This course will help anyone that uses research as part of their creative fashion design process. Carrying out effective research is an essential skill for any designer and this course will help you to master this skill.
Make sure your fashion design work is constantly topped up with innovative ideas and inspired work because you have learnt the essential skills for fashion design research.
This course will help:
Read more
This course will help anyone that uses research as part of their creative fashion design process. Carrying out effective research is an essential skill for any designer and this course will help you to master this skill.
Make sure your fashion design work is constantly topped up with innovative ideas and inspired work because you have learnt the essential skills for fashion design research.
This course will help:
This course will help anyone that uses research as part of their creative fashion design process. Carrying out effective research is an essential skill for any designer and this course will help you to master this skill.
Make sure your fashion design work is constantly topped up with innovative ideas and inspired work because you have learnt the essential skills for fashion design research.
This course will help:
- Fashion students at all levels
- People going through the application process for a university or college course in fashion design or a fashion related course
- People applying for a job in the field of fashion where an understanding of research in the design process is required.
- Mature students, those on a GAP year and people in a job who want to refresh their design research skills.
After completing the course:
By successfully completing this course and applying what you have learnt you will have a confident, well organised, efficient and disciplined approach to your fashion design research.
Duration - the course will take about 1.5 hours to complete.
Structure - you'll be guided by a tutor who has both fashion design and teaching experience and is a gifted designer in her own right, able to pass on her experience to you.
Materials - you will receive complimentary key learning point sheets, a research planner template, sheet as well as personal goal plans and action planner for use during and after you have completed the course.
Tutor Support - your tutor is on hand to call upon for any support you need and to help you to make the most of the course and the time and money you have invested.
Student Discussions - the course includes an opportunity to join in with other students and discussions relating to the creation of your fashion portfolio.
Life Time Access - you have lifetime access to the course so there's no need to feel that you have to complete it within a few days. Start and finish when it suits you knowing that if for any reasons you can't complete it in one go you can always finish it later.
What's inside
Syllabus
In this section you will be introduced to your tutor and given an overview of the course. You will learn how to make the most of the course and how to set yourself a personal learning goal for the cou
Read more
Syllabus
In this lecture I will be introducing myself and briefly explaining the content of the course so you know what to expect and how we will be working together.
From the last lesson you now know what’s covered in the course. In this lecture you’ll learn some tips for making the most of it and how to set your learning goals for the course.
In this lesson I'll explain to you how to set yourself a personal learning goal for the course so that you increase the chance of succeeding and making what you've learnt stick.
Cheryl gives some general advice about giving feedback and course reviews for this course.
In this lesson you’ll learn about why as fashion designers we need to do research in the first place and how it all fits together into the design process. You'll learn about what 'research' is in the context of a fashion designer's role.
In this lesson you'll learn about how much research is the right amount to do for your projects and brief.
In this lesson you’ll learn about the first five of the 15 sources of research. These are:
- Museums and Galleries
- Architecture and Graphic Design
- Fabrics and Trimmings
- Shopping
- Street Fashion
In this lesson you will learn about the following research sources:
- Society, Economics and Politics
- Social Media
- Performance Art
- Industrial Design
- Costume Design
Finally in this lesson you will learn about the last of our 15 sources of research which are:
- Music and Fashion
- Science, Nature and Technology
- Fashion and Sport
- photography
- Vintage clothing and Secondhand
In this lesson you’ll learn about the four types of research that you will need to use in your projects as a designer. These are fabric research, creative research, historical research and trend research. These are different to research sources as these are not directly sources but areas of focus, or themes.
Before you begin learning about the research process I want to first explain the difference between primary and secondary research as they both bring different benefits and limitations. You will be faced with using both types in the future so it’s important for you to know the difference. This lesson teaches you the difference between the two and how they apply for you in fashion design.
In this lesson you’ll learn how to manage and organise your research work to ensure that you work efficiently and remain focused. You will learn about the following elements of the research process:
- Planning
- Collating and Documenting
- Organising and filing
- Reviewing and using
In this lecture you'll learn about what being inspired as a designer really means and why it's so important a personal characteristic to continually develop.
In this lecture I share with you my top 25 tips for getting unstuck when inspiration leaves you and you feel uninspired. All of these tips can easily be applied by anyone. Try them and I guarantee you'll feel the difference.
This lecture teaches you how to become inspired when you feel stuck and your creative ideas are not flowing.
In this lesson I teach you how to get behind the scenes access to research material in museums and galleries.
In this lecture I run through the content of the course and remind you of the key learning messages. This will give you an overview of the material you have covered and offer you the chance to ask any final questions before you take the optional quiz.
These assignments are optional but I highly recommend that you carry them out as they will deepen your awareness of what research has to offer a designer and give you first hand experience of how it can bring new ways of seeing what’s around you. You can download the assignment briefing notes from the resources section and follow the instructions to complete your assignment.
If you have any questions about the assignments please ask them once again in the Q&A area. Don’t feel afraid that your question might be silly or irrelevant. It will not be. I believe the only silly questions are ones you should ask but don’t! So please ask if in doubt.
This quiz is optional but I'm highly recommending it to you as a way of double checking what you've learnt or not. Have fun and challenge yourself to get 100% right!
You can contact me via any of the following ways. I'd love to hear from you so please feel free to reach out and let's stay connected.
Traffic lights
Save this course
Save
Reviews summary
Practical guide to fashion research basics
Instructor's style keeps you engaged.
Ideal starting point for new students.
Downloadable templates are very useful.
Offers useful tips applicable to projects.
Well-structured content and easy to follow.
Activities
The Fundamentals of Fashion Design
Show steps
Reinforce your understanding of core fashion design principles before diving into research-specific techniques.
View
The Fundamentals of Fashion Design
on Amazon
Show steps
-
Obtain a copy of 'The Fundamentals of Fashion Design'.
-
Read the chapters related to design principles and the design process.
-
Take notes on key concepts and definitions.
Review Art History Movements
Show steps
Strengthen your understanding of art history to inform your creative research and design inspiration.
Browse courses on
Art History
Show steps
-
Identify major art history movements (e.g., Renaissance, Baroque, Art Deco).
-
Research the key characteristics and influences of each movement.
-
Consider how these movements have influenced fashion design.
Curate a Visual Research Library
Show steps
Develop a personal visual library to inspire and inform your fashion design research.
Show steps
-
Gather images from various sources (magazines, online, museums).
-
Organize images by theme, color, or style.
-
Annotate images with keywords and notes.
-
Regularly add new images to your library.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Trend Forecasting Exercises
Show steps
Sharpen your trend forecasting skills to identify emerging trends and incorporate them into your designs.
Show steps
-
Analyze current fashion trends in magazines and online.
-
Identify common themes and patterns.
-
Predict future trends based on your analysis.
-
Compare your predictions with established trend forecasting reports.
Document Street Style Observations
Show steps
Practice observing and documenting street style to gain insights into current fashion trends and consumer preferences.
Show steps
-
Choose a location with diverse street style (e.g., a city center, a university campus).
-
Take photos of interesting outfits and details.
-
Write brief descriptions of each outfit, noting key elements and trends.
-
Share your observations on a blog or social media platform.
Fashionpedia: The Visual Dictionary of Fashion
Show steps
Use this book as a reference to expand your knowledge of fashion terminology and visual elements.
View
Putting Knowledge to Work
on Amazon
Show steps
-
Acquire a copy of 'Fashionpedia'.
-
Browse the book to familiarize yourself with its contents.
-
Use it as a reference when researching specific fashion terms or concepts.
Develop a Research-Based Capsule Collection
Show steps
Apply your research skills to design a capsule collection inspired by a specific theme or concept.
Show steps
-
Choose a theme or concept for your collection (e.g., a historical era, a cultural movement).
-
Conduct thorough research on your chosen theme.
-
Develop sketches and designs based on your research.
-
Create a mood board to visualize your collection.
-
Present your collection in a portfolio or presentation.
The Fundamentals of Fashion Design
Show steps
Reinforce your understanding of core fashion design principles before diving into research-specific techniques.
View
The Fundamentals of Fashion Design
on Amazon
Show steps
- Obtain a copy of 'The Fundamentals of Fashion Design'.
- Read the chapters related to design principles and the design process.
- Take notes on key concepts and definitions.
Review Art History Movements
Show steps
Strengthen your understanding of art history to inform your creative research and design inspiration.
Browse courses on
Art History
Show steps
- Identify major art history movements (e.g., Renaissance, Baroque, Art Deco).
- Research the key characteristics and influences of each movement.
- Consider how these movements have influenced fashion design.
Curate a Visual Research Library
Show steps
Develop a personal visual library to inspire and inform your fashion design research.
Show steps
- Gather images from various sources (magazines, online, museums).
- Organize images by theme, color, or style.
- Annotate images with keywords and notes.
- Regularly add new images to your library.
Trend Forecasting Exercises
Show steps
Sharpen your trend forecasting skills to identify emerging trends and incorporate them into your designs.
Show steps
- Analyze current fashion trends in magazines and online.
- Identify common themes and patterns.
- Predict future trends based on your analysis.
- Compare your predictions with established trend forecasting reports.
Document Street Style Observations
Show steps
Practice observing and documenting street style to gain insights into current fashion trends and consumer preferences.
Show steps
- Choose a location with diverse street style (e.g., a city center, a university campus).
- Take photos of interesting outfits and details.
- Write brief descriptions of each outfit, noting key elements and trends.
- Share your observations on a blog or social media platform.
Fashionpedia: The Visual Dictionary of Fashion
Show steps
Use this book as a reference to expand your knowledge of fashion terminology and visual elements.
View
Putting Knowledge to Work
on Amazon
Show steps
- Acquire a copy of 'Fashionpedia'.
- Browse the book to familiarize yourself with its contents.
- Use it as a reference when researching specific fashion terms or concepts.
Develop a Research-Based Capsule Collection
Show steps
Apply your research skills to design a capsule collection inspired by a specific theme or concept.
Show steps
- Choose a theme or concept for your collection (e.g., a historical era, a cultural movement).
- Conduct thorough research on your chosen theme.
- Develop sketches and designs based on your research.
- Create a mood board to visualize your collection.
- Present your collection in a portfolio or presentation.
Career center
Fashion Designer
Trend Analyst
Fashion Editor
Fashion Forecaster
Fashion Blogger
Costume Designer
Fashion Buyer
Brand Manager
Pattern Maker
Personal Stylist
Fashion Public Relations Specialist
Visual Merchandiser
Fashion Merchandiser
Textile Designer
Seamstress
Reading list
Share
Similar courses
OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.
Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.
Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.
We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.
Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.
Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.
