Fashion Design (Sustainable and Ethical) MA
1 Year Full-Time | September Start

You will learn concepts and principles of design thinking delivered in three knowledge portfolios; creative thinking, research principles and contemporary influences on design, these fields of knowledge are supported and informed by academic staff research specialisms.
Creative thinking methods will enable you to frame problems from multiple perspectives and synthesise new opportunities and possibilities from interrelated factors. You will develop a practical knowledge of advanced design research methods. Through contemporary influences you will learn to situate design in the contemporary world and identify the impact of external factors on your own design practice.
The underpinning knowledge and understanding will be applied in the context of a team project with industry or other collaborating organisation, which will help you learn effective ways of working in multi-cultural/multi-disciplinary teams. Recent industrial collaborations have included Procter and Gamble, The Centre for Process Innovation National Centre for Printable Electronics and the Academic Health Science Network.

Through this module you will learn about three fields of design knowledge described above, which you will interpret relative to your own practice and in line with your PDP. You will apply this knowledge in co-creative practice and will reflect on your experience to summarise the utility and limitations of methods employed.
You will appreciate the transferability of design thinking and will be able apply your knowledge in different contexts and domains.

You will learn concepts, methods and principles aligned with three knowledge portfolios: Action research and reflective practice, cross cultural collaboration, innovation and enterprise. Whilst grounded in a literature review these fields of knowledge are also supported and informed by academic staff research specialisms.

You will learn about action research methods and will build your own action research process models and recording templates that you will apply in practice to facilitate your development as a reflective practitioner. In parallel you will learn about theories of enterprise and innovation and will apply this knowledge in action by exploring business models and intellectual property. You will also learn about cross-cultural collaboration by applying relevant concepts from literature whilst working in multi-cultural teams.

The underpinning knowledge and understanding will be applied in the context of a collaborative project with industry or other organisation, which will help you learn effective ways of working in multi-cultural/multi-disciplinary teams. Recent industrial collaborations have included projects with Lakeland, Tucano, Kitchen Craft, Thermo Fisher and the Tuke Insitute.

Through this module you will learn about three fields of design knowledge described above, which you will interpret relative to your own practice and in line with your PDP. You will apply this knowledge in co-creative practice and will reflect on your experience to summarise the utility and limitations of methods employed.
You will appreciate the transferability of design thinking and will be able apply your knowledge in different contexts and domains.

In this module you will learn to advance your Research Through Design and take a directional approach to your personal design brief.
You will develop your reflective practice and reach insights and analytical conclusions in your chosen field of study as outlined in your Personal Development Plan (PDP).
You will synthesise the learning from semesters 1 and 2 to create a Major Design Project and Thesis. These will evidence an analysis of advanced academic research, debates, and exploratory practice in the production of theories that demonstrate real world discipline specific value within an industry context.
You will be expected to take an increasingly autonomous approach to your studies at this stage in developing, embedding and clarifying personally developed research themes theories and experiences that will be realised through either;
Option 1: a focussed major design project (Component A) and written report (Component B) that will embed reflection as part of the design process
or
Option 2: a design thesis detailing your engagement with your PDP and reflection on your learning.
Your thesis will evidence your advanced design practice and written communication of theories and concepts appropriate at Masters level and relevant to both your chosen pathway (as described below) and more specifically your PDP.

MA Design/ MA Fashion Design/ MA Fashion Design: Performancewear/Womenswear/Menswear will enable you to take control of your design direction and align your own passion and motivation with the value you create for business and society. You will learn to hone your capabilities, refine the focus of your design contribution and create your ideal future professional self.

MA Design Management will give you the knowledge and tools to orchestrate design thinking and process at a strategic level in organisations. You will build a meta view of transferable design knowledge that will enable you to recognise the value of design within organisations and to provide effective leadership and management of design roles. You will learn to navigate complexity, and develop your understanding of how to build and manage organisational growth through brand, new product and service opportunities and strategic innovation.

MA Sustainable and Ethical Fashion will give you the knowledge and tools to orchestrate design thinking and process at a strategic level in organisations. You will build a meta view of transferable design knowledge that will enable you to recognise the challenges of responsible practice within the fashion industry. You will learn to navigate complexity, and develop your understanding of how to build and manage organisational growth through brand, new product and service opportunities and strategic innovation.

On completion you will have the skills and abilities to make a positive impact in the design industry, and the knowledge and experience to be able to make purposeful contribution to the world.

During Fashion Product Lifecycle (DE7010) students will have the opportunity to explore the environmental and social impact of fashion products within the context of the global supply chain. From fibre to consumer, the garment lifecycle is a complex and integrated system requiring extensive knowledge and understanding before innovative, more responsible solutions can be proposed. It is with this depth and rigour that this module begins to investigate alternative business models and lifecycles reflective of contemporary challenges in fashion including the circular, second-hand and sharing economy methodologies.

Students will critically examine existing paradigms in fashion through their creative process, implementing transferable skills such as research principles and creative thinking methods in a move towards becoming a reflective practitioner. Analysing the three key stages of the product lifecycle: design, manufacture and use, opportunities for change will be explored utilsing appropriate design tools and methods.

This module reflects the changing landscape of the fashion industry, moving forward from dated linear models of production and consumption, towards the adoption of principles to address ethical and sustainable challenges within a fashion context. Long associated with negative environmental and social impact, this module facilitates students in their exploration of alternative innovation models, emerging technologies and progressive system solutions.

During Responsible Design (DE7011) students will have the opportunity to develop an extensive understanding of the role design can play in creating systemic change in a linear fashion model (i.e. take, make, dispose). During the critical analysis of alternative processes, including the circular, sharing and second-hand economies, the potential these approaches could have to reduce negative environmental and social impact will be explored.

Through the application of innovative design strategies, students will begin to develop a series of innovative solutions to address the contemporary societal challenges currently facing the fashion industry. These methods will include: design for circularity, emotionally durable design, design for behaviour change and the implementation of product life-extension strategies (re-use, repair, recondition etc.)

Students will work collaboratively utilising approaches such as co-creation and participatory design in the development of multi-stakeholder cooperation and a human-centric approach necessary in the principles of responsible design. Considering design as a key-tool for change, this module aims to embed knowledge and create informed, progressive change-makers, prepared to disrupt the way fashion is made, consumed and disposed.