BSc Fashion Management

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Fashion Project

Course unit fact file
Unit code MATS34552
Credit rating 40
Unit level Level 6
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Offered by Department of Materials
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

There is a state of perpetual change in the fashion and textile industry with each stage in the product development process intrinsically and strategically linked.

Aims

Encourage a number of skills required for a career in the commercial world by consolidating the fashion/textiles, management, marketing, buying and merchandising and retailing studies that the students have undertaken to date at level -4 and -5 and exploring how these have been approached by the fashion/textiles industries:

  • Develop an understanding for the importance of design to business competitiveness whilst considering effective practices in industry.
  • Draw attention to the importance of the decision-making process for strategic business plans.
  • Develop specialist knowledge and understanding in fashion textiles marketing
  • Introduce the theoretical concepts relating to fashion marketing communication
  • Encourage students to develop a creative appreciation of fashion textiles

 

Learning outcomes

A greater depth of the learning outcomes will be covered in the following sections:

  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Intellectual skills
  • Practical skills
  • Transferable skills and personal qualities

Teaching and learning methods

This unit makes use of a variety of learning and teaching processes including: lectures, problem based learning, practical sessions; case studies, and discussions. Blackboard will be used to present lecture notes and supporting materials for the unit. The lectures with develop the theoretical subject knowledge, whilst the case studies and discussions will evaluate the importance and application of techniques, with practical sessions visualising these findings. Blackboard may also be utilised for assessment using Turnitin.

 

Knowledge and understanding

 

 

  1. Show awareness of management theories pertinent to the fashion and textile industries;
  2. Critically appreciate of the management and communication issues entailed in design, innovation and strategy in a global textile and fashion industry;
  3. Analyse product development theories and processes in order to aid strategic planning;
  4. Evaluate the relative merits of a range of fashion strategy and marketing communications tools.

Contributing to developing A9 programme learning outcome and the assessment of:

A1.

Systematically describe, analyse and appraise the structure of global fashion, textiles and related industries, with focus on the emerging issues of markets, services, consumer expectations within the macro-environment.

A5.

Confidently distinguish the key elements of contemporary challenges and issues in fashion and textiles and use these systematically in strategic planning of operational responses.

A7.

Interpret the language of imagery and symbolic content in fashion consumption, with particular reference to forecasting, branding and product development for the fashion and textile industries.

A8.

Articulate the processes, procedures and practices of fashion retail, marketing, management and buying and merchandising strategies.

 

Intellectual skills

 

 

  1. Review and critically appreciate the management issues in the fashion and textiles industry.
  2. Analyse and critically evaluate various theories of design management and product development.
  3. Appreciate the role of design in business, understand the design process and how to manage this effectively, develop a set of business tools for design management.
  4. Reflection on the challenges facing the fashion industry

Contributing to developing the programme specification learning outcomes and assessment of:

B1.

Identify and conceptualise appropriate theories, applying them to the fashion and textile industry.

B2.

Synthesise, assess and evaluate information and data from appropriate sources and use these to make informed, independent judgments and decision making in relation to technical product and/or business contexts.

B4.

Exercise original thinking and independent learning to design and execute a project to evaluate and analyse a business concept or a technical aspect of garment or textiles products.  

B6.

Undertake the development and execution of a major independent project in an appropriate area.

 

Practical skills

 

 

  1. Practice the management theories in ‘real-life’ or case study scenarios,
  2. Report writing, problem analysis and presentations.
  3. Produce trend boards for fashion and products.
  4. Articulate and synthesis market and trend data through planning, conducting and evaluating research.

Contributing to developing C2 and C3 programme learning outcomes and the assessment of:

C4.

Identify and employ appropriate sources of information.

C6.

Use practical design communication methods effectively in a fashion and textile context.

 

Transferable skills and personal qualities

 

 

  1. Show appreciation of effective management practices for creative ideas and people.
  2. Communication, team work and time management.
  3. Organise research findings into a written report.
  4. Presentation methods and the ability to communicate through various design tools.

Contributing to developing D1, D2, D4 and D7 programme learning outcomes.

D3.

Clear and effective communication, using a range of styles and employing various media appropriate to the context.

D5.

Critical reflection upon own performance and use this to identify areas for personal development as part of a lifelong learning strategy and a foundation for continuing professional development.

D8.

An ability to apply creative and visual sensibilities in a commercial context.

 

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Project output (not diss/n) 100%

Feedback methods

Written and verbal

Recommended reading

Main texts:

  • Burke, S., (2011), ‘Fashion Designer: Concept to Collection’, Burke Publishing
  • Borja de Mozota, B. (2003) ‘Design Management: Using Design to Build Brand Value and Corporate Innovation’, Allworth Press, New York.
  • Brannon, E., (2000) ‘Fashion Forecasting’, Fairchild Publications,Inc.
  • Cooper, R & Press, M. (1995) ‘The Design Agenda: A Guide to Successful Design Management’, J Wiley & Sons, Chichester, UK
  • Copley,P. (2004) ‘Marketing Communications Management’, Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford
  • Davis Burns, L. & Bryant, N.O. (2002) ‘The Business of Fashion: Designing, Manufacturing and Marketing’ 2nd edition New York: Fairchild Publications
  • Dillion, S. (2012) ‘The Fundamentals of Fashion Management’, AVA academia, AVA publishing SA
  • Keiser, S.J. & Garner, M. B., (2008) ‘Beyond Design: The Synergy of Apparel Product Development’ 2nd edition New York: Fairchild Publications
  • Trott, P. (1998) ‘Innovation Management and New Product Development’, Financial Times Pitman Publishing, UK
  • WGSN - http://www.wgsn.com/ (you should get an automatic log in to WGSN from a computer on campus; off campus you will need to set up a VPN – please contact the helpdesk if you need help with this)

 

Recommended reading:

  • Abbing, Erik Roscam & van Gessel, Christa (2008) ‘Brand Driven Innovation’ Design Management Review; Summer 2008; 19, 3; ABI/INFORM Global
  • Bell, J. & Ternus, K. (2006) Silent Selling: Best Practices and Effective Strategies in Visual Merchandising, 3rd ed., Fairchild, New YorkClow, K E and Baack, D (2012) Integrated advertising, promotion and marketing communications. 5th edition Pearson, Harlow.
  • Gaskill L. R. (1999) Toward a Model of Retail Product Development: A Case Study Analysis, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal 1992 10: 17 SAGE
  • Goworek, H. (2010) ‘An investigation into product development processes for UK fashion  retailer: A multiple case study’, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management Vol. 14 No. 4, 2010 pp. 648-662 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
  • Grose, V. (2012) ‘Concept to Consumer’ AVA Academia, AVA Publishing SA
  • Hackley, C. (2005) Advertising and Promotion: Communicating Brands, Sage, London
  • Pringle, H. (2004) Celebrity Sells, Wiley, Chichester, UK
  • Jackson, T. and Shaw, D. (2009), ‘Mastering Fashion Marketing’, Palgrave Macmillan
  • Lea-Greenwood, G. (2007) Fashion Marketing Communications, Blackwell Science, Oxford
  • Harrison, S. (2000) Public Relations, Thomson learning, London
  • Lea-Greenwood, G. (1993) ‘River Island Clothing Co: A Case Study on Changing an Image’, in  International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, 21 (3)
  • Lea-Greenwood, G. (1998) ‘Visual Merchandising: A Neglected  Area in UK Fashion Marketing?’,  in International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management
  • Lea-Greenwood, G. (2000)’ Maine New England at Debenhams: Developing a New Range’, in Contemporary Cases in Retail Operations Management, Macmillan, London
  • McColl, J. & Moore C. (2010) An exploration of fashion retailer own brand strategies Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management Vol. 15 No. 1, 2011 pp. 91-107 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
  • Moore, G. (2012) ‘Fashion Promotion: Building a Brand through Marketing and Communication’, AVA Academia, AVA Publishing SA

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 40
Independent study hours
Independent study 360

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Rachel Studd Unit coordinator

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