The Leading Design Practice (LDP) module is front and centre of bridging the gap between theory and practice and is a great way for our students to extend their professional network. Each year, MA Fashion Design Management students work collaboratively to respond to a live brief set by a range of industry experts. Our students combine their creative expression with commercial understanding and receive feedback directly from industry professionals during a final presentation day.
Marie Jones, MA Fashion Design Management lecturer led the module with support the Course Leader Jeanne Langford and the Business and Innovation team. Students worked on live briefs set by 5 renowned industry clients including; Peachaus, a sustainable lifestyle brand offering lingerie and leisurewear, M&S kids, Zig & Star, Mamut and Loanhood. Students in teams pitched for their preferred clients with the best 2 going forward with each client. The key feature of the module is collaboration and our students worked in various capacities to conduct in-depth analysis of the client to form their initial ideas and approaches. They took part in interviews and also toured the client’s head offices. Students received support in the form of lectures and workshops from academic staff and experts on buying and merchandising principles, design research and implementation, project management and communication.
The Leading Design Practice module gives students an opportunity to solve real-world problems for leading brands in the fashion industry. Our students engage with stakeholders, combine their creative expression with commercial understanding and showcase their ideas and solutions during a final presentation day where they receive feedback directly from industry professionals. It’s an excellent opportunity for them to experience what it is like to work with different teams to achieve a shared goal.
Sanjana Atal, an MA Fashion Design Management student had this to say about the experience:
“This was an invaluable experience for me as a postgraduate student. It provided an opportunity for us to apply our theoretical knowledge to a real-world scenario and collaborate with Peachaus as an industry partner. The day was filled with excitement, creative energy, and a sense of purpose as we presented our design concepts and received feedback from industry experts. It was a great platform to showcase our skills and gain practical insights into the design industry.”
Find out more about MA Fashion Design Management