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Postgraduate

MA Costume Design for Performance

Two female models dressed in gothic black, one with a colourful teddy bear's head.
Yongyi Yin | MA Costume Design for Performance | London College of Fashion | UAL Graduate Showcase
College
London College of Fashion Start date
September 2024 Course length
12 months

This costume design course develops confident and experimental practitioners who push the boundaries of traditions and explore innovations in costume for live, film and digital performance.

Course summary

Applications closed 2024/25

We are no longer accepting applications for 2024/25 entry to this course. Applications for 2025/26 entry will open in Autumn 2024.

Re-approval

Please note that this course is undergoing re-approval. This is the process by which we ensure the course continues to provide a high quality academic experience. During re-approval there may be some changes to the course content displayed on this page. Please contact us if you have any questions about the course.

Applying for more than 1 course

You can apply for more than 1 postgraduate course at UAL but we recommend that you apply for no more than 3. Find out more in the Apply Now section.

Why choose this course at London College of Fashion

  • Where graduates have gone on to work: graduates find employment as designers, assistant designers and costume supervisors in the theatre, film  and music entertainment industry. Employers have included: the Royal Opera House,  Netflix, Amazon,  BBC, National Ballet, major film productions such as Harry Potter, Spiderman and clients such as Dior,  Lagerfeld, Lady Gaga, Madonna and Kylie Minogue. Alumni are employed in leading academic roles for costume design and frequently win prizes in international exhibitions and competitions such as World of Wearable Art, Linbury Prize for Stage Design, World Stage Design.
  • Industry links: the course is firmly linked to industry partners, giving students the opportunity to showcase work to the public on professional platforms and regularly collaborate with professional companies. Previously students have worked with Sadler’s Wells and the V&A.
  • Facilities: students have access to highly specialist workshop facilities and the expertise of supporting technicians in areas of costume, technical effects, media and wearable tech.

Course overview

MA Costume for Performance has an established legacy of responding to and thriving on change. It seeks to include, embrace and respond to the changes in society, culture, politics, environment, technology and business by keeping the curriculum flexible and updated.   

Situated within a wider fashion education context, the course profits from and contributes to wider cultural debates around the body as platform of expression of individual and universal concerns. It promotes London College of Fashion’s principles of sustainability, inclusivity and diversity and engages with technological advancements in the fashion industry, which are adapted and utilised for the performance context.  

The aim of the course is to develop confident, agile and experimental practitioners who will push the boundaries of the discipline, offer new directions and challenge traditional costume practices. You will explore situations and narratives that raise attention to ethical, social, political and ecological issues. Through conceptual development and, specialised design realisation, the role of costume is explored within contemporary live performance, and screen -based and digital media.  

The course encourages thinking and making as intrinsically linked processes where theoretical and practice-based research methods are taught to underpin the development of costume concepts, performance narratives and costume realisation. You will develop the skills to articulate the value of costume for performance as an important and distinct area of performance research and practice. 

What to expect: 

  • Global reputation: Experience an environment in which students and alumni have earned a worldwide reputation for their experimental approach to costume design. Benefit from the unique connections with national and international external partners in cutting edge performance research.  
  • Extensive facilities: Utilise shared resources at the East Bank site which offer many opportunities to learn, experiment and discover new methods of design, fabrication, content production and dissemination. 
  • A blend of theory and practice:  Develop a versatile skillset and learn a blend of academic and practical skills to reflect innovative approaches, diversity of cultural expression, sustainable methods as well as analogue and digital technologies in performance design. 
  • Analytical thinking: You’ll analytically examine of a diverse range of areas such as anthropology, history and culture, social and political contexts form the basis to situate your own practice. 
  • Creative collaboration - Engage with other disciplines such as literature, fine art, film, music/sound, movement, science and technology, as well as other LCF postgraduate courses to inform your practice. 
  • Engagement with technology: Explore a wide range of technologies and methods from historical costume, fashion design, sculpture, textile, product design, photography, film, audio, wearable and digital technology in both design and construction to create meaningful costume centred performances for contemporary audiences. 

Research at MA Level  

Research is core to the curriculum and pedagogical approaches for the course. A strategy that locates research enquiry as central to the disciplinary learning experience supports the development of a critically reflective and culturally aware practitioner/learner. Iterative approaches of exploration and the crucial interrelationship between theory and practice are prioritised. Throughout the course, an understanding of the processes and methodologies of research will be developed within the discipline and situated within a broader cultural arena. The value of interdisciplinary modes of interrogation will be supported to address more complex issues.    

The integration of theoretical and/or philosophical frameworks provides alternate ways to look at the world in relationship to your project work. A systematic approach to research is supported, including the shaping of valid, ethical and achievable research questions and modes of prototyping that may lead to the generation of new insights, connections and understanding. Through the course, core research capabilities are developed, tested, and extended to underpin progressive cycles of reflexive practice. The application of research and critical perspectives in both theory and practice using a range of techniques and research methods are evaluated through formative and summative assessment. This helps to identify areas for potential improvement and development appropriate to your professional aspirations and advanced research potential that culminate in the proposition and independent pursuit of the Masters Project.    

Climate, Social and Racial Justice 

We are committed to ensuring that your skills are set within an ethical framework and are working to embed UAL’s Principles for Climate, Social and Racial Justice.  

Contact us

Register your interest to receive information and updates about studying at UAL.

Contact us to make an enquiry.

Postgraduate Preparation Guide

Download the Postgraduate Preparation Guide (3.54)

Course units

Elective Units  

In block 2, students will have an opportunity to take an elective unit. Individual unit descriptors can be found in the Electives Handbook. 

Course Structure:  

Block 1: EXPLORE - seeks to support students to make the transition to postgraduate level study through the following units: 

  • Costume for Performance (40 credits) 

You will be introduced to the principles of costume for performance and the narrative agency of costume as a conveyor of meaning in live performance. Learn advanced theoretical and practical tools for live performance creation through the medium of costume, the moving body and materiality. Focusing on character, you’ll experiment and innovate to develop your own concept and costume narratives, exploring possibilities for interaction, movement and storytelling. 

  • Costume in Context (20 credits) 

Understand costume design interactions as a driving force in performance creation.  You’ll explore how costume has been utilised to highlight, provoke and draw attention to individual and broader global issues, for example: climate change, social and racial justice. The aim is to identify your own interests in those wider issues and how these can be explored with costume for performance whilst developing your understanding of the industry to help define your future career aspirations. 

On successful completion of these units you are eligible for the award of a Post Graduate Certificate (60 credits) 

Block 2: SITUATE -  expresses the shift from orientation and exploration of the discipline to a position of affirming your own interests and specific direction, within the context of your discipline and beyond, through the following units:

  • Costume for Screen (40 credits) 

You will develop and create an original costume-based performance concept for film or digital media. You will undertake advanced costume realisation techniques with an emphasis on detail and materials viewed close-up. You’ll be introduced to a range of digital production methods, (such as wearable tech, 3D printing, laser cutting, photogrammetry and motion capture) and learn about the differences between analogue digital and hybrid screen content production methods including lighting, sound, editing and post production. 

  • Electives (20 credits) 

On successful completion of these units you are eligible for the award of a Post Graduate Diploma (120 credits). 

Block 3: INTEGRATE - seeks to express the principle of a culmination of theory and practice acquired throughout Block 1 and 2 which is expressed through the Master’s Project, working towards innovation and future practice beyond the course. 

  • Master’s Project (60 credits) 

Synthesise the knowledge and skills you have gained on the course with a self-directed project chosen with support from your supervisor. You’ll communicate your work along with your ability to critically interrogate your practice with robust approaches to research and analysis. Upon completion, you will have generated a quality piece of work to shape your future career and professional development. You will be eligible for the award of a Master’s of Art (180 credits). The final award grading is based upon the results of the Master’s Project only. 

Credit Framework 

The University of the Arts London Credit Framework equates 20 credits to 200 hours of learning time.

Programme specification

Download course specification (PDF File 469.8 KB)

Learning and teaching methods

Students will learn to advance their analytical independence with a distinctive individual approach with which to challenge existing traditions.

The teaching methods provide the opportunity to develop advanced levels of intellectual and practical engagement.  

Systematic research, intensive experimentation and innovation form the basis for  practical and theoretical outcomes. 

You will engage with advanced levels of theoretical and practical research methods that allows you to situate your own work in the wider field of art and performance design and respond to global issues including climate change, social and racial equality, gender identity, neurodiversity and the role of digital technology. 

Critical theoretical engagement, prototyping, material, movement, technical and creative experimentation methods enable you to develop your reflective practice in both theoretical and practical form. 

Technical costume construction, performance and media workshops are embedded in the delivery of the course, covering traditional as well as digital methods, movement and digital content production. 

The learning of advanced skills for text, character and contextual analysis is encouraged to include psychological, religious, social, historical, anthropological, political, philosophical, scientific and feminist theory as well as investigations and understanding of materials, anatomy, physics, digital and manual craft techniques which are utilised, engaged and evaluated in their ability to communicate what is intended. 

Frequent discussions with tutors , technicians and peers  are offered through the dedicated shared MA Costume studio environment. 

Additional cross college resources such as the Digital Learning Lab, the Digital Fabrication Lab, The PhD Performance Dress Lab , the Centre for Sustainable Fashion and the Media Store offer a wide spectrum of possibility for  participation, experimentation and innovation. 

Performance collaborations internally and externally offer the opportunity to learn additional skills in directing, producing, management and postproduction techniques to share your practice-based outcomes on University and wider public platforms. 

The documentation of research, analysis, concept development, reflection, design, realisation development processes and methods in form of portfolios, technical logs and realised costumes form the key components of the units delivery.

Summary of Teaching and Learning Methods: 

  • briefings  
  • lectures  
  • seminars  
  • individual tutorials   
  • master classes   
  • material and technical workshops   
  • presentations  
  • Practical testing 
  • Prototyping 
  • collaborative and independent practice   
  • formative feedback  
  • Industry feedback and collaborations 

Assessment methods

  • Presentations   
  • Reviews of work in progress  
  • Portfolios and sketchbooks  
  • Technical log books 
  • Documentation of costume  
  • Final realised costume(s) 
  • Performance 
  • Written work 

UAL Showcase

Explore work by our recent students on the UAL Showcase

LCF MA21 | Dual identities: Costume showreel

Latest news from this course

Staff

Agnes Treplin originally trained in Fashion Design in Berlin before undertaking the BA(Hons) Theatre Design at Central Saint Martin’s and some years after that the MA Performance and Culture at Goldsmith University. Since 1995 she has worked as a theatre designer on many productions for opera, dance, theatre, musicals, film and TV in the UK and internationally. Her most recent design credits: Who Do We Think We Are? (Southwark Playhouse) A Dashing Fellow (New Diorama Theatre London) Werther. Die Sprache der Liebe (Hans Otto Theater, Potsdam, Germany), Warsaw Melody (Arcola Theatre), Am Horizont (Hans Otto Theater, Germany) Consultants and Man in the Middle (Theatre 503, London) The Last 5 Years (Barbican) Land of The Gypsies (Grand Theatre, Casino du Liban, Lebanon) The Marriage of Figaro and Don Pasquale (ETO)The Rise of the Phoenix and Gibran The Prophet and Don Quixote for the  Byblos International Festival in Lebanon, Al Mutanabbi (Baalbek Festival, Lebanon, Xenobia (Dubai)) Der Freischuetz (National Theatre of Iceland), Othello (Basingstoke Theatre). She has designed over 40 productions for Guildhall School of Music, LAMDA and RADA and was appointed head of Design at Drama Centre London from 2000 - 2010. Agnes is currently leading the curation for the UK participation at the exhibition Innovative Costumes of the 21st Century: The New Generation opening in Moscow in 2019.  She engages in research projects addressing costume in performance and most recently produced and designed a costume performance and subsequent film in collaboration with the National Gallery, London College of Fashion, exhibited at the NG, Shoreditch Town Hall and as part of the Evolutions in Performance Design exhibition in Beijing in 2014 and at Shanghai Museum of Modern Art in 2015. She has taught Theatre Design at Central Saint Martin’s College for over 10 years and has been course director for the MA Costume Design for Performance at London College of Fashion since 2010. In addition she took on the role as Programme Director for Performance at LCF from 2105 -2016, holds the PG Cert for Teaching Art and Design and provides PhD supervision at LCF. She is contributing to international research forums most recently at the World Stage Design Expo 2017 in Taiwan for the conference ‘Thinking Costume’. View Agnes Treplin's full profile here.

Scholar and scenographer Donatella Barbieri publishes extensively, lectures publically, presents work in international exhibitions, curates events and devises performances around costume. She has pioneered methodologies of designs which have, through MA graduates, extended their influence internationally.

Ben Turnbull is a Lecturer in Performance Technology and Design at London College of Fashion, UAL. He is a digital scenographer, 360 VR filmmaker, video  designer and technician who works across live performance in the areas of digital technology, video design, lighting and interactivity. He previously taught at Middlesex University on integrating new technologies into live performance, as Technical Tutor (Performing Arts).

Nadia Malik is the Programme Director for the Performance Courses at London College of Fashion, UAL. She has previously been Course Leader for BA Costume Design and Making at Nottingham Trent University and Costume With Textiles at the University of Huddersfield, Head of Wardrobe at the University of Essex and lectured at various other universities.

Nadia is the Reviews Editor (Exhibitions and Events) for the journal Studies in Costume and Performance, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a committee member of the Society of British Theatre Designersand a PhD candidate at Aalto University, Helsinki. Her research work focuses on Knowledge Exchange between academia and industry through experimental pedagogical practice in costume. She holds a BA in Textile Design from Nottingham Trent University and an MA in Costume Design for Performance from London College of Fashion, UAL.

Nadia’s design work has encompassed new and classic writing, opera, folk and contemporary dance, experimental site-specific devised work and live art, including international festivals. With a collaborative approach to performance devising, her work explores the human body, movement, and how costume-led design practice can engage audiences with performance. She has also curated and produced costume events.

Fees and funding

Home fee

£13,330

This fee is correct for 2024/25 entry and is subject to change for 2025/26 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Students from countries outside of the UK will generally be charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about tuition fees and determining your fee status.

International fee

£28,570

This fee is correct for 2024/25 entry and is subject to change for 2025/26 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

Students from countries outside of the UK will generally be charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about tuition fees and determining your fee status.

Additional costs

You may need to cover additional costs which are not included in your tuition fees. These could include travel expenses and the costs of materials. For a list of general equipment needed for all UAL courses, visit our living expenses and additional costs page.

Accommodation

Find out about accommodation options and how much they will cost.

Scholarships, bursaries and awards

If you’ve completed a qualifying course at UAL, you may be eligible for a tuition fee discount on this course. Find out more about our Progression discount.

You can also find out more about the Postgraduate Masters Loan (Home students only) and scholarships, including £7,000 scholarships for Home and International students. Discover more about student funding.

If you’re based in the UK and plan to visit UAL for an Open Event, check if you’re eligible for our UAL Travel Bursary. This covers the costs of mainland train or airline travel to visit UAL.

How to pay

Find out how you can pay your tuition fees.

Scholarship search

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Entry requirements

The standard entry requirements for this course are as follows:

  • An Honours degree at 2.1 or above in a related discipline. Applicants with a degree in another subject may be considered, depending on the strength of the application;
  • OR Equivalent qualifications;

APEL (Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning)

Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:

  • Related academic or work experience (for a minimum of three years)
  • The quality of the personal statement
  • A strong academic or other professional reference
  • OR a combination of these factors

Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English Language Requirements

IELTS level 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Please check our main English Language Requirements. 

Selection criteria

The course seeks to recruit students from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, and welcomes applications from mature students.

The course seeks to recruit students who can demonstrate:

  • The potential to develop their practical and critical abilities through academic study;
  • Critical knowledge of a subject area;
  • A capacity for intellectual enquiry and reflective thought;
  • An openness to new ideas and a willingness to participate actively in their own intellectual development;
  • Initiative and a developed and mature attitude to independent study.

Information for disabled applicants

UAL is committed to achieving inclusion and equality for disabled students. This includes students who have:

     
  • Dyslexia or another Specific Learning Difference
  • A sensory impairment
  • A physical impairment
  • A long-term health or mental health condition
  • Autism
  • Another long-term condition which has an impact on your day-to-day life

Our Disability Service arranges adjustments and support for disabled applicants and students.

Read our Disability and dyslexia: applying for a course and joining UAL information.

Apply now

Application deadline

Deadline

Round 1:

13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)

Round 2:

3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)

Digital portfolio and video task deadline

Round 1:

16 January 2024

Round 2:

16 April 2024

Decision outcome

Round 1:

End of March 2024

Round 2:

End of June 2024

Round 1
Round 2
Deadline
13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)
3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)
Digital portfolio and video task deadline
16 January 2024
16 April 2024
Decision outcome
End of March 2024
End of June 2024

Applications are now closed for 2024/25 entry. Applications for 2025/26 entry will open in autumn 2024.

Read more about deadlines

Apply now

Application deadline

Deadline

Round 1:

13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)

Round 2:

3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)

Digital portfolio and video task deadline

Round 1:

16 January 2024

Round 2:

16 April 2024

Decision outcome

Round 1:

End of March 2024

Round 2:

End of June 2024

Round 1
Round 2
Deadline
13 December 2023 at 1pm (UK time)
3 April 2024 at 1pm (UK time)
Digital portfolio and video task deadline
16 January 2024
16 April 2024
Decision outcome
End of March 2024
End of June 2024

Applications are now closed for 2024/25 entry. Applications for 2025/26 entry will open in autumn 2024.

Read more about deadlines

How to apply

Follow this step-by-step guide to apply for this course

Step 1: Initial application

You will need to submit an initial application including your personal statement, CV, written task and study proposal.

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement should be maximum 500 words and include:

  • your reasons for choosing the course
  • your current creative practice and how this course will help you achieve your future plans
  • any relevant education and experience, especially if you do not have any formal academic qualifications.

Visit our personal statement page for more advice.

CV advice

Please provide a CV detailing your education, qualifications and any relevant work or voluntary experience. If you have any web projects or other media that you would like to share, please include links in your CV. If English is not your first language, please also include your most recent English language test score.

Written task advice

In 1000 – 1500 words, please respond to the following discussion:

“Analyse the contribution that costume makes to the development of character and narrative in a particular production (theatre, film or TV)”

Please include references and a bibliography. This will not be included in the word count.

Study proposal advice

Please provide a summary of your study proposal (400 words).

It should:

  • describe the area of study that you plan to focus on for your major project, including particular text(s), theories and themes that you might want to explore
  • describe the performance context of your proposal, demonstrating your knowledge of historical and contemporary context of your area of study
  • include research resources, a bibliography and appendices if relevant. This is not included in the word count.

Please note, your proposal serves to inform your application and we understand that your ideas will develop and change throughout your studies

Step 2: Video task and digital portfolio

We will review your initial application. If you have met the standard entry requirements, we will ask you to submit a video task and a digital portfolio.

You’ll need to submit these via PebblePad, our online portfolio tool. Please submit your video task on the first page followed by your portfolio.

Video task advice

We’d like you to submit a 2-3 minute video to help us learn more about you. When recording your task, please face the camera and speak in English.

What to include in your video task

  • Choose 1 project from your portfolio and explain how it challenged you and your understanding of costume design within performance.
  • Tell us how this experience inspired you to apply to this course at London College of Fashion.

Read our guidance for how to submit your video task and which file types we accept.

Digital portfolio advice

Your portfolio should consist of recent work that reflects your creative strengths.

It should:

  • be maximum 30 pages, including your video task
  • include digital versions of drawings, photographs of realised designs, speculative design and sketch work
  • include work in progress as well as finished pieces to demonstrate your creative process and ability to develop an idea from an initial concept to finished outcome
  • be clearly presented with labels, including dates and captions.

For more support, see our Portfolio advice and PebblePad advice.

Step 3: Interview

You may be invited to an interview following our review of your application. All interviews are held online and last 15 to 20 minutes.

For top tips, see our Interview advice.

You also need to know

Communicating with you

Once you have submitted your initial application, we will email you with your login details for our Applicant portal.

Requests for supplementary documents like qualifications and English language tests will be made through the applicant portal. You can also use it to ask questions regarding your application. Visit our After you apply page for more information.

Applying to more than 1 course

You can apply for more than 1 postgraduate course at UAL but we recommend that you apply for no more than 3 courses. You need to tailor your application, supporting documents and portfolio to each course, so applying for many different courses could risk the overall quality of your application. If you receive offers for multiple courses, you'll only be able to accept 1 offer. UAL doesn't accept repeat applications to the same course in the same academic year.

Visas and immigration history check

All non-UK nationals must complete an immigration history check. Your application may be considered by our course teams before this check takes place. This means that we may request your portfolio and/or video task before we identify any issues arising from your immigration history check. Sometimes your history may mean that we are not able to continue considering your application. Visit our Immigration and visas advice page for more information.

External student transfer policy

UAL accepts transfers from other institutions on a case-by-case basis. Read our Student transfer policy for more information.

Alternative offers

If your application is really strong, but we believe your strengths and skillset are better suited to a different course, we may make you an alternative offer. This means you will be offered a place on a different course or at a different UAL College.

Deferring your place

We do not accept any deferral requests for our postgraduate courses. This means that you must apply in the year that you plan to start your course and you will not be able to defer your place to start at a later date.

Application deadlines

For postgraduate courses at UAL there are 2 equal consideration deadlines to ensure fairness for all our applicants. If you apply ahead of either of these deadlines, your application will be considered on an equal basis with all other applications in that round. If there are places available after the second deadline, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Careers

All our postgraduate courses offer career development, so that you become a creative thinker, making effective contributions to your relevant sector of the fashion industry.

LCF offers students the opportunity to develop Personal and Professional Development (PPD) skills while studying through:

* Access to to speaker programmes and events featuring alumni and industry.

* Access to careers activities, such as CV clinics and one-to-one advice sessions.

* Access to a graduate careers service

* Access to a live jobsboard for all years.

* Advice on setting up your own brand or company.

Career paths

MA Costume Design for Performance graduates practice as designers in both the text-based mainstream but also the devised/arthouse live performance and film sector. They often take the collaborative performance work initiated during the course further and as a result, their work has been seen in major national and international festivals, including Prague Quadrennial and Edinburgh Festival, Critical Costume Helsinki (Finland), Pamplona Festival (Spain) and has been exhibited at the National Gallery London, the V&A Museum, National Centre of Performance Art in Beijing, Museum of Modern Art Shanghai and in many other venues in the UK and abroad.

Graduates find employment as assistant designers and costume supervisors in the theatre and film industry in leading institutions such as the Royal Opera House, English National Opera and on films such as Star Wars, Harry Potter and Suffragette. Others have built careers as experts in specific technical areas of costume, such as, pattern cutting, surface textiles, print and dye or fabricated, sculptural costumes. Some graduates are currently working for major fashion labels such as Chanel, Dior, McQueen and Lawrence Xu producing often unusual one-off costumes and objects for the designer’s catwalk shows.

Graduates have found work with artists, whose work borders on performance, such as Lucy Orta and Tracy Emin.

Graduate Futures

Graduate Futures provides a comprehensive career management service supporting our students to become informed and self-reliant individuals able to plan and manage their own careers.

LCF alumni

Many of our alumni are now impressive, leading industry figures.

Alumni

London College of Fashion

Contact

Telephone

+44 (0)20 7514 7400

Address

105 Carpenter's Road
London

E20 2AR