The information on this page is accurate for students entering the programme in 2023/2024 or before. For students entering the programme from September 2024 or after, you can find the details of your programme: href="https://catalogue.leeds.ac.uk/Programme/202526?code=BADESN%2FFDI-R">BA Fashion Design Innovation(For students entering from September 2024 onwards)
There has been a rapid acceleration in adopting digital tools and innovative approaches in the world of fashion that meet new customer behaviours and industry needs encompassing areas such as digital-only fashion and augmented/virtual reality. Equally, the physical presence of fashion and textiles has never been stronger. By considering the whole life cycle of fashion products from concept through development, to final product, the end-user and beyond, we gain a holistic perspective of a fashion and textile industry that is undergoing rapid change and offering much greener and zero-waste fashion alternatives.
With this in mind, BA Fashion Design Innovation combines fashion and textiles heritage with innovative design practices and methods. Students explore form, material and process through creative thinking, problem-solving strategies and human-centred design approaches to develop aesthetically considered, responsibly produced, and innovative fashion solutions with consideration of their materiality in both physical and digital forms. Students learn in an integrated way on the programme, combining and balancing hand-making and traditional skills with digital technologies. They are also introduced to a range of theories and methods that inform fashion research, examining the relationship between fashion and textiles and wider historical contexts, cultural practices, social trends and values, and ideological assumptions. Students particularly investigate and address future fashion challenges on the BA Fashion Design Innovation programme. They balance research-led activities and contextual studies with creative practice and focus on social, ethical and sustainable fashion design thinking to lead innovation.
Year 1 is exploratory and experimental. Students build a foundation of digital and practical design knowledge and skills, learning about approaches that are changing the way we produce and think about fashion. Exploring the fashion and textile industries, students examine where change is needed and how we can adapt to meet these challenges. As students’ progress, they are introduced to key issues in the history, culture and technology related to fashion and textiles and develop skills in visual communication, research and analysis, critical thinking and academic writing. Students develop their own creative design work and have the opportunity to co-create with fellow classmates, building their understanding of the cooperative negotiation needed within design practice. During year two, students develop a deeper understanding of designing for positive change in the fashion and textile industries and how innovation is a catalyst to achieve this, applying a range of research methods to explore the role of design in contemporary culture. Extending their knowledge and creative development, students utilise specialist software and practical hands-on skills to undertake industry-focused fashion design projects addressing real world contexts that require speculative problem solving, considering future impacts and solutions. Students will also study skills in interaction and experience design to understand how emerging technologies are shaping the creative industries across a range of disciplines.
Between year 2 and year 3 students are offered the opportunity to take part in the Study Abroad scheme or our successful placement year (Year in Industry). For many students the placement year is a great opportunity to experience the reality of the fashion and textiles industry, applying the knowledge and skills they’ve developed on the program
me in commercial contexts.
In the final year of study, independent projects enable students to consolidate their fashion design practice in specific directions to support their future career directions and ambitions. Students analyse and adapt their own methodologies in relation to fashion design, its materials and processes, exploring innovation in relation to real world and/or speculative contexts. They refine their design awareness and judgment in relation to their own studio practice and the theoretical contexts that support this, selecting the necessary digital/practical and research approaches to develop convincing design solutions.
At each year of the programme, option modules give students the opportunity to customise their programme experience, gaining additional knowledge and skills within or beyond their subject area.
The programme's emphasis on gaining academic, practical, research and transferrable skills, equips students for a broad range of employment, enterprise or postgraduate opportunities.
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DESN1076 | Fashion Essentials: Design, Materials and Production | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | PFP |
| DESN1221 | Creative Challenges and Communication | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| DESN1260 | Design Studies: Foundation | 20 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) |
Candidates will be required to study 20 credits from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DESN1075 | Materiality in Design | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| DESN1383 | The Fashion Industry | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Candidates can choose to study 20 credits from the following optional or discovery modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DESN1235 | Colour Design and Application | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| DESN1245 | Creative Thinking | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| DESN1416 | Introduction to Photography | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates will be required to study the following compulsory modules
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DESN2005 | Fashion Experimentation: Challenges and Transformations | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) | |
| DESN2008 | Design Studies: Exploration | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| DESN2009 | Design for Interaction and Experience | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
Candidates will be required to study 20 credits from the following optional modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DESN2010 | 20th Century Fashion | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| DESN2014 | Fashion Management: Issues & Strategies | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Candidates can choose to study 20 credits from the following optional or discovery modules:
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DESN2012 | Designing for Colour | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| DESN2013 | Digital Photography | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| DESN2015 | Strategic Marketing for the Creative Industries | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| DESN2156 | Contemporary Illustration | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| DESN2747 | Collage Culture | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) |
[Learning Outcomes, Transferable (Key) Skills, Assessment]
View Timetable
Candidates must study the compulsory modules shown below
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DESN3171 | Fashion and Textile Innovation | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| DESN3172 | Integrated Portfolio: Research and Analysis | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| DESN3173 | Integrated Portfolio: Design & Application. | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| DESN3660 | Independent Study (Dissertation) | 40 | Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) |
Candidates may study 0-20 credits from the following optional modules.
The School of Design is in the process of developing a new suite of optional modules that will be structured under 6 main themes.
Therefore, the optional modules listed are indicative only and what currently exists in the School of Design.
| Code | Title | Credits | Semester | Pass for Progression |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DESN3445 | Time and the Image in Contemporary Art | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| DESN3582 | Fashion Styling and Photography | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan), Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| DESN3585 | Collaborative Marketing and Promotion | 20 | Not running in 202526 | |
| DESN3711 | Fashion and Textile Innovation: Product (Negotiated Project) | 20 | Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) | |
| DESN3725 | Information Design | 20 | Not running in 202526 | |
| DESN3765 | Brand Communications | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) | |
| DESN3770 | Contemporary Advertising | 20 | Semester 1 (Sep to Jan), Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) |
Alternatively, candidates may study 0-20 credits of Discovery modules
Candidates must study a total of 120 credits in their final year. These should be distributed as evenly as possible across the semesters.
Last updated: 25/09/2025 14:19:36
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