Fashion at Bolton; gain employability skills through live projects

Categories: Fashion and Textiles, Undergradute

01/03/2021

Fashion at Bolton; gain employability skills through live projects

Study Fashion at the University of Bolton and you’ll develop a wealth of industry skills, including pattern cutting, garment manufacture, fashion illustration and CAD for technical drawings, to support your portfolio.

You’ll also benefit from hands-on experience of live project briefs from clients, so you can develop your skills on a real-world task; which students say is invaluable experience for career progression.

Jordan Lloyd is in his second-year of the Fashion degree and has recently completed a project for local online retailer Urban Bliss. He explains how the experience helped him grow professionally and has set him up for a job in fashion.

Employability skills

“Urban Bliss was a client project where we had to design clothes with the company and their customer base in mind. We needed to take inspiration from 80s and 90s looks, while incorporating sustainable techniques and practices. Denim was the material of choice with unused, or ‘deadstock’ fabric being used to make our garments,” Jordan explained.

“This project linked to my learning in various ways; firstly by giving me experience in working on a client brief and what it would be like to design with the company in mind, something I think is very important for when you take the step up into employment.

“Secondly, the use of sustainable techniques and practices is an important aspect to our learning as the world and society look to become more environmentally friendly; techniques and practices like this help even if they are little. Lastly, working on design and CAD skills throughout the project helps you develop even further.”

Outstanding, expert support

Sophie Scott is in her final-year of the programme and has also worked on a live client brief, this time to create an outerwear piece based on an iconic garment, with the theme of modularity. She chose to thoroughly research the puffer jacket, looking at the 1980s Italian subculture Paninaro, with influence of silhouette and details from space.

“I developed my customer to be interested in living a zero-waste lifestyle needing a garment that could transform to ensure its longevity through seasons. Furthermore, developing a design that included many styles and sizes of pockets to fit the zero waste essentials; reusable straw; tote bag; bamboo cutlery, for example,” Sophie said.

“The project massively developed my learning in a plethora of ways. From beginning to understand how to effectively put together my sketchbook pages, to expanding my knowledge of pattern cutting and constructing garments. Tutors are always happy to guide workings out of particularly difficult designs in terms of pattern cutting, sampling and then ultimately construction.

“One of the best things about this course is the outstanding, expert support you're guaranteed from tutors. There are no limitations set on your creativity; all seemingly difficult, unachievable designs are encouraged and pushed. It's a great atmosphere to have the opportunity to work in.”

Find out more about a Fashion degree at the University of Bolton. We’re a university that puts its students first and have been ranked No.1 for Student Satisfaction for the past three years*.

*Complete University Guide in 2021, 2020 and 2019, North West

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