Fashion Design: New Practice

Developed in collaboration with industry professionals, this dynamic BA (Hons) Fashion Design: New Practice degree will help to launch your fashion industry career.

Central to the course is the mutually beneficial relationship between fashion design and business, and you will develop your skill sets in both disciplines. By studying this fashion design course, you will:

• build essential fashion skills
• study silhouette, print and knit experimentation
• enjoy access to extensive specialist equipment and facilities
• gain industry practice experience through live briefs, guest speakers, showcases, visits and more
• have an opportunity to undertake a placement year
• expand your practical and business skills
• learn from an industry-active fashion and textiles team

Combining fashion practice with business will propel your career and open a range of opportunities, such as working for a brand, freelancing or even setting up your own business.

Our Fashion Design: New Practice course will build your confidence and understanding of fashion with the aim of launching your professional career in this exciting and dynamic industry. You will develop your design thinking, explore industry processes, learn how to design for specific markets with a business focus and more.

From hands-on workshops, lectures, tutorials and seminars, you will experience authentic learning experiences to develop creative, cognitive and technical skills such as:

• primary and secondary research
• understanding of market segments
• understanding how brands work
• understanding of the UN sustainability goals
• understanding of garment critical paths
• developing entrepreneurial skills
• design development
• industrial manufacturing techniques
• print and knit applications
• digital applications.

You will gain experience in industry practice through live briefs, guest speakers, visits and the opportunity to undertake a placement year, while developing your visual language within the fashion business context.

From Level 5 of the course, you’ll be able to personalise your design direction, towards more garment technology or textile application-oriented, as well as exploring entrepreneurial thinking.

Facilities and equipment

Throughout your studies, you will have access to a range of specialist equipment and facilities, including:

• industrial sewing machines
• industrial knitting machines
• screen printing
• fabric dying
• software packages
• 3D printing
• laser cutting
• heat press facilities
• access to photography facilities
• loan facilities for cameras, etc.

It's not too late to study at London’s 2nd highest-rated university for student satisfaction (National Student Survey 2026).

UWL's world-class facilities and outstanding teaching will give you all the tools you need to succeed. Musicians can rehearse in performance rooms, audio recording spaces and a 200 seat black box studio. Pilots can brave the storm in the Boeing 737 flight simulator. Lawyers can perfect their argument in the mock courtrooms, and chefs can whip up delicious creations in industry-standard kitchens and serve real customers at Pillars, the student-run fine-dining restaurant located on campus.

You'll also be learning in one of the world's best student cities (2026 QS Best Student Cities) - think Saturday afternoons in Covent Garden, study sessions in the British Library and live concerts in the O2 arena. With scholarships and bursaries reserved for Clearing applicants, no ambition is out of reach!