On the surface, Fashion Design and Textile Design might seem like very similar courses. If you dig a little deeper, there are differences that can shape the future of your career, and one course might suit your interests better than the other. Find out more about the differences and which course is right for you.
What does a Fashion Designer do?
A fashion designer ideates and creates original clothing and accessories, following their idea through from inspiration to creation.
Fashion designers often start their process by sketching their designs, then going on to select patterns and fabrics to suit their concept. Fashion designers see their ideas through to production, and might make their own samples.
As a designer in the fashion industry, you may specialise in a particular area, for example athleisure, tailoring or ready-to-wear.
What does a Textile Designer do?
In very simplistic terms, textile designers make the fabric that fashion designers use to make clothes. However, textile designers create materials for a wide range of other uses besides fashion – designs for carpets, wallpapers, upholstery, stationery etc, as well as materials used in healthcare, environmental conservation and space exploration!
You will often work on repeat designs and patterns, working meticulously to make sure the designs are cohesive and will work on a variety of items.
Fashion and Textile Courses
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Skillsets
Both of these areas require a creative eye and should be savvy with staying up to date with trends and predictions in the fashion and interior industries. On both courses you will use Computer Aided Design (CAD) to develop your designs and visualise them in a real-world setting.
A textile designer has a wide knowledge of fabrics and materials, even down to threads and fibres and the materials properties. As well as this, you will know your colour palettes and have a good eye for matching colours, prints and patterns together.
On the Textile Design course, the first year Textile Processes module will teach you to print, weave, knit and embroider.
Fashion designers will learn how to cut patterns and learn the basics of sewing and garment construction machines through the Fashion Design Skills module in your first year.
You will also need competent team-working and management skills, as you will often be collaborating with different teams to bring your designs to life.
Which course is right for me?
Here at BCU, we offer a range of Fashion and Textiles courses. If you’re still trying to decide between the two, take our handy quiz below to get to know the courses more and decide which suits your passions best.