All students who applied for university after completing our Level 3 Fashion & Design course have received an offer from their first‑choice!
They will be heading off to some of the UK’s most respected creative universities including Ravensbourne, Rose Bruford, Chelsea College of Arts and Brighton, studying fashion design, promotion, communications, costume design, textile design and business.
Others from the course are heading off to work in the beauty industry, in retail, to continue their Level 4 qualifications at college or to travel.
Industry focused curriculum
Our Fashion Design course is intentionally broad, giving students the chance to explore every corner of the fashion design world. There are no exams and instead, students build a professional portfolio through project work and coursework, developing skills for industry or higher education.
Throughout the course, students explore:
- Illustration and design development
- Research and trend analysis
- Pattern cutting and garment construction
- Fabric selection and textile exploration
- Printing
- Embellishment and embroidery
- Dye techniques including cyanotype and batik
They also work on live briefs with real clients. This year, students will submit designs for a theatre costume design competition, which will give them experience of responding to a professional brief and showcasing their creativity.
Collaboration
Fashion doesn’t exist in isolation, and neither does our course. Students will collaborate with students studying:
- Photography – for professional shoots, events and portfolio imagery (they shot our fashion show – read on for more)
- Content Creation – supporting digital storytelling and promotional materials
- Hair & Makeup – bringing final looks to life for shows and shoots
These cross‑department projects mirror the collaborative nature of the fashion industry and help students build confidence and understanding, working in multidisciplinary teams.
Trips
We run a variety of trips throughout the year to broaden students’ creative perspectives. This year’s visits included:
- Exhibitions – Marianne Antoinette at the V&A, Versace at London Bridge, Turner Contemporary, Margate.
- Museums – The Design Museum, Kensington
- Graduate fashion shows college day – Highlights of University graduation shows and talks given by University lecturers and industry experts,
- These experiences help students understand the wider creative landscape and see what’s possible for their own future careers.
End‑of‑year fashion show
One of the highlights of our course is the annual end‑of‑year fashion show. It’s a fully student‑run event to experience every side of a career in fashion design. Students design and make the garments, design the stage space, plan the running order, organise the music, sell tickets and work alongside our theatre’s technical department on staging and lighting.
They also collaborate with our photography department to capture the event professionally.
By taking ownership of the entire production, students gain first‑hand experience of backstage operations, event organisation, production management and show timings – as they would in fashion related role and career.
Investment in industry standard equipment
From September, we will be updating our industrial sewing machines with 12 new ones, set up in their own workroom, giving our students the chance to work with equipment they would encounter in professional garment‑making environments and at university.
Sewing is just one small part of the course, but having industry standard machines supports the garment construction elements within their wider design projects and helps students understand the technical side of fashion production.
A supportive, student-centred environment
We’re committed to supporting every student’s wellbeing. Alongside small class sizes on the Fashion and Design Course of up to 20, we offer mental health support, free counselling, daily wellbeing team drop-ins and a quiet room for reflection and calm.
And also from September, we’re excited to open our new Student Hub - a dedicated space for students to relax, recharge and connect. The Hub was created directly from Student Voice feedback, through surveys and our student reps who act as a bridge between learners and senior leaders. Their input ensures that our students’ needs are heard and met.
Alison Cutts, Head of Curriculum for Arts, Fashion and Photography, shared her pride in this year’s graduates:
“We are incredibly proud of our students who are leaving us to pursue their next steps in the fashion industry. They have worked so hard, shown real creativity and resilience, and we are absolutely delighted that they have all secured offers from their first choice universities. It’s a fantastic achievement and we couldn’t be more pleased for them.”
Alison also highlighted the strength and breadth of the curriculum:
“Our Fashion Design course gives students a broad foundation in the creative, technical and professional aspects of the fashion world. Whether they move on to university, a job or another specialist course, the skills they develop here provide a strong stepping stone to the next stage of their lives.”
Find out about our Fashion Design courses here.