Fashion Communication and Styling BA Honours

In your first year, you will learn about the key skills in fashion communication, photography, styling, and art direction through collaborative projects and workshops. 

This module develops your abilities in industry-relevant communication tasks or assets related to illustration or graphic design or fashion communication and styling or advertising, public relations and branding or digital media.

It will equip you with a range of digital and/or analogue practices, analytical approaches and tools by which to create, curate, direct and produce content required to deliver impactful communications achieving the required objectives. The module also encourages the exploration of individual style through a series of introductory projects and to explore possible career trajectories in the creative industries.

This module will introduce you to different ways of looking at and thinking about fashion, providing an introduction to key themes, narratives and concepts, and considering their historical and theoretical underpinnings. The module draws connections between fashions from the past and the present to encourage you to understand the rich cultural and social meanings of clothing and adornment in global traditions. This approach teaches a broad range of visual and material research methodologies that encourage you to be resourceful and explore different objects, archives and historical collections, making context the centre of your creative practice.

This module introduces you to design disciplines, such as design thinking, life drawing, digital design, moving image, video editing, photography, design for print, and styling. Through hands-on exploration, you will develop a diverse set of practical and technical skills applicable across different design fields, focusing on process, production, and presentation. You will engage with the latest tools, technologies and processes enabling you to develop adaptability and technological agility. You will learn the skills, knowledge and literacies needed to thrive in this environment. Also, you will learn to critically evaluate the design processes and develop appropriate solutions to communication briefs, resulting in project-specific outcomes that demonstrate your creativity and proficiency in design. 

The second year is industry-focused, featuring live briefs with industry partners and a placement module that provides essential industry skills. 

To hone your skills and to develop your knowledge of fashion communication industry practice you’ll choose a specialism: stylist, costume designer, photographer, videographer, art director or set designer.  You will also work on an industry - focused project relating to your specialism and reflecting your own themes.   

This module develops your specialist knowledge of critical concepts and issues in contemporary fashion cultures and industry, and skills to navigate in an ethically informed manner the production, consumption and mediation of fashion, as a global aspect of both culture and industry. It will also enable you to identify sources of employment opportunities and help you navigate job specification and make connections with potential employers, collaborators and networks. It will help you position your creative work in a responsible, culturally competent, and industry-savvy manner. Through alignment with Middlesex University’s strategic themes and UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, it will explore how contemporary cultures of fashion approach three interlocking themes:

(1) Equity and wellbeing

(2) Inclusive socio-economic and cultural development

(3) Sustainability of communities and the environment

These will represent the organising principle of the curriculum in three thematic blocks; these will find practical applications in industry through a range of activities that will help you build a professional portfolio and identify a job placement. The module will support your own research interests in contemporary fashion cultures and the industry, enabling you to understand how these relate to each other, and informing your critical awareness of professional contexts.

The module builds on previous knowledge and skills in identifying an appropriate career specialisation in the fashion, textiles, and fashion communication industries through a process which requires the exercise of cultural competence, personal ethics, responsibility and decision-making. It will empower you to acquire new competencies that will enable you to assume significant responsibility within organisations. Through a period of professional internship, you will gain an understanding of the qualities and transferable skills necessary for employment in the fashion and textiles industries. The internship experience will provide you with lifelong skills for employability and self-employment.

This module reflects the fast pace of the fashion industry and further develops autonomy, professional confidence and collaborative management skills gained through the internship module. Its goal is to design and develop innovative fashion design, communication and marketing solutions targeted to a clearly identified market segment. It advances your exposure to new technologies in the fashion industry and opens up opportunities for exploring virtual fashion and textiles design. Via industry focused briefs and/or competitions you are encouraged to consider how your personal design/communication practice demonstrates an awareness of professional standards and client specific expectations and audience.

The final year is self-directed, with modules on research and conceptual skills, production and portfolio development, and a dissertation module in written or visual essay format.   

This module will help you develop a graduate portfolio of creative outputs which reflects your chosen role or field of fashion communication. It will include producing a portfolio and series of exhibitions. Emphasis will be placed on portfolio and careers development, digital communication platforms, industry trends, and ethical considerations. This module will prepare you for careers in fashion communication, branding, public relations, digital media, and more.

You will produce a series of self-directed projects that reflect your understanding of industry standards within a chosen field of fashion communication. These will showcase your personal style and direction and show an awareness of current and innovative practice. You will also experiment with image-based technologies and test research outcomes.  

To provide the opportunity for self-directed research, develop and produce a series of self-directed projects that reflect the understanding of industry standards within a chosen field of fashion communication. To allow demonstration of a clear personal style and direction and show an awareness of current and innovative practice. To consider ethical practices within the global fashion community. 

This module will help you develop the following skills and processes:

• To engage with the identification, organisation and development of a substantial, in-depth, self-directed Research Project (Dissertation) with a clear and sustained critical argument
• To encourage the pursuit of a research topic related to issues explored in students’ own practice in any area of fashion visual cultures
• To develop critical awareness and self-reflection of historical and/or contemporary contexts of students’ discipline and research topic
• To build on previously acquired knowledge and skills in primary and secondary research, developing your ability to identify, analyse and critically evaluate appropriate sources and research methods
• To support the production of clear, solid, independently researched outputs that can be taken forward into postgraduate study and/or professional practice in a variety of fashion and/or visual, aural and material culture contexts.

You will develop skills by using multidisciplinary learning approaches, including interactive workshops and sessions. Our approach emphasises inclusive education, ensuring that all students engage actively in their learning. You’ll have opportunities to apply learning through co-leadership, collaborative projects, and work-based learning helping you gain hands-on experience and practical insights into the fashion industry. 

Guided and independent study are supported by academic advising, group seminars, and tutorials, ensuring that you receive guidance and feedback throughout the course.  Industry guest speakers provide valuable global employer perspectives and give you the opportunity to work on live industry briefs, bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world application. 

This dynamic and holistic approach not only equips you with the technical and creative skills needed for the fashion industry but also encourages critical thinking, collaboration, and innovation. By engaging with various teaching and learning methods, you will be prepared to navigate the complexities of the global fashion community with confidence and a strong sense of personal identity. The course will cultivate a deep understanding of the fashion system, enhance technological agility, and promote equality and inclusion.

During your first year, your weekly timetable will typically consist of:

• 1 hour of lectures
• 1 hour of seminars
• 7 hours of practical classes or workshops
• 6 hours of group or one-to-one tutorials
• 10 hours of open studio access.

Outside of teaching hours, you’ll learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, and preparing for assessments including coursework, presentations and exams.

For each module there is 300 hours:

• 72 hours contact teaching hours and 228 independent learning. 

Our excellent teaching and support teams will help you develop your skills, from research and practical skills to critical thinking. Our Sheppard Library is open 24 hours a day during term time. And we offer free 24-hour laptop loans with full desktop software, free printing and Wi-Fi to use on or off campus.

Your knowledge will be assessed by practical and written coursework assignments, group presentations to tutors and peers, portfolio presentations and one-to-one assessment tutorials.  
 
Skills are assessed by continual formative feedback and authentic assessment including: 

• Coursework  
• Presentations - verbal and digital  
• Pitch deck reviews  
• Reflective journals and statements  
• Exhibitions and presentation platforms.  

To help you achieve the best results, we will provide regular feedback.