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Fashion Buying with Product Development BA (Hons)

Do you want to become a buying expert with specialist technical knowledge in the design and development of commercial and performance clothing? This course will prepare you for a range of roles in the exciting and fast-paced fashion industry.

Overview

Fiona Bailey discusses the different pathways students can study with Fashion Buying at DMU.

The fashion industry is constantly evolving and there is a growing need for buyers with a rounded knowledge of product realisation, as well as technical design and development expertise. This course can equip you with the skills needed to continuously innovate and adapt to changes within this fast-moving sector. 

You’ll learn about the life cycle of a product from concept stage and market analysis, through to delivery to the shop floor. Develop your design aesthetic through practical skills, exploring pattern cutting, construction, fabric awareness, and creating your own commercial design work. Choose to enhance this and develop your technical ability with a focus on making 3D garments, or 3D computer-aided-design (CAD). You will have access to a suite of the latest software packages to progress your design skills and learn new applications. 

Make the most of opportunities to connect with our strong industry network to gain support in idea generation for new product developments. We’ll also offer you the opportunity to work on live projects with industry insiders and to hear from expert visiting lecturers.

Key features

  • We have been recognised as one of the most sustainable fashion and textiles schools in the country as winners of the Next Generation Learning and Skills Award in the Green Gown Awards 2021.
  • Fashion Buying at DMU was named best in ‘Learning Experience and Long-term Value’ in 2019 by The Business of Fashion, the internationally renowned website that assesses the world’s top programmes.
  • Gain the fundamental skills needed to excel in the fashion industry and become a specialist in buying and product development with strong technical expertise.
  • Learn directly from fashion industry experts – work alongside them and discuss your own ideas.
  • Gain valuable knowledge of the research and development process, from market analysis, design, pattern cutting and manufacture, to assessing fit and garment success.
  • Learn about the latest technical advances affecting product development, and gain confidence with specifications, sourcing decisions and planning.
  • Choose to take a one-year industry placement within, or outside the UK. Students have experienced life at Tommy Hilfiger, O'Neill, Marks & Spencer, Next, George, Joules, G-Star Raw, River Island, The Global Brands Group, and at supply bases. Many have gone on to work for these international brands and suppliers.
  • Study in the award-winning Vijay Patel Building where our well-equipped design workshops and photography studios enable you to explore your design potential while making and testing products.
  • We provide core workshop materials at no cost, and give cash awards – £150, £200 and £300 in years one, two and three respectively – to support personal materials and printing costs*.

See our student work

The Green Gown Award puts DMU at the forefront of sustainable fashion and textiles education in the UK. Our comprehensive approach to sustainability is empowering our students to be agents of change within the industry.

Professor Carolyn Hardaker, Head of School of Fashion and Textiles

More courses like this

Fashion Buying with Design BA (Hons)

Fashion Buying with Marketing BA (Hons)

Fashion Buying with Merchandising BA (Hons)

Fashion Communication and Styling BA (Hons)

  • UK
  • EU/International

Institution code: D26

UCAS course code: W23B

Duration: Three years full-time, four years full-time with a placement. Six years part-time.

Fees and funding: 

2024/25 tuition fees for UK students: £9,250

Find out more about tuition fees and available funding.

 Additional costs: Here at DMU we provide excellent learning resources, including the Kimberlin Library and specialist workshops and studios. However, you should be aware that sometimes you may incur additional costs for this programme.

Contact us: For more information, call us on +44 (0)116 2 50 60 70.

 

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green-gown

Duration: Three years full-time, four years with placement.

Fees and funding: 

2024/25 tuition fees for international students: £15,750

 Additional costs: Here at DMU we provide excellent learning resources, including the Kimberlin Library and specialist workshops and studios. However, you should be aware that sometimes you may incur additional costs for this programme.

Contact us: For more information, call us on +44 (0)116 2 50 60 70.

Entry criteria

Typical entry requirements

We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds.

  • Art and Design Foundation or
  • 112 points from at least 2 A ‘levels 
  •  BTEC Extended Diploma DMM
  • International Baccalaureate: 26+ Points 

Plus five GCSEs grades 9-4 including English Language or Literature at grade 4 or above.

  • Pass Access with 30 Level 3 credits at Merit and GCSE English (Language or Literature) at grade 4 or above

We will normally require students to have had a break from full time education before undertaking the Access course.

  • We also accept the BTEC First Diploma plus two GCSEs including English Language or Literature at grade 4 or above

English language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 overall with 5.5 in each band (or equivalent) when you start the course is essential.

English language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Interview and Portfolio

Applicants with relevant qualifications will be invited to submit a portfolio of work. Please see our portfolio advice page for full details.

Non-standard applicants may be invited to attend an interview via MS Teams with a portfolio.

UCAS tariff information

Students applying for courses starting in September will be made offers based on the latest UCAS Tariff.

Contextual offer 

To make sure you get fair and equal access to higher education, when looking at your application, we consider more than just your grades. So if you are eligible, you may receive a contextual offer. Find our more about contextual offers.

 

 

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessments

 

First year

  • Core Buying 1
  • Introduction to Fashion Design Technology
  • Textile Materials 1
  • Fashion Communication (CAD)
  • Design Cultures

Second year

  • Core Buying 2
  • Textile/Garment Technology
  • Fashion Realisation
  • Textile Materials 2
  • Design Cultures 2

Third year

  • Sourcing and Supply
  • Product Development
  • Major Project

Structure

This includes design studio practice, formal lectures, group seminars, tutorials, lab work and practical workshops. There are regular tutorials and reviews which allow you to reflect and develop your work ready for your final presentation at the end of the year.

Contact hours

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, group work and self-directed study. Assessment is through coursework (presentations, essays and reports) Your precise timetable will depend on the optional modules you choose to take, however, in your first year you will normally attend around 15 hours of timetabled taught sessions (lectures and tutorials) each week, and we expect you to undertake at least 25 further hours of independent study to complete project work and research.

 

Facilities and features

Art and Design facilities

Our award-winning Vijay Patel building has been designed to provide the space and facilities where all of our art and design students can develop their ideas and flourish. 

The creative industries require imaginative graduates who can develop new ideas and products. Students use our sophisticated and contemporary workshops, labs and studios to experiment and test in the same way they will in industry, while the open and transparent spaces in the building encourage collaboration between disciplines. In doing so, the building prepares students for industry and helps develop them as future leaders in their respective fields. 

Take a look at our stunning showcase of the building at dmu.ac.uk/aad.

More flexible ways to learn

Our Universal Design for Learning (UDL) has been recognised as leading the university sector. It builds upon our pledge to offer an equitable and inclusive approach to learning and teaching for all of our students.

UDL means we offer a wide variety of support, facilities and technology to all students, including those with disabilities and specific learning differences. Just one of the ways we do this is by using ‘DMU Replay’ – a technology providing all students with anytime access to audio and/or visual material of lectures. This means students can revise taught material in the way which suits them best, whether it's replaying a recording of a class or adapting written material shared in class using specialist software.

Campus Centre

The home of  De Montfort Students' Union, (DSU) our Campus Centre offers a welcoming and lively hub for student life. Conveniently located at the heart of campus, it includes a convenience store, a Subway and a Starbucks. Here you can find the DSU-owned charitable accommodation service Sulets and DSU’s shop, SUpplies, selling art supplies, stationery and clothing, and printing and binding services. The building is also home to the DSU officer team. 

Opportunities and careers

Find the people who will open doors for you

DMU's award-winning careers service provides guaranteed work experience opportunities DMU Careers Team
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Placements

This course gives you the option to enhance and build your professional skills to progress within your chosen career, through a placement. Our dedicated team offers a range of careers resources and opportunities so you can start planning your future.

We have excellent links with the fashion industry, ensuring you work on industry relevant projects and client briefs to gain more experience and build your external reputation before you graduate. This invaluable experience can enrich student capabilities as well as their final-year projects. This year, some of our students have gone to companies including Primark, Marks & Spencer, ASOS, George, F&F Tesco, Timberland, Matalan, and O’Neill (Amsterdam).

Students on the #DMUglobal trip to New York

DMU Global

Our innovative international experience programme DMU Global aims to enrich studies, broaden cultural horizons and develop key skills valued by employers. 

Through DMU Global, we offer an exciting mix of overseas, on-campus and online international experiences, including the opportunity to study or work abroad for up to a year.

Students on this course have recently been to Porto, where they learnt about the fashion manufacturing cycle by visiting spinners, knitters, dye houses and manufacturers – culminating in a simulated design and negotiation task with suppliers. New York trips have involved visits to local museums, colleges, suppliers, product data management head offices, and a tour and talk at Gap’s head office. 

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Graduate careers

Our graduates go on to work in a variety of areas within fashion buying. Recent employers include Pretty Little Thing, Next, Marks & Spencer, Piarossini, Boden, F&F Tesco and O'Neill.

Take your next steps

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