Undergraduate Course: Fashion Design 3C: Critical Fashion Analysis for Industry (DESI10106)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course is designed to enhance a students' understanding of the roles within the communication of the discipline of contemporary fashion along with introducing early career planning and the fundamentals required to start a fashion business. Students will create a 'Fashion Analysis File' through written analysis of fashion collections, branding, retail platforms, photographers and stylists, early career and business planning. Students will develop their knowledge of contemporary fashion design, the overall structure of a fashion brand and the operation, which is vital for the preparation of working in the fashion industry sectors. |
| Course description |
This course will allow students to develop their knowledge of the structure of the fashion industry and the essentials required to for a fashion business start up.
Through written analysis of fashion collections, branding, retail platforms, photographers and stylists, career and business planning, students will develop their knowledge in the overall structure of a fashion brand and the operation of a brand by creating a Fashion Analysis File, which is vital for the preparation of working in the fashion industry sectors. Students on this course will research brands to support Fashion Design 3B: Fashion Innovation for Branding & Building. The project brief issued on the course has a clear focus on increased industry awareness.
Students are required to create a 'Fashion Analysis File' which comprises of the sectors as listed in the project brief. The file should be organised in a professional design manner and should be supported with corresponding visuals. The layout and page composition should be simple with a creative personal identity and have a contemporary fashion design feel.
Research plays a major part in the role of a fashion designer today not only for the design side of their work but for the development of their brand in a fast paced consumer environment. This course enables students to research into the various sectors of the fashion industry. Students will further enhance their awareness of contemporary fashion design through critically reviewing fashion collections from the four main fashion weeks, increasing their contemporary fashion awareness in order to further understand global markets and trends for fashion. Through in-depth research of luxury design brands which connect to the student's personal design aesthetic, the Creative Directors leading these brands, their core brand identity, ethos, historical brand development, and how the brand connects with their consumer through marketing and advertising, students will develop their existing knowledge and enhance their understanding of what is and how to build a brand with a strong core identity.
Through the research of Luxury brand websites and social media students will understand how these companies interact with their customers, seek out new markets and how they carry forward their aesthetic through branding, marketing and events. This will enhance students' communication skills and how they can showcase their own design work to a wide fashion audience. The course enables students to develop their existing knowledge of retail platforms through investigation of where high end Ready to Wear is being retailed within the current framework. Students will identify the key photographers and stylists within the fashion industry and their role of working collaboratively with designers to communicate their brand through fashion shows and campaigns.
Students on the course are required to propose their research concept for their 4th year Graduate collection. Allowing students to consider which area of fashion design they may wish to specialise in, i.e. Menswear, Women's Knitwear, Accessory Led design, students will write a research concept detailing research themes and the area they wish to specialise in. This proposal allows the students to begin to position themselves within the discipline of fashion along with putting forward intended early career plans.
Working with a number of guest speakers students will be introduced and cover the following topics thorough written analysis:
The fundamental structure and operational roles required to launch a contemporary fashion brand.
A personal development plan for their future covering the creation of a CV, which has a creative look book aesthetic, designers and companies they wish to work for.
They will establish inter-disciplinary contacts through the research of suppliers of fabrics, key industry contacts, collaborations closely related to their area of research and design investigation.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | This course is only available to students on a Degree Programme in the School of Design |
| Additional Costs | All costs are approximate:
Costs of Printing for presentation submission - estimated at £40
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Only open to Visiting Students admitted direct to the Fashion 3rd year as part of that department's portfolio of existing exchange agreements. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2022/23, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 8,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1,
Formative Assessment Hours 1,
Summative Assessment Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
175 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
100% coursework
Students are assessed summatively at the end of the course through a submitted Fashion Analysis File and supporting Research files. Students will create a Fashion Analysis File, through written analysis of the subjects listed in the project brief.
The file will include the following:
in-depth research into a specific number of contemporary fashion brands and written comprehensive sections covering the brand's latest fashion design collection and the format in which they have been presented. This will be accompanied by supporting visuals and compiled in an organised manner and have a contemporary design look to the page layouts.
In-depth research into the operational and working structure of a fashion business and illustrated through comprehensive written investigation with accompanying diagrams where appropriate, demonstrating a clear understanding of the working business of a fashion brand and through written analysis how this framework can be used to launch a contemporary fashion brand.
In-depth research into and the creation of a personal development plan including the creation of a professional CV, presentation of preliminary graduate research concept and establish inter disciplinary contacts.
Relationship between Assessment and Learning Outcomes:
Fashion Analysis File relates to Learning Outcome 1, 2 and 3. All learning outcomes are equally weighted.
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| Feedback |
Formative Verbal feedback will be given at 4 points throughout the semester.
Students will submit a 4 sections as listed in the project brief half way through semester 2 and receive Formative written feedback and grading.
Summative assessment constitutes a submission of the completed Fashion Analysis File with written feedback and grading issued.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate in-depth analysis and knowledge of contemporary fashion design through written analysis of fashion brands, their fashion design collections and the format they have been presented in.
- Evidence an understanding of fashion business by analysing the operational and structural elements required to launch a contemporary fashion brand.
- Position themselves to a wide fashion industry audience through CV building, early career planning and by identifying preparatory research themes for their graduate study year.
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Reading List
Fashion as Branding and Communication: Core Strategies of European Luxury Brands: Byoungho and Jin Elena Cedrola: Palgrave Pivot 2017
Guide to Fashion Entrepreneurship: Lisa Hopkins Newell Melissa G. Carr: Fairchild Books 2014
Fashion Writing and Criticism: Peter McNeil and Sanda Miller: Bloomsbury Academic 2014
Fashion as Communication: Malcolm: Barnard: Routledge 2002
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
An ability to analyse contemporary fashion collections and the various sectors which make up the fashion industry and critically evaluate them through writing
An ability to plan and organise for the production of a Fashion Analysis file
A wider knowledge of the branding, business and communications roles within fashion
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| Keywords | Fashion design,fashion history,fashion research,fashion business and branding,fashion marketing |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Ms Claire Ferguson
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Mr Rhiordan Langan-Fortune
Tel: (0131 6)51 5926
Email: |
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