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Fashion Design with Textiles BA(Hons)

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    Overview

    This course focuses on contemporary fashion design with an emphasis on designing and making the textiles used in those designs. You will be taught garment manufacturing suitable for womenswear, menswear, or gender-neutral collections. As well as studying fashion design, you will learn to design and create textiles, by decorating surfaces, manipulating fabrics, and constructing your own knitwear. You will be taught by staff who are expert fashion and textile designers, and use cutting-edge equipment located in our 2019 purpose-built £30 million Barbara Hepworth Building.

    Why study Fashion Design with Textiles?

    • You’ll develop professional skills in fashion design, innovative textile applications, fashion illustration and portfolio techniques, CAD, pattern cutting and garment manufacture techniques.
    • We’ll support you in the application of a range of industry standard technology to bring your ideas to life and develop an awareness of sustainable practice.
    • Our industry-facing approach, including the opportunity to undertake a placement year, will help prepare you for a career in this exciting and diverse industry.

    Entry requirements

    To find out if you’re eligible to start this course in September 2025 and get more information on how to apply, please see our Clearing pages or call our Clearing Helpline on 0333 987 9000.

    If you’re interested in studying this course in September 2026, please view the 2026-27 course information.

    Course Detail

    Core modules:

    Materials Processes and Practices

    This module is designed to build your core knowledge in materials and processes used in a wide range of both bespoke and industrial applications. You will have the opportunity to explore how materials for the fashion, costume and fashion marketing industries continually evolve through technological developments and innovation.

    Design and Realisation

    In Design and Realisation you will develop a portfolio of work which explores design concepts, visual media, shape, proportion, colour and fabric selection, supported by two-dimensional and three-dimensional construction processes, to create unique fashion clothing.

    Sustainable Principles

    This module introduces the theory underpinning how textiles and its associated industries are responding to sustainability targets and concerns. Students will develop knowledge, understanding and critical thinking whilst exploring key principles of sustainability such as environmental and social impact, sustainable practices related to manufacturing, recycling/reuse of materials, and circular business models.

    Fashion Design Practice

    This module will introduce you to a range of creative and technical skills and specialist equipment to underpin the foundations of fashion design. During practical workshop sessions you will explore visual research and design approaches, fashion drawing and illustration techniques, material, and colour selection, alongside an introduction to pattern cutting and clothing manufacture processes.

    Textile Practices

    Students will be able to apply fundamental design application skills using the Textile workshops through the specialism areas of print, knit, weave or embroidery. The syllabus is designed to develop the ability to conceptualise and produce textiles samples for a specific end use, with an emphasis on aesthetic and technical excellence.

    Core modules:

    Fashion Design through Creative Cut

    Throughout this module you will expand on previously acquired pattern cutting skills and gain an introduction to creative cutting techniques. Studio-based workshops will provide an understanding of how three-dimensional stand-work can inform fashion design through the process of experimental garment construction work on the stand with appropriate integrated textiles. The module content is made up of two distinct elements - design and manufacture; however, these elements are assessed holistically as one, cohesive body of work.

    Brand Me

    This module aims to develop a transferable set of skills applicable to a wide range of employment positions within the fashion industry. Professional Development Planning (PDP) is embedded within the module, with a focus on you identifying academic and professional goals and developing the skills and knowledge necessary to fulfil them. The module will allow you to contextualise your future role and identity within the fashion, textiles or costume industry and you will be supported in developing skills and knowledge for you to substantiate this in practice.

    Sustainable Practices

    This module will further develop your theoretical understanding and critical engagement with sustainability, as contextualised within your specialism (textiles, fashion, costume, marketing). Building on your foundation knowledge and maintaining a clear focus on the practical aspects of sustainability, you will work within the context of global consumers, audiences, manufacturers, retailers, marketers and other collaborative organisations and individuals in textiles and its associated industries. This module aims to specifically generate a multifaceted understanding and appreciation of the theoretical, socio-political, economic, ethical, and environmental dimensions of textile, fashion, costume & marketing practices. The module encourages debate surrounding sustainability, ethics and resources, alongside appropriate primary methods of research and investigation. Lectures, seminars, and collaborative workshops will explore a relevant range of theories that stimulate discussion, develop your capacity for independent enquiry, creative concept development and to enable you to identify and assess implications for your own practice. You will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding though reflective responses that will prepare you for honours level study.

    Tailoring

    This dedicated contemporary tailoring module provides the opportunity to consolidate previously acquired pattern cutting skills, and introduces a variety of specialist tailoring. Throughout the module, you will develop further previously acquired pattern cutting, manufacturing and fashion design knowledge to an intermediate level and develop specialist skills in fashion design for tailoring. You will be encouraged to develop a balance between creative and commercial requirements in pursuing sophisticated contemporary design solutions, and attention will be paid to appropriate use of fabric. The module content is made up of two distinct elements - design and manufacture; however, these elements are assessed holistically as one, cohesive body of work.

    Textiles for the Body

    This module will enable you to apply advanced design application skills using the Textile workshops. The syllabus is designed to develop your ability to design and produce textiles samples for ‘the body’, with an emphasis on aesthetic innovation.

    School of Art and Humanities Placement

    You will normally spend a total of 48 weeks (36 weeks minimum) between the end of year two and the beginning of your final year in a managed work experience. You will be encouraged to obtain a placement activity relevant to your area of specialism, however a wide range of placements will be regarded as suitable. The placement will be monitored and you will be assessed on completion.

    Core modules:

    Advanced Fashion Design Practice

    This module will re-emphasise the importance of in-depth research and design development, and its relationship with forward-thinking fashion design thinking and practice. Through this module, you will identify and develop a theme/subject/issue relevant to your specialist pathway within fashion design, the context and parameters of which will be self-directed, supported by ongoing dialogue with your tutors.

    Major Project

    You will channel your creative and intellectual skills to realise innovative, original and highly professional proposition(s) appropriate to your specialism. You may decide to work in a collaboratively and/or interdisciplinarily, with other students, or with industry. Your finalised artefacts will act as a group of coherent summative statements.

    Research and Context

    This module complements your major project through the production of an in-depth written report. You will extend and apply your knowledge of fashion design, costume and production, textile design, textile crafts, or surface design by demonstrating a critical analysis and evaluation of topic of contemporary relevance, and significant to your practice by reflecting appropriate theoretical, technical, and professional issues.

    Professional Practice

    The module reflects theoretical, technical, and professional issues appropriate to your practice and is specifically designed to unfold throughout the final year The module is intended to be a critical and diagnostic tool with which to examine your work. It is made up of a series of outputs and will help you to determine and contextualise the direction of your practice-based modules. The process of reflection, research and critical analysis is vital to the module. It will help you to identify connections between concept, method, realisation, and mediation of your portfolio. It will allow you to demonstrate the depth of your knowledge and insight into your practice, enabling you to make informed decisions/judgements related to your practical outputs.

    On average, 25.3% of the study time on this course is spent in lectures, seminars, workshops etc.

    *based on 22/23 programme specifications.

    Teaching methods include studio-based design projects, workshop demonstrations and lectures. These are related to commercial realities by visiting professionals from industry who share their knowledge and expertise. Your progress will be monitored throughout the course and your assessment will include assignments, practical presentations and a final year dissertation.

    Your module specification/course handbook will provide full details of the assessment criteria applying to your course. Feedback (usually written) is normally provided on all coursework submissions within three term time weeks – unless the submission was made towards the end of the session in which case feedback would be available on request after the formal publication of results.

    Feedback on exam performance/final coursework is available on request after the publication of results.

    Inspirational field trips to destinations of educational and cultural significance are a compulsory component of the course and will be funded by the University. Trips may include visits to museums, exhibitions and trade shows.

    Further information

    The teaching year normally starts in September with breaks at Christmas and Easter, finishing with a main examination/assessment period around May/June. Timetables are normally available one month before registration.

    Your course is made up of modules and each module is worth a number of credits. Each year you study modules to the value of 120 credits, adding up to 360 credits in total for a bachelor’s qualification. These credits can come from a combination of core, compulsory and optional modules but please note that optional modules may not run if we do not have enough students interested.

    If you achieve 120 credits for the current stage you are at, you may progress to the next stage of your course, subject to any professional, statutory or regulatory body guidelines.

    1. The University of Huddersfield has been rated Gold in all three aspects of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023. We were the only university in Yorkshire and the Humber and the North West to achieve Gold ratings in all three aspects of the TEF among those announced in September 2023. In fact only 13 Universities, out of the 96 that were announced in September 2023, were Gold in all three ratings.

    2. Our teaching staff rank first in England for the proportion with higher degrees and teaching qualifications, as well as being top five for those holding doctorates (HESA 2025). So you’ll learn from some of the best, helping you to be the best.

    3. We are second in the country for National Teaching Fellowships, which mark the UK’s best lecturers in Higher Education, winning a total of 24 since 2008 (2025 data).

    4. We won the first Global Teaching Excellence Award, recognising the University’s commitment to world-class teaching and its success in developing students as independent learners and critical thinkers (Higher Education Academy, 2017).

    Visit ‘Our experts’ page where you’ll find in-depth profiles of all our academic staff

    At Huddersfield, you'll study the Global Professional Award (GPA) alongside your degree* so that you gain valuable qualities and experiences that could help you to get the career you want, no matter what your field of study is. On completion of the Award, you'll receive a GPA certificate from the University of Huddersfield, alongside the specialist subject skills and knowledge you gain as part of your degree, which may help to set you apart from other graduates.

    Giving students access to the Global Professional Award is one of the reasons the University won ‘Best University Employability Strategy’ award at the National Graduate Recruitment Awards 2021. Find out more on the Global Professional Award webpage.

    *full-time, undergraduate first degrees with a minimum duration of three years. This does not include postgraduate, foundation, top-up, accelerated or apprenticeship degrees.

    Placements

    The course offers an optional one-year (36 weeks minimum) work placement after the second year, in the UK or abroad. This will give you the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience, insight into your chosen career and open up your graduate employment prospects.

    Our Placement Unit and academic staff have excellent industry links and can support you in applying for and finding your placement(s), as well as during your placement year.

    Students on the course have previously taken up placement opportunities with companies including: LK Bennett - London; Matthew Williamson - London; Vivienne Westwood - London; Stella McCartney - London; Boohoo - Manchester; Me and Thee - Huddersfield; Jo-Y-Jo - Manchester; Christy Group - Barnsley; Temperley - London; Oasis Stores- London; Emilia Wickstead - London , Faustine Steinmetz - London; Christopher Kane – Paris and Eliaz Bridal Fashion - Bulgaria.

    You can find out more information on placement here.

    The fashion industry is extremely competitive, so I knew doing a placement would help me gain real industry experience and ultimately help me get a job after I graduate. Completing a placement will also help me during my final year, where I'll be designing and making my own final collection.

    Image of Fashion Design Student, Amarah Hussain

    Amarah Hussain, Garment Technologist at Matalan, Fashion Design student

    A gallery of work by our Fashion Design students. Click on each image to find out more.

    Fashion and Costume Studio
    Photography studios in Barbara Hepworth Building
    Create Lab
    Canalside view of the Barbara Hepworth Building

    Discover more about the course

    Your Career

    Discover the job roles our graduates are working in now.

    Professional links and accreditation

    Recognised connections to give you an extra edge when you graduate.

    Inspiring Graduate

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    Careers advice

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    Student Support

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    Further Study

    Learn about pursuing a Master’s or PhD at Huddersfield.

    Research Excellence

    See how our innovative research shapes what you'll learn.

    Important information

    When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

    Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons:

    Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

    If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and if you are unhappy with the change we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

    Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

    Changes to option modules

    Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

    Major changes

    We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff being unable to teach due to illness, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to pandemics, other disasters (such as fire, flood or war) or changes made by the government.

    Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will consult with affected groups of students and any changes would only be made in accordance with our regulations. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you let us know before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for any additional tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so and you may be eligible for an exit award depending on how far through your course you are.

    In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

    The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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