This unique course will give you the specialist skills you need for careers in the Leather garments area of the fashion industry. You will have access to bespoke facilities, including our working tannery, to help you learn more about the properties of leather and applying them to garment design and manufacture. We have industry links which support live design projects and provide opportunities for work experience.

Starting university is a big step and we want you to have everything you need from day one. That’s why if you choose to study this course full-time at Northampton from September 2018, you will be provided with your own brand new Hewlett Packard laptop* to keep at no additional cost. For more information on this and many other benefits you can enjoy, please visit our benefits webpages.

*Terms and conditions apply. Please see the benefits webpages for more information.

We will encourage you to develop your own individual aesthetic signature in a stimulating work environment, where you will be able to explore materials and develop exciting conceptual pieces in leather and suede. We put an emphasis on on technical finesse, balanced by creative exploration and material investigation.

You will start your degree with an introduction to fashion, textiles and leather so that you can tailor your studies to your interests. You will then focus on Leather for Fashion, with a specialist module at the Institute for Creative Leather Technology (ICLT). As well as developing your technical skills, you will produce a portfolio of conceptual design work culminating in a final collection utilising leather or suede.

More information is available for you to download – Creative Leather Applications.

The Degree Show

Final year students display their work at the annual Degree Show at our Avenue Campus. Our Fashion students deliver some stunning designs; feel free to view them on Flickr.

Graduate Fashion Week

Our final year students take part in the Catwalk Show at the annual London Graduate Fashion Week.

This year’s Graduate Fashion Week saw collections influenced by traditional international costumes, grime music and the negative side of social media when the University of Northampton students presented their work on the catwalk on Tuesday 6 June. You can also download the Graduate Fashion Week 2017 brochure.

The 15 students from the BA (Hons) Fashion, BA (Hons) Textiles for Fashion and BA (Hons) Footwear and Accessories programmes have been working on their fashion collections, textile designs, footwear and accessories, using a broad range of traditional and unexpected materials, such as silk, cotton, leather, parachute nylon, bandages and even a duvet!

Take a look at the Graduate Fashion Week video from 2016 to see what our previous students designed.

Subject Futures Week

Our annual Subject Futures Week is an exciting event and an excellent opportunity for our students to explore the potential of their course and understand where their university experience can lead them beyond graduation. It offers a unique chance to network with high profile industry professionals from the arts, TV, film, fashion and more.

Take a look at the  2016 Subject Futures Week video, which highlights just some of the creative industry guests who attended to share knowledge and insights with students about the reality of working and life after university.

Course content

Leather has always played a major role in the creation of garments and it is still significant today, with many leather designs appearing on catwalks. Appreciating the properties of materials will allow you to maximise your creative flair, so this course uses theory and practical work to help you understand leather as a material. You will learn how to take leather through the design and manufacturing stage for the production of leather garments so that you can meet the demands of innovative design while ensuring that the product remains fit for purpose, meeting the high demands of the commercial world.

In the first year you will be introduced to studio design and workshop practice, covering core skills and practical experience in fashion, textiles and leather for fashion supported by theory. This will all be underpinned by historical and contextual studies.

During the second year, the emphasis will be placed on your creative potential and individuality, with the opportunity for co-ordinated work experience. In order to give you a feel of what it’s like to work in the fashion industry, your projects will be set by external contacts and sponsors and some projects will include consultancy groups. You will also have a range of guest lectures from notable industry specialists.

Your final year encompasses the final major project, which is the design and production of a capsule collection, supported by academic research. This is a chance for you to focus on what you have found most interesting, working in collaboration with industry and reflecting what you have learned through the course including pattern cutting, manufacture, design research, portfolio presentation, photography and styling, leather/fabric/colour forecasting and CAD. Your final collection may be showcased at Graduate Fashion Week or our Degree Show.

Module information is quoted for 17/18 entry. Please note that modules run subject to student numbers and staff availability, any changes will be communicated to applicants accordingly.

Opportunities Abroad

Our international study visits provide a unique opportunity for you to gain an insight into various cultures and international business. Previous study visits have included New York, Milan and Tokyo.

All the study trips are optional and the costs vary year on year. Typically, this is approximately £800 for New York, and £400 for European trips  (Milan, Amsterdam, Sweden). 

Methods of Learning

Project briefings are supported by tutorials, seminars, group work, visiting lectures, professional practice, field trips, independent study and assessment.

Assessments

Theory is assessed through:

• essay writing
• assignments
• presentations
• a dissertation

Practical work is judged through studio presentations and exhibitions.

Facilities and Special Features

• the Fashion area has dedicated studios and a range of high quality workshops to enable the production of 2D and 3D work
• emphasis is placed on your creative development whilst recognising the importance of marketing and management skills
• strong links with industry, invited guest speakers and live project learning experiences
• opportunities for work experience and internships are embedded within the curriculum
• optional international study visits
• Leathersellers’ Scholarships to £800 to £1200 for fashion leather collections

Reading List

The reading list for first year students is available to download.

Career Opportunities

When you graduate from this course, you will be well suited to work in the fashion industry, including:

• designing and leather crafting
• leather technology and testing 
• footwear and accessories manufacturing
• pattern cutting
• buying
• merchandising
• PR
• editorial

You could also continue into the further study with a focused MSc Professional Leather Technology.

Our fashion graduates have secured fashion design jobs with:

• POP Magazine
• Ted Baker
• House of Holland
• COS
• Topshop
• River Island

Work Experience

Work based leading opportunities will improve your industry knowledge and make you more employable, while building confidence and giving you new motivation. You will be given the chance to work with industry specialists, including:

• Clothes Show Live Birmingham
• research visits
• visits to exhibitions and galleries
• commercial industry projects
• Graduate Fashion Week

For application information please see our how to apply page.

Standard entry requirements apply. A typical offer would be BCC at A Level or DMM at BTEC. In addition, you are expected to have studied an Art or Textiles related subject in an A Level or BTEC level 3 Diploma, or equivalent qualification. We will also accept a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design.

Applicants are interviewed and are requested to provide a portfolio of their own work in Art and Design. Students with a relevant HND or Foundation Degree with a suitable profile of achievement may be admitted onto year two or three.

Foundation Study Framework Entry Requirements

Admission to this programme is normally DEE at A Level or MPP at BTEC.

Scholarships

• TD Lewis Scholarship

  The T D Lewis Scholarship provides both undergraduate and postgraduate students with financial awards of up to £1,500.  This scholarship is awarded on educational excellence…

• The Chancellor’s Fund

  The Chancellor’s Fund is a bi-annual fund providing students with awards of between £100 and £1,000. You must be a current student to apply. The…

• The International Scholarship

  We are very pleased to offer a generous scholarship to applicants from outside of the European Union who have strong academic backgrounds. All full-time courses…

• Wilson Endowment Scholarship

  The Wilson Endowment Scholarship provides a £1,500 scholarship to undergraduate students from the Northamptonshire area. The endowed scholarship was donated in memory of Mr Lynn Wilson,…

This course is available to international students.

Full-time international tuition fees

For information on our international tuition fees, please see our Tuition fees for international students page.

Please note that tuition fees for EU students will remain the same as UK fees for 2018/19. For more information, please visit the Gov UK website.

How to apply as an international student

For information on how to apply to study with us, please see our How to apply page.

Scholarships available to international students

For information on the scholarships available to you as an international student, please see our International scholarships page.

Our Foundation Study Framework offers an exciting route into studying for a degree, attracting ambitious and driven students who are willing to learn and advance.

If you have non-standard qualifications or do not quite meet the entry requirements for this course, we can offer you a fantastic opportunity to study a four year course which includes our Foundation Study Framework.

The Foundation Study Framework will help you to develop the theoretical/practical and academic skills you will need in order to successfully progress to the full award.  The Foundation Study Framework provides you with a practical and group-based approach to learning that supports your development and your transition to Higher Education, whilst also studying a number of specialist modules.