If you are looking to join the Textile Design course, look no further for tips and ideas on how to prepare for your course over the summer. We’ve come up with a range of options for you to explore and get you uni ready.
Keeping up to date with textile trends, looking outwardly, and knowing the movers and shakers in your design world will help your studies. Get informed, know the world you’re about to become part of!
1. Explore
Get to know the city by exploring the main shopping areas, Birmingham’s creative quarter, Digbeth (named as the 'Coolest Neighbourhood in Britain' by the Sunday Times), and the many internationally acclaimed museums and galleries.
If you’re in or visiting London, the V&A Fashion and Textile collection is well worth a visit, featuring the largest collection of dresses in the world, along with the Fashion and Textile Museum. Exhibitions at The Tate, Somerset House, Crafts Council and Design Museum are also worth checking out. To get inspired about fabric, you can also visit the famous Berwick street fabric stores.
Annual events such as New Designers, London Design Festival, London Craft Week, The British Textile Biennial, and Material Matters are also key ‘go-to’ events.
Want to get inspired from the comfort of your own home? Take a look at some virtual tours.
2. Watch
On YouTube, explore information on upcoming trends for textile design, find out about textile designers, new textile innovations, learn how fabric is made and watch textile documentaries and films. You can also upskill by learning a new technique in embroidery, print, weave, knit or biomaterial design.
Check out some ideas shaping the future of textiles and design on the World Hope Forum, a global platform for the exchange and expansion of knowledge and innovation.
On BCU’s YouTube channel, BA (Hons) Textile Design alumni Chloe Frost gives an insight into her role in trend forecasting and discusses her experience on the course.
Textile Design Course
Find out more about this course.
3. Listen
Some podcasts we recommend include:
- Texintel Talks
- British Textile Biennial
- Make it British
- WGSN
- Material Matters
- The Future of Fashion by Vogue.
4. Create
Originality and individuality are one of the key things to becoming a great textile designer, so why not get started on a project of your own?
- Drawing – why not set a drawing task every day and fill a sketchbook with drawing and painting, just because.
- Making – learn a new self-taught skill, get creative and make something for yourself or family. Sign up to become a member of Materiom Commons to access free recipes and make your own bio-material experiments.
- Researching – hunt out and gather images that form a ‘file of inspiration’ to get you started on future projects. Take photographs of textures, surfaces, shapes, form, materials, pattern, and colour that excite you – this is the language of textile design!
- Gathering – become a material magpie and collect threads and fabrics that excite you, become a colour hunter and start a colour box of scraps.
5. Read
Read everything and anything. Here are some great sources we recommend online:
6. Consider
Have a look through your own wardrobe and around your home interior. Consider how the fabrics are made and designed, the type of fabric/fibre used and functionality. How many times have you used them? Does it tell you anything about your style and what’s important to you?
7. Learn
Check out these resources to help prepare you to become a more sustainable designer: