practical research into a potential project that aims to address identified contemporary fashion design challenges aligned to your personal vision for the future of fashion, within the context to your interests and professional ambitions. There is focus on the acquisition of technical skills and the use of materials and processes in identifying and solving problems. Traditional, new and emerging technologies are used in the delivery and realisation of these outcomes. You will create and manage your interactive, reflective Career Readiness Plan (CRP) via Milanote, to align your learning process to your career path and demonstrate autonomy.

Work produced in this module will form the foundation of the Block 2 modules.

• Module tutors will provide extensive support in various forms, including lectures, seminars, workshops, and tutorials.
• Each module will begin with a comprehensive briefing that outlines the module learning outcomes, module requirements, and a detailed schedule.
• A named lead Module Tutor manages the module.
• The lead Module Tutor and the academic teaching team direct the studio-based practice through presentations and tutorials and are available to answer module queries during timetabled studio sessions.
• Tutorials provide feedback on your work and your progression on the module and offer direction on how to develop your work further, including guidance for student-led independent learning.
• You will be aligned to tutors to support your creative practice, concept development and critical writing.
• You will have regular weekly sessions in a studio setting to structure your learning experience. In these sessions, you’ll participate in group discussions to receive feedback from your peers and tutors.
• Formative feedback is included in the module, when you will receive academic feedback on your progress. You will receive tailored feedback during tutorials before you submit your work, helping you refine and enhance your project work for successful module completion.
• In addition to academic support this module also has specialist Fashion technical support including practical demonstrations and exercises.
• Learning materials for this module are available on the eLearning Portal, including the module documentation, announcements, presentations, reading list and timetable.
• Additional study skills, materials and workshops are available through Skills Plus
• If you require additional support you are advised to contact your Guidance Tutor for advice, who will be able to refer you to the relevant university services.

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)

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Engage in critical discourse to assess and discuss ideas and issues shaping present and future design methodologies and practices.

2. Test and evaluate human or planet-centred design principles to professional fashion design research standards.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
1. Critically analyse and reflect on fashion design research and development through a well-illustrated and communicated process book or media equivalent.

2. Generate fashion concepts, proposals, or solutions that are successfully validated through testing and/or ambitious in their innovative approach

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA)
4. Formulate a strategic career readiness plan (CRP) that aligns with personal values, interests, and long-term goals.

You will be formatively assessed using verbal feedback during timetabled sessions at key stages of the design development process.

You will be summatively assessed at the end of the module through the submission or exhibition of a Creative Process Journal, (CPJ)/Experimental artefact, Career Readiness Plan (CRP) and a Fashion Design Proposal. More detailed submission requirements will be supplied in your individual design brief.

At this summative stage you will receive initial verbal feedback during your exhibition or presentation, followed up by additional written feedback on your portfolio submission.

Component 1: Fashion Concept Theory (50%)
1. 1500 word critical-reflective fashion design proposal that situates your practice in an industrial and cultural context. (Design proposal includes contextual overview & aims and objectives, essay outline, methodology, references) - 1500 words
2. Career Readiness Plan (CRP) - Milanote

Component 2: Fashion Concept Practice (50%)
1. Creative Process Journal (CPJ) /Experimental artefacts

You will be assessed against the following MLOs:

Component 1: KU 1, IPSA 2,
Component 2: KU 1, 2, IPSA 1, PVA 4 Programme (Level) Learning Outcomes that this module contributes to:
[Please insert PLO number as listed on the programme specification]

Knowledge & Understanding:
KU 1, KU 2

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
IPSA 1, IPSA 2

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

PVA 1

N/A

N/A

This module will enable you to develop a unique written and visual fashion concept for a visionary fashion collection that confirms your personal creative identity in preparation for your progression into the fashion workplace or post-graduate education.

Through exploration of the interplay between theoretical, technical and creative practice, you will investigate and interpret key fashion themes and challenges that impact the future of fashion, developing practical research and academic writing skills that will underpin your methodology and contextualise your work within global contemporary fashion culture.

Supported by academic and technical staff in studio and workshop sessions, you will develop your expertise and knowledge of traditional and digital 2D and 3D specialist Fashion skills and technologies within pattern cutting, knitwear, or print by conducting thinking-through-making methods relating to your specialist creative practice that evidences your autonomy and unique fashion design abilities.

In parallel, you will create a Career Readiness Plan (CRP) that contextualises your concept research and developing specialist creative practice to your own professional goals.