Fashion

There's more to fashion than design. Here's the 'School Leaver' guide to a future in fashion

Fashion is an international industry, employing thousands of people in various jobs. Many universities and colleges run related courses and, with a degree in any field of fashion and textiles, it is possible to pursue most of the following areas of work, and more! The title of your course is not binding, so don't feel tied. For example, a degree in menswear design could be an ideal stepping-stone into the fields of menswear buying, styling or whatever fashion-related career appeals to you after graduation. The following lists just a few of the courses on offer and suggests where they could lead you.

Course:Fashion Marketing and Promotion

Where:University of Central Lancashire, University of Leeds, Northbrook College Sussex, University of Northumbria at Newcastle, Nottingham Trent University

Jobs:

• Fashion Promotion:PR, marketing, in-house promotion, advertising
• Fashion Buyer:Buying and researching designers and clothes for shops, commissioning and working with designers for in-store collections
• Owner: Combining marketing, buying and business skills relevant to the fashion market

Course:Fashion Journalism

Where:Surrey Institute of Art and Design, Central Saint Martins

Jobs:

• Fashion Journalism:Writing for magazines and fashion supplements
• Promotional Writing:Press releases and advertorial for fashion PR
• Dress Historian/Writer:Writing books and for journals, history and factual-based writing

Course:Fashion Illustration

Where:Surrey Institute of Art and Design

Jobs:

• Fashion Illustration:For press, advertising or specially commissioned projects
• Fashion Productions:Mediating between designers and technical production teams, conveying ideas
• Fashion Predictions:Forecasting upcoming trends, concepts and styles

Course:Fashion Photography and Styling

Where:The London Institute, De Montfort University, University of Central Lancashire

Jobs:

• Fashion PhotographyFor press, advertising and specially commissioned projects
• StylistWorking on fashion shoots and imaging for the press, advertising and specially commissioned projects

Course:Technical Pattern Cutting for Fashion

Where:Heriot-Watt, Edinburgh, Huddersfield, The London Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University, also hundreds of fashion courses across the UK

Jobs:

• Pattern Cutter:Realising designers' illustrations and ideas by making and "toiling" garments
• Fashion Designer:If you are setting up your own business, you will need sound technical knowledge as well as design flair

Other areas of study and employment include knitted, printed, woven or multi-media textile design; women's, men's or childrenswear fashion design; costume design; fashion consultancy; accessories design and more.

For full course listings see: www.ucas.com