Fashion Design and Textiles

Fashion Studio 1A (40 CU)
This module introduces you to the fundamentals of fashion design and garment making. You will be introduced to key concepts, knowledge and skills that are important in fashion design. You will be exploring through a wide range of creative exercises which will help you develop a fashion understanding. You will learn how to develop thematic mood boards, hand and digital illustration, together with taking body measurements for the development of specifications sheets and basic pattern making, in order to articulate your ideas in a professional manner. 

You will learn how to apply design principles in order to articulate motifs and prints for fashion, together with an in-depth understanding of textiles which will facilitate fashion productions. This textile-focussed understanding and explorations will help you to start documenting and developing your own textile library. You will learn the core principles of drafting and cutting for fashion, garment construction and sewing during technical workshops. 

You will start to document, describe and reflect upon your creative process as a research tool to support creative development. You will also learn how to organise your work effectively and document progress as an on-going technical resource for future reference.

During this module you will start to compile a Creative Process Journal (CPJ), which documents and reflects upon your own working practice. The content of your CPJ comprises project(s) relevant research, reflection and application of your ideas, becoming a visual and textual record of your creative evolution as a thinker and designer. By keeping this CPJ always up to date, you will be able to evaluate your creative practice, knowledge and experience through description, analysis and reflection.

You are required to submit all mandatory assignments and show professional studentship. Commitment and full class attendance are key aspects of achieving satisfactory studentship for each level of study, and they will be taken into account for the assessment of this module.

Cultural and Contextual Studies in Fashion 1A (20 CU)
This module explores a range of causal factors that determines and influences key sartorial changes from historical, theoretical and socio-cultural perspectives within a chronological framework in modern fashion history, both in the West and Asia, particularly Southeast Asia. You will learn to identify iconic garments, pioneering designers and influential key players within the fashion decades, and how cultural forces shape these periods in fashion history. The lectures and class discussions will allow you to acquire basic skills in visual and textual analysis, and be acquainted with key principles, concepts and terms of reference used in the study of fashion. You will learn basic research methodology, techniques of writing and presentation skills.

You are required to submit all mandatory assignments and show professional studentship. Commitment and full class attendance are key aspects of achieving satisfactory studentship for each level of study, and they will be taken into account for the assessment of this module.

Fashion Studio 1B (40 CU) 
This module expands your design knowledge and skills by developing further idea generation and synthesising techniques within a problem-solving design framework. It will guide you towards an in-depth knowledge about the local and global fashion system, and ways in which trends can be used as inspiration to develop and inform your own design ideas. You will gain an understanding of motif and pattern development in fashion, based on social and cultural influences. 

You will expand your knowledge of garment construction techniques and sewing by combining several approaches from flat pattern drafting to draping on the stand in order to develop samples including material selection and production techniques. You will learn how to select appropriate materials with an extensive understanding of how fabric, colour and print can be involved in conveying a desired look.

You will start to analyse through critical reflection, aesthetic sensibility and design awareness through the development of your portfolio. You will identify research themes, create mood-boards, colour palettes, analyse trend forecasts and understand the international fashion market, which will help to communicate your ideas through a design language.

You will continue to document and organise your current projects effectively in the Creative Process Journal (CPJ). It will also serve as a useful reference for subsequent projects.

You are required to submit all mandatory assignments and show professional studentship. Commitment and full class attendance are key aspects of achieving satisfactory studentship for each level of study, and they will be taken into account for the assessment of this module.

Cultural and Contextual Studies in Fashion 1B (20 CU) 
This module explores how meaning is created and communicated through dress. This semiotic study of fashion underpins your subject specialism, as you learn about the signs, symbols and semantic codes behind the production of fashion and how ways of thinking and methods of visual analysis can be applied to creative practice and assist in understanding the fashion system. You will also be introduced to the study of visual culture, which will allow you to contribute to the wider dialogue and debate surrounding dress in visual culture, both in the West and Asia, particularly Southeast Asia. The lectures and class discussions will allow you to acquire basic skills in visual and textual analysis, and be acquainted with key principles, concepts and terms of reference used in the study of fashion. You will learn basic research methodology, as well as techniques of writing and presentation skills.

You are required to submit all mandatory assignments and show professional studentship. Commitment and full class attendance are key aspects of achieving satisfactory studentship for each level of study, and they will be taken into account for the assessment of this module.

Fashion Studio 2A (40 CU) 
This module continues your development as a fashion designer. You will learn to understand the role and relevance of Fashion Design and Textiles within cultural and societal contexts regionally and globally. Understanding codes, meanings and values associated with the Dress with give you a broader and deeper knowledge about fashion design. You will be required to put into practice new ideas, methods and processes that will challenge fashion norms, issues and boundaries.

You will develop a thorough understanding of markets which will help you to develop customer profiles and brand identities in order to consolidate your knowledge and understanding of business strategies aligned to your own practice. You will refine your design language by combining analogue and digital skills, and clearly articulate your fashion ideas. You will continue to document and reflect upon your own work in the Creative Process Journal in order to communicate clearly your individual design approach.

You will continue to develop skills for tailoring garments, while undertaking specialist technical workshops that will integrate pattern drafting, fabric manipulation and construction, and a thorough understanding of key design features. You will be required to choose one of the following two main design directions: Textiles for Fashion (TF) or Creative Fashion Cutting (CFC). 

Textiles for Fashion – You will explore a wide range of textile techniques from regional crafts to contemporary digital approaches. A thorough investigation of textile manipulation techniques will allow you to articulate creative design solutions into contextualised fabrics for fashion production. This knowledge will allow you to investigate and develop a strong technical knowledge in the production of future crafts.

Creative Fashion Cutting – You will learn a combination of traditional and modern drafting and garment-making techniques for both Womenswear and Menswear. You will interpret creative designs, volumes, proportions and silhouette all within a contemporary fashion context supported by in-depth analytical research. Contemporary digital pattern-making will be introduced in order to allow you to acquire proficient skills for the fashion industry.

You are required to submit all mandatory assignments and show professional studentship. Commitment and full class attendance are key aspects of achieving satisfactory studentship for each level of study, and they will be taken into account for the assessment of this module.

Fashion Studio 2B (40 CU)
This module consolidates your knowledge, understanding and practical application of creative methods required to generate creative solutions in Fashion Design, and your knowledge of the fashion system as a reciprocal mechanism between local and global markets. You will engage with the global sustainability agenda, and actively respond to market demands, demonstrating awareness and responsibility about ecological, environmental, and social issues while maintaining an ethical design approach. In a fast growing and changing industry it is important for a fashion creative to be aware of the impact fashion has on the environment and society, and understand the production process for fashion design in a fast-growing and changing industry. 

You will further refine your critical and analytical design practice through the investigation and evaluation of different design processes. You will understand and put into practice various sustainable frameworks (recycling, upcycling, zero waste, cradle to cradle, eco-regionalism, etc) to critically investigate and challenge the contemporary fast-fashion production norms. This will help you to propose design approaches while challenging the established fashion system.

Specialised technical components delivered during this module will help you expand and specialise your knowledge, as well as in understanding and articulation of techniques through the lens of your chosen fashion design direction: Creative Fashion Cutting and Textiles for Fashion.

Through a combination of analogue and digital cutting and making methods, from the Creative Fashion Cutting perspective, you will continue to challenge the established garment-making processes in order to generate design ideas relevant for the contemporary fashion industry. 

As a Textiles for Fashion practitioner, you will experiment, re-think and challenge the established textile-making processes in order to generate new ideas and a strong understanding of craftsmanship, heritage and technology in response to the undertaken creative direction of your projects.

During this module, you will start to explore, express and realise ideas from the perspective of one of the two specialisms: 

Womenswear
Through advanced draping and cutting methods, you will learn how to translate new design ideas, relevant for the contemporary fashion context. You will explore, interpret, negotiate and select from a wide range of established and contemporary garment-making techniques in order to generate the most successful outcomes in response to the market sector you are investigating.

Menswear
Through advanced tailoring and making methods, you will continue to translate new design ideas relevant for the contemporary fashion context. You will explore, interpret, negotiate and select from a wide range of established and contemporary garment-making techniques in order to generate the most successful outcomes in response to the market sector you are investigating.

The Creative Process Journal will continue to thoroughly document and communicate clearly your individual design practice.

You are required to submit all mandatory assignments and show professional studentship. Commitment and full class attendance are key aspects of achieving satisfactory studentship for each level of study, and they will be taken into account for the assessment of this module.

Interdisciplinary Project
Interdisciplinarity is a key principle of a LASALLE arts education. Exploration of interdisciplinarity in your creative practice will provide you with the platform to work across disciplinary boundaries and explore new ways of developing ideas, concepts and practices.

In this module, you will be required to undertake an interdisciplinary project. You will have the opportunity to work with team members from different programmes and disciplines on a common project brief. As a team, you will learn to integrate knowledge and skills from various disciplines to produce new insights and/or outcomes.

Cultural and Contextual Studies in Fashion 2A (20 CU) 
After acquiring knowledge on the key causal factors within the fashion continuum and semiotic ways of analysis, this module goes on to investigate the notion of identity and explores how it is formed through fashion. Drawing from a wide range of research materials, this module looks into identities of the self, the community and the nation, and how these are influenced by historical, socio-cultural and theoretical contexts via ideas of the body, sex, gender, race, ethnicity, social class, etc. Case studies will be drawn from the West and Asia, including Southeast Asia. This module will be conducted through a mixture of lectures and discussion groups. You will engage in critical dialogue and present findings about contemporary fashion theories within your specialism as you develop research, writing and presentation skills.

You are required to submit all mandatory assignments and show professional studentship. Commitment and full class attendance are key aspects of achieving satisfactory studentship for each level of study, and they will be taken into account for the assessment of this module.

Cultural and Contextual Studies in Fashion 2B (20 CU) 
This module also provides an inter-disciplinary approach to fashion, relating and linking it to contemporary culture and issues surrounding music, film, literature and fine arts within a historical continuum. Case studies will be drawn from the West and Asia, including Southeast Asia. This will allow you to refine your knowledge and understanding of the context of your own creative practice, and encourage you to develop specialised areas of interest, which will support creative practices that can further your research in the next level of study. This module will be conducted through a mixture of lectures and discussion groups. You will engage in critical dialogue and present findings about contemporary fashion theories within your specialism, as you develop research, writing and presentation skills.

You are required to submit all mandatory assignments and show professional studentship. Commitment and full class attendance are key aspects of achieving satisfactory studentship for each level of study, and they will be taken into account for the assessment of this module.

Student Exchange Elective (60 CU) 
This module gives you the opportunity to explore fresh perspectives and alternative approaches to your creative discipline, by undertaking a semester-long international learning exchange in another institution. The aim of the module is to provide interested students an opportunity to enrich their learning journey, enhance their creative practice, learn from a socio-culturally different educational setting, and be exposed to new cultural and creative industries.

Please note that this is an elective module. Students who undertake this module will not be required to take additional modules.

In this module, you will spend a semester studying in a cognate programme or a selection of relevant modules at one of LASALLE’s partner institutions. You will also be expected to be an independent learner to relate and integrate the experience, knowledge and skills acquired to the assessments required for this module. Through this international experience, you will be able to strengthen your ability to adapt and react to changing trends and environment. You will build your capacity to contribute effectively as an active and informed local and global citizen, while broadening your network and enhancing your career prospects in the arts and creative industries. 

You are responsible for applying to this elective option through the College’s Division of Quality and Planning (Email: [email protected]) before Week 7 of Semester 1 . 

Your application for this elective module must be supported by your Programme Leader. You are expected to adhere to the regulations, guidelines and planned curriculum issued by the host institution. At the same time, you are expected to regularly update your assigned lecturer on the progress of your learning at the partner institution, and also seek guidance on the completion of the units of assessment for this module.

Industry and Community Engagement (20 CU)
This module is designed to enable you to broaden your knowledge of the cultural and creative industries by placing you, as a learning professional, within a professional work environment. The aim of the module is to help you develop work-related knowledge, skills and capabilities, prepare you to pursue opportunities in fields relating to your study, and expose you to a diverse set of professional trajectories. You will map your acquired skills, interests and aspirations against current (and future) opportunities in the cultural and creative industries, while putting to practice skills and knowledge gained in the classroom. You are required to attend various industry preparation workshops, such as resume-writing, interview skills, and etc., as part of this module.

In fulfilment of this module, you can choose one of the following options: 

Option A: Industry-based Internship(s)
You will independently source and apply for internship opportunities. You are required to identify your interest and career-trajectory. These opportunities should be in an organisation where the job functions are related to your discipline. 

The internship may be with a single organisation or an accumulation of short-term work with different companies, to accumulate the minimum 200 hours of on-the-job training. The internship may be spread across a number of days/weeks and need not be a full-time position. Where possible, you are encouraged to go beyond the minimum hours in order to showcase your talent and abilities, which will aid your quest for permanent employment and/or gain more opportunities to learn about the job and industry. 

All internships must be approved by the Programme Leader, prior to commencement, to align with learning aims and outcomes. 

Option B: Negotiated Projects
You will take a proactive and entrepreneurial approach to identify and create a niche for yourself, within the cultural and creative industries. You may undertake a combination of the following types of projects:

• Industry Live Project: You can source for an industry project, or this can be facilitated through the programme.
• Entrepreneurial Project: You may devise a business proposal and execute it. 
• Community Engagement Project: You can engage with a community of your preference, and develop and execute an initiative for them. 
• Short-term internship (about 100 hours)

To ensure that you fulfil the learning outcomes of this module, all proposals and short-term internship opportunities must be discussed and approved by the Programme Leader. 

Dissertation (40 CU) 
This module is the culmination of the research and contextual knowledge that you have acquired during the course of your study. You will be required to undertake in-depth critical research, and present a coherent argument based on investigation and analysis. The chosen topic will be relevant to your main course of study, and will be used to support and inform your specialist practice. It will demonstrate your deep appreciation of your field, and competency of key approaches and methodologies to contextualise it.

You will demonstrate an ability to identify a research topic that is close to your practice or field of study through a clear literature review, and present relevant arguments and hypotheses in the written form of between 6,000 to 8,000 words.

Before commencing your dissertation, you will be required to develop a research proposal outline to demonstrate your research question and approach to completing the dissertation. In consultation with your supervisor, you may form your dissertation around an exegesis that foregrounds your major creative studio practice. Programmes where you are eligible to develop a piece of creative practice as part of your dissertation may be negotiated with your supervisor. In this instance, the word count for the written element may be negotiated, but a minimum word count of 4,000 words is required.

You are expected to undertake a significant amount of independent and self-motivated research. You will be assigned a supervisor who will provide guidance in your research work. You will also be required to attend all dissertation-related classes.

Graduation Project (60 CU)
This module is designed for you to take on a self-directed professional role in translating the areas of interest, which you will have established through your dissertation work and complimentary self-directed research efforts, into a strong portfolio of work.  

This body of work will demonstrate your strengths as a designer and as a critical and creative thinker. Your project development will be conducted in response to a concise project brief, which you will submit during the first semester as result of a preliminary in-depth research. Through writing your own brief, you will learn to identify and clearly articulate the anticipated design challenges. Your project brief is likely to be motivated through insights that you have gained in conjunction with your dissertation. Depending on your preferences, you will be able to work independently or in a team, as well as collaborate with degree students from other design programmes.

This module provides you with the opportunity to apply previous knowledge and skills acquired in solving a self-initiated project to produce a cohesive body of work, demonstrating creative independence, a high level of creative thinking, understanding and strong conceptual thinking, as well as proficiency in your specialist area of design study.

You will learn to manage the design process, defining project development stages and benchmarks. You will undertake interim evaluations, tests and experiments that influence and inform the final design outcomes. You will have to present part or all of your design process and outcomes to different audiences, and engage in critical dialogues with both peers and industry collaborators. This will help you get a broader perspective of your undertaken project in order to objectively take design decisions.

To support your design practice at this level, you are expected to document and keep an updated Creative Process Journal, which will gather visual and written material in support of your practice. You will be critically assessing your development along with your research findings. Your choices and progress in relation to the design development will have to be professionally and convincingly articulated.

You are required to submit all mandatory assignments and show professional studentship. Commitment and full class attendance are key aspects of achieving satisfactory studentship for each level of study, and they will be taken into account for the assessment of this module.