Costume Design

This module introduces you to the fundamental principles of design and builds your awareness of the vocabulary used within the costume design industry. A design project will allow you to develop your understanding of form, space, colour and materials, in short; what makes a costume successful.

This module aims to introduce you to the skills and techniques relating to costume making and technology, including traditional pattern cutting, draping, garment construction and costume crafts.

This module is designed to introduce you to the framework and working methodologies which costume designers employ when generating concepts for a script. You will gain a valuable understanding of current industry practice as you develop your design from an initial idea through to reality.

This module encourages you to explore, consider and reflect on a range of perspectives in the wider field of creative practice, particularly in the context of your own practice. By introducing key debates in visual culture, this module aims to increase your visual and critical awareness and demonstrate ways in which varied frameworks can inform professional practice in costume design.

Developing your understanding of professional practice is a core theme which runs throughout the programme. This module encourages you to start aligning your skills with the identified requirements of the costume design industry and includes an emphasis on communication including traditional and digital skills.

Positioned at the end of the first year this module provides holistic view of the costume design process and gives you an understanding the key roles within the costume design, making and wardrobe supervision process. Working in teams, you will work on a simulated live experience or brief to establish and execute wardrobe needs for both rehearsal and performance of a specific live performance, music performance or event.

Designing costumes for film and TV brings with it a different set of technical and visual requirements to those of designing for the stage. You will learn about the issues and priorities and be able to adapt accordingly for any problems that might arise while filming. The module will explore these requirements through a practical design project.

This module is delivered as part of the BA (Hons) Costume Design degree.

Expanding upon the skills acquired in the first year, this module aims to explore the theatre design considerations when designing and constructing costumes for theatre. Working from a design brief, emphasis will be placed on visualising the script, set and lighting as well as collaborating with a production team, director and the actors. 

Building upon the professional practice skills introduced in the first year, this module looks at business, employability and enterprise issues, encouraging you to reflect upon your own work and ongoing development. This module is also used to identify and pursue placement opportunities for the final module of the year.

In this module you will have the opportunity to undertake a period work placement, which enables you to demonstrate and develop your skills while gaining a thorough understanding of working procedures in a professional context.

Further developing your visual and critical awareness of the varied contexts of costume design, this module will enhance your understanding of how cultural, commercial and/or historical issues influence current practice. In addition, you will develop an informed view of the disciplines, the relationships between these disciplines and the wider relationships that can be made to other forms of visual, creative and cultural expression.

This module requires you to design and make a costume for a specific individual artist/performer within the music, dance or festival arena. Site specific opportunities will also be available. You will be encouraged to develop concepts which effectively communicate and portray key characteristics of the overall theme or message . It will provide you with as close to an industry experience as possible and will encourage you to reflect upon your current skillset, helping you to recognise your strengths and areas of interest, with a view to developing your major project and future career options.

The main purpose of this module is for you to undertake the research and develop a design brief for your major project. You will be required to interpret and breakdown a script, build character analysis, research different approaches and concepts, undertake historical and cultural research and explore visual representation.

This module supports you in your final year whilst also encouraging you to consider your career options and define your personal objectives. You will take the first critical steps in pursuing your career aspirations by producing a self-directed portfolio of work, which demonstrates your skills, knowledge and understanding via the use of appropriate professional methods and techniques.

Building upon the work you produced in the Research Methods for Costume Design module, the final self-directed project acts as a conclusion to the course. As such, it enables you to continue in the development of a personalised programme of study, supporting and enhancing your career aspirations. The module also provides a platform for you to initiate engagement with industry over an extended period, providing valuable experience for your potential career direction.

The emphasis of this module is on independent research, exploration and investigation. This module provides you with the opportunity to pursue a detailed study of relevant creative, cultural and contextual issues in a subject area that is of particular interest to you. You can choose from one of the four following project options: 1. Dissertation, 2. Original visual work with critical text, 3. Presentation with extended essay, or 4. Business report.