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Textile Design

Exam Board Level Qualification Assessment Method
AQA Level 3 Linear A level 100% Non-Examined Assessment

Do you want to study a subject that is highly relevant in today’s society? Do you love textiles? From clothes to accessories, to interior design, is there something about the look and feel of textiles that appeals to you? Maybe, you’ve considered a career in textiles? Perhaps as a Textile Designer, seeing your unique designs manufactured into fabric, or maybe as an Interior Designer or Fashion Designer.

We study cutting-edge designers and organise trips to see current exhibitions at the UK’s most exciting galleries. Whenever possible we try to get involved in a live brief that enables students to get a feel for working in the industry. In the past we have created garments and produced a successful fashion show.

Students will be taught by enthusiastic and supportive members of staff that have many years experience in contemporary fashion and surface design. We actively encourage studying current trends in fashion and textiles, examining contemporary practitioners, and produce creative and experimental garments and textiles.

Our students enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to have the freedom to experiment, develop their skills as a designer, and explore options in many different media using conventional and unconventional processes. You will learn how to gather imagery to inspire you to create textile work or garments. Through the critical analysis of the work of textile artists and designers you will be introduced to a range of skills and concepts to broaden your vocabulary and knowledge.

Students will be taught many textile processes from the ‘basics’ to the ‘advanced’. Learning is encouraged through set projects and experimental workshop sessions in the studio. Students are encouraged to develop the ability to work independently, gathering relevant research material and extending practical work in the textile studio.

Key Features

  • Textile Design is an innovative course that uses new technology and encourages you to work creatively with a range of materials and techniques.
  • The course allows you to experience what it is like to work on real life fashion design projects developing and manufacturing products using a range of techniques including pattern cutting and garment construction techniques.
  • Throughout the course you will take ownership of your project work and learning which will help develop your skills to be an effective artist/designer.
  • Students will develop a Portfolio which is invaluable when applying for design courses in Higher Education and for taking to interview.
  • Most importantly Textile Design will give you life skills.
  • Course Outline

    • Over the two-year period, students will study:

      • The basic elements of design including: shape, colour, texture, pattern, harmony, scale, proportion, contrast and repetition
      • The relationship between form and function
      • Design work from different historical periods and cultures
      • Life drawing
      • How to research the contextual work relevant to their coursework theme
      • A variety of textile methods including relief printing, lino printing, screen printing, heat transfer printing, tie-dye, batik, silk painting, dyeing, stencilling, embellishing, stitching, felting, appliqué, patchwork, quilting, weaving, knitting and embroidery
      • Sewing, pattern drafting skills and garment construction techniques.

      Year One

      During year one you will be learning new textiles and fashion skills and techniques, you will be encouraged to explore pattern and surface texture by experimenting with paper, fabric, threads and mixed media to produce a fashion, textile or interior response to a given theme that is unique and you have taken risks to complete.

      Year Two

      The projects during year two will develop your abilities further by allowing you to pursue concepts in more depth. You will create a very personal body of work that follows the pathway you are interested in and is supported by a written essay of 1000-3000 words. You are able to choose to create final outcomes in such diverse areas as fashion, fabric design, surface decoration, art textiles, costume design and interior textiles. In the spring term you will complete an externally set project.

  • Career opportunities and further study

    • Successful textile students can pursue careers such as:-

      • Fashion Design
      • Fashion Illustration
      • Interior Design
      • Textile Design
      • Surface Design
      • Styling
      • Shoe Design
      • Costume for Theatre & Film
      • Fashion Journalism
      • Fashion Retailing and Marketing
      • Fashion Management
      • Fashion Buying.

      Our past students are now Fashion Designers, Textile Designers, Graphic Designers, Product Designers, and Interior Designers having gone on to universities such as Central Saint Martin’s to study Fashion, University of Huddersfield to study Textiles, Leeds University to study Textile Design and Interior Design. Some even now work for companies such as Abbercrombie and Fitch in America as Fashion Designers and Monsoon as trainee buyers!

  • Trips and Events

    • Throughout the course there will be visits to museums, art galleries and universities. There is also an optional trip to Barcelona.

      For more information about trips relating to this course including Barcelona please see the Trips and Travel page

  • Useful Links

Entry Requirements 2024

You can view provisional entry requirements for courses that start in 2024 from the link below. Please note that your enrolment on to a particular course must be approved by the Head of that department.

Subject Entry Requirements

What our students say

“My teacher supported me to learn new ways of working to create my final piece, I couldn’t have asked for more”