A Level Textiles (Fashion) Design
Textiles (Fashion) Design A Level is for people who enjoy using a wide variety of experimental and traditional textile/fashion techniques and processes to produce both fine art textiles and original garments/accessories.
You will explore fashion illustration, drawing, experimental pattern cutting and garment construction, feltmaking, batik, shibori, embroidery (hand and freehand machine embroidery), printmaking and alternative mixed media exploration, alongside fashion photography.
YEAR 1:
AS Textiles (Fashion) Design consists of a 100% coursework-based teacher-led component: the Personal Creative Enquiry. You are introduced to a wide range of traditional and experimental techniques and processes. You then select suitable disciplines to further develop and you ultimately produce an original final piece.
YEAR 2:
A Level consists of two student-led components:
Personal Investigation (60%) – you decide on a theme, develop your ability to critique your own work, and produce a final piece (a textiles fine art piece, garment or accessory). You also complete a 1,500-3,000 word illustrated essay about a designer or artist of your choice.
Externally Set Assignment (40%) – you produce a final piece during exam conditions (15 hours spread over roughly 3 weeks).
All students studying A Levels should have at least five GCSEs at grade 9 – 5 in academic subjects, including English Language at grade 5. Two of these should be grade 6.
Specifically for Textiles/Fashion Design you will need to have GCSE Textiles (or Art/Graphics/3D Design) at grade 5 or above OR Level 2 BTEC Art and Design at Merit or above.
If not, you will need to show evidence of your artistic commitment through a portfolio of work.
A Level Textiles/Fashion Design assessment is a combination of practical portfolio work (this is mostly practical, but also includes detailed and coherent annotation of your work within your sketchbook and an essay) and a practical exam (in which you produce your final piece under exam conditions).
Students will potentially continue to a one-year Foundation course in Art/Textiles (to decide on which textile discipline to explore at degree level) followed by a degree in a particular field such as Fashion/Costume Design, Textiles (including constructed, printed etc), Fashion Promotion and Marketing or Photography. Textiles/Fashion can be useful to a whole series of different careers including interior design, marketing, illustration, TV advertising and website design.
LISA BECKLEY
- BA (Hons) degree in Craft/Applied Art from Manchester Metropolitan University
- Over 15 years’ experience lecturing Art & Design and Textiles
- Her students have progressed to Goldsmiths in London, Contour Fashion Design at De Montfort University, and Theatre Design at Nottingham Trent University