Bachelor of Art and Design in Fashion

By MARK STORY

THE COURSE

The three-year full-time Bachelor of Art and Design in Fashion (BArtDes) aims to produce graduates who can work within many fields of the fashion industry. That covers a wide range of occupations, such as fashion, costume or knitwear design; fashion design management; fashion production; sales and marketing in fashion; fashion buyer; fashion stylist; wardrobe manager; and fashion forecaster.

As well as developing technical know-how, programme leader Mandy Smith says the course is designed to let students develop new skills and different ways of thinking about fashion.

"The course fosters a professional approach, from concept development and design to the end product, with an emphasis on the creative and technical aspects of fashion," she says.

Classes are held five days a week, from 9am to 4pm. As well as the core papers - studio art and design, theory art and design, elective project, fashion studio, fashion theory - year one students develop the technical studio skills necessary for industry standards. Year two students experience the more challenging task of problem solving by design.

Core papers include an elective project, fashion theory, pattern studio, principles of production, design in 3D, and apparel studio.

The core third-year papers are professional practice, apparel management, fashion marketing, tailoring, fashion design, costume design, knitwear design. Students can also specialise in either fashion design, costume design or knitwear design.

While much of the course is internally assessed, students must also sit exams in small business management, communications and IT. Students also have to show a body of design work in their final year that shows the skills and knowledge they have acquired.

Graduates may elect to undertake a fourth Bachelor of Art and Design (Honours) year or a two-year Master of Arts in Art and Design.

To be eligible for general admission to the BArtDes, students must have either a minimum of 3 C Bursary passes and Higher School Certificate, equivalent secondary qualifications, relevant tertiary qualifications or provision for adult entry.

Applicants with English as a second language must have IELTS level of 6.5 overall, with not less than 6 in each band (or equivalent).

Applications for the 60 places available in the BArtDes at AUT's Wellesley St campus, close in September of the previous year. Next year's fees have not yet been set, but this year the course cost $3550. Materials and texts cost around $1500.

WHAT PAST STUDENTS THINK

Carole Tipace, 23, design assistant

Optimum Clothing Company, West Auckland

Graduated: 2002

"Instead of just focusing on theory, the practical work on the course, like machining, programming and pattern making - pretty much what I'm doing now - really helped to prepare me for this sort of work.

"The opportunity to work with different types of fabrics attracted me to specialise in the knitwear side of the business. This led to a job offer with knitwear company Optimum Clothing after a referral from AUT.

"Since then I've progressed from making pattern samples to show buyers for each of the 80 styles under the Sarah Jane label to being in charge of production samples.

"I'm also one of six designers working on a new label - Young Designers at Optimum - to be launched next winter. I'm still in the learning process, but hope to have my own label one day."


WHAT EMPLOYERS THINK

Tim Fawcett, director

Optimum Clothing Company, West Auckland

"Having graduated top in her year, I knew Carole would have the technical understanding needed to fill a gap within our production sampling operation.

"I expect students like Carole to graduate from AUT's three-year degree knowing what's required and involved in developing saleable merchandise from both a marketing and production perspective.

"Carole's equally as talented in graphics as she is at knitwear design ability.

"This is is a great course, but restructuring in the garment manufacturing industry locally means those who graduate with a knitwear major may struggle to find jobs - unless they're prepared to get a toehold into the business elsewhere."


Bachelor of Art and Design in Fashion

AUT School of Art and Design

Phone: (09) 917 9909

Email: courseinfo@aut.ac.nz