Fashion and Textiles (A Level)

An ageless adventure.

Head of Department:  Mrs D McCann

This qualification focuses on creative approaches to the development and realisation of both contemporary and traditional textile outcomes, alongside decorative outcomes.   This course will provide you with key skills for the textile industry: creativity, technical knowledge, commercial awareness, colour and styling, surface pattern design, texture and embellishment processes, and fashion illustration. 

You will develop a lively, creative and individual portfolio brimming with creative and technical skills required to progress onto a wide range of textile and art related degree courses.  The course is highly practical; therefore you will need very good organisational skills and a passion for creating and producing.

CURRICULUM INFORMATION (FASHION & TEXTILES)

WHAT WILL I BE STUDYING ON THE COURSE?

The course will follow the discipline of Fashion Design.

• The creation and development of fashion design ideas, which may include drawing or recording skills, digital designs and the preparation of toiles or samples.
• The use of a range of fashion design techniques, materials and tools such as pattern cutting, adornment, accessories and illustration on fabrics and garments with consideration of sustainable materials, recycling and ethical manufacture.

The Textiles course gives you the opportunity to develop a personal and structured approach to project work by exploring ideas and materials, developing your critical faculties in both practical and written work and acquiring a high level of design and making skills. 

This is a specialised course, which works in the area of constructed textiles, dyed and stitched fabric and fashion, using a variety of experimental methods and materials. All projects begin with drawing, before moving into textile media. Work is focused on art based and creative processes rather than the traditional way of making functional garments.
You will study the work of other artists, designers and photographers, including work from primary sources during visits to galleries and museums.

WHAT WILL I BE DOING IN LESSONS?

This is a practical course in which you learn by doing, so you will be able to create imaginative personal work. You will find out about a whole range of media, techniques and processes. You will develop your creativity and independent thought, learn to express yourself visually and let your imagination flourish.

HOW WILL THE COURSE BE ASSESSED?

Assessment is by exam at the end of two years. Your practical skills will also be tested by a specially written paper.The assessment constitutes coursework and an externally set assignment, supported by preliminary studies. The coursework includes a written, illustrated critical and contextual study, related to an area of interest for the student:

Component 1:   60%
Component 2:   Examination (ESA) 40%

WHICH OTHER SUBJECTS GO WELL WITH THIS COURSE?

Fashion can accompany any other subject we offer. Let this be your creative element to your studies!  Students in the past have studied Fashion alongside RE, history, science or psychology.  If you wish to study Textiles alongside facilitating subjects, you would need to be highly organised and able to meet deadlines regularly.

AND AFTER THE COURSE?

There are many careers open to you from fashion to industrial design, including knitwear, embroidery, footwear, millinery, fashion buying, retail management, museum work, arts administration, advertising and teaching.

WHICH EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS WILL I LEARN?

• Creative thinking
• Independent thinking
• Problem solving
• Team building
• Time management
• Working towards deadlines

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FASHION

Q: Do I need to have done art or textiles to do the course? 
A: Yes, you do have to have studied an art or textiles KS4 course. 

Q: How is fashion incorporated into the course?
A: We present final ideas on a mannequin, exploring 3D shape and form on the body.  The garments we create as final outcomes are perceived as wearable art.  If you have pattern cutting skills, you can bring these skills into your designs.  For most however, final pieces are artistic expressions of colour, texture and pattern using the body as a canvas to present. 

Q: What will I be doing on the course?
A: Year 1 begins with a fabric manipulation project where you will upcycle a white shirt. You will then explore a longer project where you will learn fashion drawing and painting skills, fabric enhancement techniques including dyeing and printing, and constructed textiles techniques.

Year 2 is then your opportunity to develop your own individual styles and build upon the skills learned in Year 1.  There is a long personal investigation project and an externally set assignment. 

Q: What facilities are available on the course?  
A: We have a fantastic range of equipment in the textile department.  Our studio is spacious and packed with found materials and sundries to use in your everyday fabric sampling.  We use Singer sewing machines and embellishing machines for decorative work.  In addition, we have a heat press machine to print fabrics.  

Q: What careers can follow on from doing fashion & textiles?
A: A wide range of careers in the following areas are just some of those possible from fashion textiles:

HEAR FROM SOME OF OUR STUDENTS

CAREERS AND LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION

Please see below for careers and labour market information for Fashion & Textiles - use the refresh buttons to find out about different courses and careers, and use the left and right arrows to view more detailed information: