Fashion Culture and Technology – Costume Design for the Performing Arts Programme

Learning Objectives

The second-level academic diploma course provides the essential cultural and theoretical background for acquiring a specialist professional level, after attending the first-level course in Fashion Culture and Technology. The objective of the course is to train a new class of creative professionals capable of conceptualising, designing and producing a collection, making critical use of different tools and languages, and reflecting on fashion as a cultural system.
The course also aims to provide students with advanced knowledge and skills related to the world of fashion and costume, both at a theoretical-conceptual and practical level. These skills are aimed at training designers who are capable of working not only in the various fields of apparel, clothing, accessories, street style and sportswear, but also in the complex production and commercial cycle of the fashion industry. A designer who is not only able to create, design and organise a collection, but also capable of critically using different tools and languages, and overall reflecting on fashion as a cultural and communication system. Students will learn how to use advanced techniques and knowledge that enable the professional practice of clothing and accessory design and communication, up to the creation of sometimes complex projects, both individually and as part of a work group. The educational structure of the course is broken down into experimental design-research workshops and theoretical-critical courses. The applied and theoretical-practical workshops include experience in drawing, design and modelling, right through to the creation of a sample collection, including research into fabrics and different materials. The aim of the theoretical and theoretical-practical courses is to provide students with an advanced knowledge of historical-critical disciplines (history of fashion and costume, history of modern and contemporary art), with particular attention to the field of fashion theory and the analysis of fashion as a materially and culturally lived phenomenon. Students will address fundamental issues in order to understand the rapid changes in taste and trends, and the inclusion of fashion products in the complex system of cultural production.
To supplement theoretical knowledge, emphasis will be placed on historical disciplines, the sociology of fashion phenomena, knowledge of clothing language, and the analysis of advertising. In order to lay the foundations for a culture of design, a workshop activity will be introduced which, starting with the more practical activities and moving on to the more creative and design-oriented ones, will immerse students in the practice and technicalities of the fashion industry, enabling them to understand the activities and possible career paths available throughout the entire supply chain. With this in mind, the second-level course is divided into two distinct programmes: Fashion Design and Costume Design for the Performing Arts.

Career prospects

Graduates of the course will be prepared not only for careers in the specific field of fashion design, but also for other professional sectors such as communication, marketing, trend forecasting, creative direction, textiles, production and management. The course aims to highlight fashion cultures as both an interdisciplinary and specific field, which in perspective refers to equally specific professions, such as fashion designer and digital fashion designer; stylist, costume designer, pattern maker, as well as fashion stylist, i.e. responsible for the brand image, or “product person”; fashion editor (creator and operator of editorial projects for fashion, graphics and photography); museum curator for fashion and theatre costume collections; organiser of events (exhibitions, fashion shows) in which fashion takes on an ostentatious character.

Entry requirements

The second-level course in “Fashion Culture and Technology” is open to those who hold a first-level academic diploma in “Fashion Culture and Technology”, “Fashion Design”, or a related degree/master’s degree. A committee composed of course lecturers will assess the individual applications of candidates who hold other first and second level academic diplomas and bachelor’s/master’s degrees.

Type of final assessment

The final assessment consists of the presentation of a theoretical thesis and the completion of a fashion, costume or accessory design project. The design and implementation phases, as well as the final product, must be in line with the advanced level of the course.