If you are looking to join the School of Fashion and Textiles this September, look no further for tips and ideas on how to prepare for your course over the summer. We’ve come up with a range of options for you to explore and get you uni ready!
1. Explore
Why not explore Birmingham and stop off at the internationally acclaimed Ikon Gallery? If you’re in London, the V&A Fashion collection is well worth a visit, featuring the largest collection of dress in the world.
If you want to visit a museum or gallery virtually, from The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery to the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, you can find online tours here.
2. Watch
On YouTube, you could explore fashion content, brand campaigns and channels. What do you like about a brand’s content? What inspires you? Many fashion films and documentaries are online, which can provide an insight into the industry further.
The Graduate Fashion Foundation are holding very exciting webinars featuring industry leaders such as Isabella Silvers and Stefanie Sword-Williams. They are available to catch up with here.
On BCU’s YouTube channel, BA (Hons) Textile Design alumni Chloe Frost gives an insight into her role in trend forecasting and discusses her experience on the course.
3. Listen
Some podcasts we recommend include: BoF, The Future of Fashion by Vogue, British Fashion Council Fashion Forum and The Fashion Cupboard.
4. Create
Why not start a self-directed project? Grab a sketchbook and fill it with inspiration, ideas, sketches and mood boards. Get creative and document something new.
Check out Pantone for colour inspiration and to brush up your knowledge on colour trends. Create your own beautiful colour palettes, photograph or collect objects with exciting colour combinations whilst out and about this summer!
5. Read
Read everything and anything. Here are some great sources we recommend online: Drapers Online, Vogue, Vogue Runway, The Business of Fashion, Dazed Online, i-D Online, Selvedge Magazine, Pattern Observer, This Is Colossal and Graduate Fashion Week.
6. Consider
Have a look through your own wardrobe. Consider how your garments have been made, their fabrics and functionality. How many times have you worn it? How do you feel when you wear it? Perhaps you could curate a completely new outfit from a long-lost item!
7. Draw
PatternObserver has a great guide for finding your art style. Why not challenge yourself to draw every day, no matter how big or small?
8. Photograph
If you are a budding Creative Director, you could create a fashion photoshoot inspired by your favourite fashion brand. Here is a great guide to get started if you’ve never directed a shoot before.
9. Collage
Use scrap magazines or materials and fabric to create a collage of a theme or trend that you haven’t explored yet. Add your own notes and sketches to gather an inspiring board that could spark a new project idea.
10. Follow
If you are in need of some fashion and textiles inspiration this summer, here are some great accounts on Instagram we recommend following:
@craftscouncil @fashionsuperintern @wgsn @patternity @designmilk @rockettfashion @fash_rev @londonfashionweek @pepperyourtalk @the_self_hood @fashiontextilemuseum @fbeinghumbleldn @nytimesfashion
School of Fashion and Textiles Social Media:
- School of Fashion and Textiles Instagram: @soft_bcu
- BA (Hons) Fashion Design Instagram: @bcu_fashion
- Fashion and Textiles Foundation: @bcu_foundation
- BA (Hons) Fashion Branding and Communication Instagram: @fbc_bcu
- BA (Hons) Fashion Business and Promotion Instagram: @bcu_fbp
- Create and Make Parkside: @bcu_createmakeparkside
- Follow us on X @textilesbcu
