BA (Hons) Fashion Design

Overview

In close consultation with Industry Liaison Groups, who help inform the development of our higher education curriculum, we have placed real-world experience at the heart of our BA (Hons) Fashion Design course.

Here you will develop professional skills through real-world internships and visits to entrepreneurs and brands, as well as through specialist industry speakers and our expert academics and technicians, who are all experienced fashion practitioners. Throughout your studies, you will acquire the skills and confidence needed to work across a wide spectrum of careers in fashion, as a designer, consultant, buyer, stylist, or illustrator, amongst many other roles. We will equip you with the professional, transferable skills needed for employment in the global fashion industry and our strong international connections allow students to take a semester of study with one of our partner institutions within Europe and North America. In turn, we welcome overseas students from those institutions to join us in our design studios, creating an exciting cultural exchange. You will be encouraged to take up opportunities for work experience; former students have taken placements with J.W. Anderson, Mary Katrantzou, Jonathan Saunders, Alexander McQueen, Gareth Pugh, Lulu Guinness and at London Fashion Week. You will also have the opportunity to showcase your work at Graduate Fashion Week in London, and industry events in Paris, Munich, New York, and Berlin – providing excellent opportunities for professional networking. Graduates can become: fashion designers, knitwear designers, stylists, buyers, tailors, fashion illustrators, pattern cutters, trend forecasters, visual merchandisers, studio managers, garment technologists, production coordinators, merchandisers, and lecturers. Recent alumni: <ul><li>Jade Rogers, Designer at <a href="https://www.makershq.co.uk/">Makers HQ</a></li><li>Milly Devine, Production Coordinator at <a href="https://newgirlorder.co.uk/">New Girl Order</a></li><li>Jemima Smale, Graduate Placement at <a href="https://julienmacdonald.com/">Julien Macdonald</a>, Garment Maker at <a href="https://www.westwardbound.com/">Westward Bound Latex</a> </li><li>Chloe Gee, Graduate Placement at <a href="https://www.viviennewestwood.com/en/">Vivienne Westwood</a>, Designer at <a href="https://www.prettylittlething.com/">Pretty Little Thing</a></li><li>Amy Bray, Graduate Placement at <a href="https://pentlandbrands.com/">Pentland Brands</a></li><li>Abigail Shaeffer & Inuta Ulme, Fashion Entrepreneurs at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mukta_un_done/">Mukta</a></li><li>Lan Chen, Graduate Placement at <a href="https://hiutdenim.co.uk/">Hiut Denim</a></li><li>Jake Visser, Fashion Entrepreneur at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/the.reclaimers/">The Reclaimers</a> </li><li>Rob Tarasek, Pattern Cutter for <a href="http://www.alexandermcqueen.com/gb">Alexander McQueen</a> </li><li>Laura Duncan, Designer, <a href="http://www.marwoodlondon.co.uk/">Marwood</a> Georgia Cook, Marketing and Social Media at <a href="https://realideas.org/">RIO</a></li><li>Natasha Hutchins, runs her own brand and bespoke pattern making service at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/nhpatterns">NHPatterns</a> </li><li>Anna Boast, Designer at <a href="https://www.riverisland.com/">River Island</a> </li><li>Amy Shaw, Talent Scout for <a href="https://www.allsaints.com/">AllSaints</a> </li></ul>

Our Graduates

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Alice Vandy

Alice Vandy graduated from Arts University Plymouth in 2012 with a BA (Hons) in Fashion. Shortly after graduating Alice set up her own UK brand ‘Alice Vandy’ and created collections which fuses fairytale fantasy with exotic youthful streetwear. The eye-catching designs by Alice Vandy got noticed and she has successfully designed showpieces for The X Factor, Britain’s Next Top Model and The Clothes Show Live. Jessie J snapped up her debut collection and following this the designer was asked to create an entire collection for the star. Alice focuses on delivering magical madness with her notoriously bold signature prints and has a growing tribe of Diamond Warriors and Bubble Wall patterns. My Little Pony asked Alice Vandy to collaborate with them and she launched her third exclusive collection of ponyland power pieces with the sugary sweet Hasbro phenomenon. Alice is due to launch her third exclusive collection with global brand Hasbro. Alice Vandy is based in Cornwall but her bold colourful and unique designs are now being worn by stars all over the world. Visit Alice Vandy’s website: www.alicevandy.com

Molly Mildren

Molly Mildren is Buyer at Mint Velvet, a British womenswear clothing brand with 46 boutiques across the UK and Ireland, a store in Dubai Festival City mall and international concessions within De Bijenkorf and Manor as well as John Lewis, House of Fraser and Fenwick. ‘My time at Arts University Plymouth was excellent. I studied an Extended Diploma here a few years ago and then moved to Cardiff to continue at degree level – but I moved back after my first year. The facilities there didn’t compare. In Arts University Plymouth, they’re amazing and it’s great how we get access to everything – screenprinting, 3D design in the Fab Lab, photography, and more – not just the fashion studio.’

Stefani Nurding

CEO and professional skateboarder Stefani Nurding has worked with brands including Vans, Animal and Sainsburys. She graduated BA (Hons) Fashion in 2014 with a First Class Honours. Inspiring girls around the globe, Stefani has been at the forefront of Devon's skateboarding scene since she was 18. Stefani was the organiser of the Skateistan charity event, using skateboarding as a hook to provide educational opportunities for at-risk youths in Afghanistan, Cambodia and South Africa. ‘Before I founded Salon, I noticed that there were not a lot of companies within skateboarding that were representing women and when they were, they were never representing feminine women. And so I felt like that was me.’