Curriculum for Advanced Diploma in Fashion Design

Color Theory for Fashion

Students will learn to understand the history and psychology of color. They will learn to create a color wheel and study tints, tones and shades, and do research into optical illusions of varying shapes and colors. They will learn to use different combinations of lines, dots, shapes and volume to create different effects.

Garment and Composition

This module will teach students technical drawing skills, descriptions and identifications of garment details, current styles and accessories. They will study principles of composition, diversion, unity, contrast, recall and important applications to garment composition.

Textiles

Students will learn to identify the origin and nature of textile fibers, analyzing the properties of fibers and threads to explain the different spinning methods and processes. Different fabrics, fabric finishes and explanation of textile trends will also be explored. Students will learn to recognize the relationship between different fabrics and their successful application in various apparel categories, with a discussion of recent fabric development.

History of Costume

This module involves the identification of the costumes and accessories of each historic period.

Definitions of major elements that influence and change costumes throughout history and the analysis of the relationship between costumes and artistic styles of each period will be explored.

Students will be required to identify costume characteristics, details and accessories from each period.

Contemporary History of Fashion

This module teaches students to identify characteristics of haute couture from its beginnings to modern day, define major elements that have influenced changes in fashion, tracing the history of mass production and ready-to-wear clothing. Analysis of the relationship between fashion and the artistic styles of each decade and issues regarding the influence of historic dress on contemporary fashion will also be explored.

Styles and Trends

Students will analyse trends in the 20th century and the impact on couture, prêt-a-porter and mass market fashion. The influences of cinema, music, media, art and entertainment on fashion trends will be investigated. Psychological perspectives, cycles and rhythms of fashion will be applied.

Fashion Communication

To provide students with the knowledge and skills through practical exercises, lectures, demonstrations and examples to thoroughly examine and apply effective public relations: developing communication plans, preparing press releases and press kits, conducting interviews, producing newsletters, journals and speeches. Students will have to successfully complete practical exercises and commence an integrated project in order to complete the course.

CAD 1 for Fashion Design

Students will be introduced to Computer Aided Design (CAD) software and its application to Fashion Design. They will be familiarized with the use of the software and its applications. The importance of CAD in illustrations, technical drawings and presentations, through both theory and practice will be explored.

Fashion Drawing

Students will study the human anatomy in various positions, adapted to the stylised proportions of a fashion sketch.

Fashion Draping 1

Students will be taught to use specific draping vocabulary and fundamental rules pertaining to fashion draping techniques. Application of draping techniques in making of simple muslins or toiles from chosen sketches or fashion photographs, according to the measurements specified.

Fashion Draping 2

Fundamental draping techniques for bodices, skirts, sleeves and collars on the standard industrial dress forms will be taught. This module equips students with the ability to drape toiles according to chosen fashion sketches or photographs and make paper patterns from toiles.

Fashion Draping 3

Students will be taught to master the vocabulary and techniques of advanced draping on an industrial form. Through techniques acquired, they will be required to fit the toiles on mannequins and live models, and develop paper patterns and alterations accordingly.

Sewing Applications 1

Students will learn to identify the required sewing material and describe the operation of the various parts of an industrial sewing machine. They will learn to operate industrial equipment in respect to the safety standards of the fashion industry, as well as apply various industrial techniques used in making basic garment samples.

Sewing Applications 2

Identification of the various industrial sewing techniques for men’s and women’s garments will be taught. Students will be equipped with the ability to understand the paper patterns and the proper process in assembling of the sample garment using acquired sewing techniques.

Sewing Applications 3

Complex sewing techniques for various garments such as dresses, shirts, children’s wear and dexterity in women’s wear sewing techniques will be taught.

Women’s Wear Drafting 1

The objective of this module is to teach students the vocabulary related to women’s wear. Students will learn to identify the configuration of the female silhouette in relation to the cut of a garment, draft master patterns for slopers (blocks) and use them to develop pattern interpretation according to the style lines of a sketch or fashion photograph for standard industrial dress forms.

Women’s Wear Drafting 2

Students will learn to identify the configuration of the female silhouette in relation to the cut of more complex garments. They will learn to develop pattern interpretation according to the style lines of a sketch or fashion photograph and create muslins from the patterns constructed to analyze them on the mannequin.

Women’s Wear Drafting 3

Students will learn to identify the configuration of the female silhouette in relation to the cut of more complex garments. They will learn to draft master slopers (blocks) and to use them to develop pattern interpretation according to the style lines of a sketch or fashion photograph and to create muslins from the patterns constructed and analyse them on a mannequin.

Mens’ Wear Drafting

Students will learn to master the vocabulary related to men’s wear design, trace and develop the various men’s wear blocks and identify the morphological components of the human form related to the masculine cut.

Fashion Sketching

Illustration techniques of fabric textures, prints and designs on fashion figures will be explored. This will also involve the study and analysis of fabric draping on the body, analysis of body movements and the laws of perspective in fashion drawing. Students will be required to complete fashion sketching exercises in various mediums and techniques.

Design Application in Fashion

This module aims to identify the basic concepts of fashion illustration. Students will be introduced to principles of line application in Fashion Design. Optical illusion to non-standard silhouettes will be applied. Exercises in creativity allow research and illustration. Basic concepts specific to the rendering of printed textural fabrics will be analyzed and applied.

Design Research and Development 1

Students will develop critical thinking through a series of themed projects. The creation of garments based on trends and current events according to the specific criteria of the project brief will be explored. Students will continue to develop their personal styles in relation to design illustrations and storyboards.

Design Research and Development 2

Through the analysis of current fashion trends and project briefs, students will learn to create ready-to-wear collections. They will develop ideas through working journals and sketch books to produce designs for the mini collection.

Advanced Drafting and Draping Techniques

Understanding the principles of made-to-measure garments and learning to fit and develop patterns from measurements acquired will be taught in this module.

Advanced Sewing Techniques

Students will learn to develop a critical sense and ability for synthesis, permitting the student to choose and apply functional working methods. This will involve the exploration of various sewing techniques and its applications to tailored suits, coats and sportswear.

CAD 2 for Fashion Design

Students will acquire an in-depth understanding of various computer softwares and their applications. They will also develop the ability to understand figure drawing, apply fabric rendition and do technical drawings on the computer. They will apply those techniques to produce a colorful collection of illustrations, including workshop drawings for final portfolios.

Project Workshop 1

Based on the sketches and illustrations developed in Design Application in Fashion and Design Research Development 1 modules, students will create patterns, toiles and final garments according to the criteria specified in the project briefs corresponding to the norms of the industry and the demands of the target markets.

Project Workshop 2

Based on the sketches and illustrations developed in Design Research & Development 1 and 2 modules, students will create patterns, toiles and final garments according to the criteria specified in the project briefs corresponding to the industry demands of the target markets..

Mini Collection Workshop

Using the designs developed from Design Research & Development 2, students will produce patterns and toiles for each selected design. They will assemble and complete fittings on mannequins or live models before realizing the actual garments. This module will also expose students to the multifaceted nature of fashion coordination through the graduation fashion show such as fittings, alterations, choreography, scheduling and overall coordination of a fashion show.

Portfolio

To understand the current fashion developments, students will review the different trends and influences. They will participate in various fashion contests to gain experience and exposure to the competitive nature of the fashion industry. Students will be required to produce a portfolio that reflects one’s individuality and personal style. Computer skills from CAD 2 for Fashion Design module will be applied to create the presentation of the final portfolio.

Pattern Grading

Students will be taught to identify and describe the principal tools of grading and their characteristics. They will comprehend and utilize standard measurement charts for grading, develop grading techniques utilizing women’s blocks and maximize the employment of precision within the grading evolution and marker making.

Gerber Technology

Students will learn to identify the principles and applications of CAD (Computer Aided Design) in the fashion industry. They will be familiarized with the computer and its environment, recognize and understand the system and its peripheral equipment (laser writer, digitizer, plotter). At the end of this module, they will develop the ability to interpret a fashion sketch by drafting, grading and marking patterns by computer.