Lingerie and Swimwear Design Short Course
Course description
Course overview
The Lingerie and Swimwear Design short course covers the design processes of lingerie and swimwear enabling you to design your own capsule collection. You'll gain valuable insights into the lingerie and swimwear industry, allowing you to develop a suitable retail concept.
You'll undertake research development, customer profiling, establishing a market position, concept development and exploring design details. You'll also create a wish list of fabrics/components for your design.
This course also covers trend forecasting and colour palette development to drive your collection build, with drawing tips and range planning. You'll be working both independently and in groups, with regular group feedback.
Please note that this is a design based course and does not include any garment construction work or pattern cutting.
This course is available both on campus or online.
Who this course is for
This course is ideal for anyone looking to gain a thorough understanding of the product cycle for a lingerie or swimwear collection and develop practical skills that will help you in your career or business. You must also have some painting experience for the course.
Key information
Topics covered on campus
- Focus on research development, customer profiling, establishing a market level, concept development and exploring design details/components
- This course also includes trend, fabric and colour palette development to aid your collection, with drawing tips and range planning. You will work both independently and in groups, with regular group feedback
Topics covered online
- Trend boards (colour pallet, product shape, product detail, fabrics/prints, design theme)
- Shop report (competitor analysis to help with your range planning)
- Marketing guide (how do your competitors market their designs?)
- Customer profile (what type of customer are you designing for?)
- Illustration guide (where to start, what materials to use)
- Finishing and terminology (understanding different types of finishing to build into your sketches)
- Collection build (designing your capsule collection)
- Understand next steps (route to manufacture, designer checklists, final e-presentation
Learning outcomes
- Create a capsule collection for your chosen product category, utilising a comprehensive design and construction toolkit. This will include concept development, fabric selection, component choices, and detailed design planning.
- Develop skills in researching fashion trends, identifying target customers, and profiling market positions, enhancing their ability to design with specific customer needs in mind.
- Use trend forecasting techniques to inform design choices and build cohesive colour palettes that reflect current and upcoming market trends.
- Gain a solid understanding of the lingerie and swimwear industry's landscape, including competitor analysis and positioning within the market.
- Conceptualise a retail strategy for presenting their designs, considering market trends, consumer behaviour, and brand positioning.
- Learn how to visually communicate ideas through the development of trend boards, fabric selections, design illustrations, and collection presentations.
- Work both independently and in group settings, sharing ideas, giving and receiving feedback, and improving designs based on peer and tutor input.
- Develop an awareness of the production process, including designer checklists and potential routes to manufacture, to prepare for transitioning designs from concept to reality.
- Digital badge and certificate of attendance
Materials
On campus
To fully participate in the practical exercises please bring the following materials/equipment to the first class:
- A4 layout 45gsm paper pad
- Technical/mechanical pencil
- Eraser
- Fine black pens
- Materials for colour work in your preferred medium (e.g. coloured pencils, water soluble coloured pencils, felt tip pens etc)
- Notepad and pen for note taking
- Laptop/iPad/tablet
- 1-2 fashion/art/design/architecture magazines to cut up for a collage activity (optional)
Online
Please bring for the first session:
- A4 layout 45gsm paper pad
- Technical/mechanical pencil
- Eraser
- Fine black pens
- Materials for colour work in your preferred medium (e.g. coloured pencils, felt tip pens etc)
If you are taking this course online, please see our Guide to taking online short courses.
Tutor
Emma Hopkins
Emma Hopkins is a Designer, llustrator & Trend Researcher for Lingerie, Swimwear & Sports. With a diverse and creative background reaching across intimates, apparel, trend forecasting and illustration. Emma has been designing for nearly 20 years, working for brands across US, Asia, Europe & UK markets to create lingerie collections and trend research for iconic luxury and high street brands. Emma thrives on creating next generation products in moulded, bonded, seamfree, structured and unstructured garments.
Nichole de Carle
After graduating with a First Class Honours in Contour Design at De Montfort University, Nichole has held various positions at global fashion powerhouses such as Alexander McQueen, Donna Karen New York, and Sydney-based lingerie specialists Pleasure State.
Nichole established her eponymous label in 2010 - a bespoke styling service using her own contour designs for VIP performers such as Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Rita Ora. In 2021, an established lingerie group purchased the business, allowing Nichole to redirect her skills, expertise and knowledge to drive the growth of her additional business ventures.
Nichole's business aptitude and contour design proficiency are recognised nationwide as she is named and recognised on Lingerie Insight's Power List as a serial entrepreneur and industry influencer.
With over a decade of experience as a business owner within the bodywear industry, Nichole is currently the owner and CEO of a group of specialist brand-building businesses: London Contour Experts, Bodywear Lab and HYSCULPT. She is also an active Creative Director, investor and board member for other thriving brands innovating within the fashion industry.
London Contour Experts is your ultimate contour brand consultancy under one roof. Offering a considered and intelligent approach to strategy and business insight, the diverse team is a group of industry innovators and contour experts, unafraid to push boundaries and lead the charge for change.
Bodywear Lab is a luxury digital design house, product development consultancy and London manufacturing studio with specialist expertise in creating high-quality lingerie, swimwear, bodywear and activewear. With a vision to combine luxury with sustainability, the brand implements eco-conscious practices throughout its business and partners with trusted European suppliers.
HYSCULPT is a creative marketing, branding and PR studio for creative minds. Passionate about building luxury brands that will disrupt and revolutionise the contour industry, the team's specialist expertise in fashion marketing within the contoured space allows them to produce impactful branding that resonates with an ever-evolving consumer market.
The group has introduced a 360 service offering with a wide range of services to suit everyone. From entrepreneurs with a bright concept for a new brand to heritage businesses rethinking their supply chain and established fashion brands branching out into new categories and licenses, the London Contour Experts Group can offer guidance and support for all.
Katharine Harrison
Tutor biography coming soon.
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