Starting your postgraduate studies with us soon? We're looking forward to welcoming you! If you want to get a head start on your studies and get clued up on what's to come, take a look at our list of resources for things you can do to prepare for your course.
Reading and Research
Reading material for a fashion and textiles course depends on what you want to draw inspiration from. Looking through cult fashion magazines such as Vogue, Elle and Vanity Fair can be helpful, as they cover new trends and have large photography spreads. Other books made specifically by high fashion designers can also be useful if you are looking into catwalk designs; Yves Saint Laurent, Prada, and Louis Vuitton are just some of the big names that have style books.
You can also look at Pantone for trending colour palettes, colour of the year, and more general inspiration.
Visit
You will gain a lot from visiting one of our Postgraduate open days. Here, you will be able to take a look around our innovative School of Fashion and Textile facilities, housed at our £62 million Parkside building.
Other than this, there are plenty of fashion and textiles focused events that you can attend in and around Birmingham, some of which happen regularly such as vintage clothing fairs and fashion shows. Attending a vintage clothing fair not only gives you the chance to buy unique clothing items for an affordable price, but can also be a source of inspiration for your studies and future creations, and pieces can be reworked or used as material for other items you may choose to make.
Watch
Fashion is all around us, especially when it comes to film and television. Take a look at period shows like Bridgerton or The Crown to see historical elements, or if you’re more interested in fashion critique and competitions, you can watch Making the Cut, Next in Fashion, Project Runway, and The Great British Sewing Bee. Whichever way you decide to ingest your fashion content, the least you’ll get from it is inspiration and a critical eye.
In addition these shows, you can check out the BCU YouTube channel for information on student life, facilities, and further course details. There are several videos dedicated to the School of Fashion and Textiles, and the dedicated facilities and courses.
Listen
There are plenty of fashion related podcasts you can listen to that cover fashion news, trends, events and history:
- The Business of Fashion Podcast
- Fashion Revolution Podcast
- Dressed: The History of Fashion
- Fashion No Filter
Follow
Keep up to date with all things BCU on our main Twitter account, where we post ongoings, news, and more. We’re also on Instagram and Facebook.
