ArtEZ University of the Arts

Bachelor Fashion Design

Year 1: Learning and unlearning

In the first year, you will receive many experimental design assignments. You will let go of existing ideas and develop your own original way of thinking and creating. You will gain a broad overview of the visual arts and an in-depth look at the field of fashion. You will take subjects on such topics as experimental design, fashion design, textiles, pattern drawing, fashion and costume, and art theory.

Year 2: Develop your craft

In the second year, you will deepen your subject knowledge and learn new skills. You will take a broad range of subjects, including fashion design, fashion drawing, pattern drawing, execution, textiles, print design, publicity, photography, digital skills, fashion and culture, and art theory. You will also attend four clinics: sessions with specialised professionals who show what opportunities the field has to offer. It is an intensive year, with more contact hours than in the first year. You can expect a study load of around sixty hours per week.

Year 3: Connect with the professional field

In the third year, you will take your first steps into professional practice. You will start with the collective project Collectie Arnhem and then complete a national or international internship. During Collectie Arnhem, you and your classmates will design a clothing collection together. You will go through all stages of the design process: from concept and technical development to execution, styling, funding and presentation. Within this project, you will collaborate with companies, students from other programmes and international partners. Previous editions have been presented during fashion weeks in Paris and Amsterdam.

In the second semester, you will complete an internship of at least three months, either in the Netherlands or abroad. You will also have a full schedule of subjects, including fashion design, machine knitting, fashion drawing, pattern drawing and draping. You will write a thesis on art theory, which will serve as the basis for your design.

Year 4: Final exam

The fourth year will focus on your signature style and graduation. You will begin with an independent design workshop led by a multidisciplinary guest lecturer. Throughout the year, you will receive guidance from specialists in design, materials and prints, technology, presentation and theory. External experts will also provide feedback and assess your work. Based on your own signature, interests and ambitions, you will develop your final collection. You will complete your studies with a major presentation for a national or international audience, such as through a show or a video.

Internships

We believe it is important for you to experience the fashion world from the inside. That is why, in your third year, you will do an internship with a fashion designer or design studio. You can do this in a city where fashion is alive, such as Paris, London, Antwerp or New York. You will choose where you want to go and what you want to learn.

The internship coordinator will support you throughout the process, helping you find a placement that suits you and guiding you along the way. This will give you valuable practical experience and help you discover how you want to orient yourself in the diverse professional field.

Projects

• Running periods - Two to five weeks a year, we will pause the regular curriculum to focus entirely on creating designs in the workshop.
• International projects - Within the ongoing and intensive curriculum, there is occasional room for national or international collaborations. These may involve external professionals, companies from the field or presentations abroad.
• Collectie Arnhem - In the third year, you will design a collection together with your classmates. Education and practice come together in this project. You will go through all parts of the design process, from creating and developing to styling, funding and presenting. There is room for collaborations with design companies, weaving studios and fellow students. The project ends with a self-organised presentation, in the Netherlands or abroad. Previous editions have been presented during fashion weeks in Paris and Amsterdam.

What you'll learn

During the bachelor’s programme in Fashion Design:

• you will learn the profession of fashion designer from start to finish;
• you will work at a high and internationally recognised level;
• craft is just as important as concept;
• you will start by drawing by hand and gradually develop your own way of working as the programme progresses;
• you will touch on every part of the creative process: from concept and craft to theoretical research;
• you will discover your own signature, both in terms of thinking and making;
• you will connect with the professional field through collaborations, national and international presentations, and internships;
• the fashion workshop is always nearby, so you can work both at the drawing table and in the studio;
• you will take your first steps towards a successful professional career;
• you will be ready to work within the industry or in related fields, as an independent designer or for an existing company

After completing the Fashion Design programme, you will be a fashion designer in the broadest sense of the word. Our alumni work in many different areas and across all segments of the fashion industry:

• As independent fashion designers running their own practice, or as part of an existing company;
• With a wide range of specialisations, from fashion, textile and print design to technical roles, styling, illustration and more;
• Both in the Netherlands and abroad, often achieving international recognition.