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3 Reasons Fashion Design at Cardiff Met was the right course for me

James working on patterns in the studios
James working on patterns in the studios

My name is James Hunt-Cosh and I have recently completed my 3 years of study as a BA (Hons) Fashion Design student at Cardiff Met.

Everyone always told me that your time at university is the best years of your life, and they were right. These three years have flown by, with every moment being both exciting and challenging at the same time.

My time at Cardiff Met School of Art and Design (CSAD) has certainly changed my life for the better, both academically and personally.

Here are some of the reasons why:

1. The Facilities and Workshops

The CSAD fashion design course has always encouraged us to experiment and remain actively creative, even outside of our own course facilities, with workshops in all sorts of techniques on offer. This allowed us to collaborate and fuse other practices with our work, learning new skills. 

There was always an exciting workshop available for us to attend where we could pursue techniques taught by different courses – life drawing, pottery, graphics, font creation, even a millinery workshop. Our skillset was always being challenged, and we were always motivated to push ourselves further – something that inevitably improved our work.

We also had plenty of extra workshops within the course – for example, I learnt how to drape on the stand and create a corset during my second year.

I really enjoyed learning how to screen-print during first year using the same methods practised by industry, from creating a print digitally, to realising the design on fabric. This allowed me to design and create my own unique textiles, adding extra authenticity to my work.

We didn’t just benefit from workshops held by university tutors – we had guest lecturers from London who came to teach us new illustration methods, a pleating company that had created fabric for Game of Thrones visited to show us their techniques, and a Debenhams designer provided us with insights into CAD drawing. The opportunities were endless and offered us the chance to connect with industry.

2. The Live Briefs

During my second year I had the incredible opportunity of designing a collection in a live brief for a London based designer called Renli Su. We had 7 weeks to research a concept that would fit with the brands’ identity. This would then inform our design process to create an outfit from our imagined collection. Ten students were then shortlisted to present their work to Renli Su herself, with a prize awarded to the winner.

I was fortunate to be selected as one of the shortlisted students, and able to present my work to Renli and her assistant. They also set us a styling challenge on the day where we had to organise a model, style them in Renli Su garments, and complete a photoshoot.

At the end of the challenge, it was time to announce the winner of the prize, and to my amazement, I was selected as the winner of an internship with the brand. It was the most amazing opportunity to be awarded, and a fantastic experience that will help start my career upon graduating.

3. The Teaching and Support

The tutors on the fashion course at CSAD are not just lecturers, they are practitioners that know us on a personal level.

They understand our creative identity, with each tutor possessing different styles that cater towards our growth as designers. I have always been flamboyant with my designs, and never once have the tutors discouraged that – instead they’ve embraced my aesthetic.

During my third year when lockdown limited contact in person, our tutors were in contact with us through teams every day, helping us to stay positive in a really challenging time.

They were there to guide the development of our portfolios throughout the whole year, ensuring our work was completed to the highest standard possible.

I was also grateful to have some access to campus during these difficult times. This allowed me to achieve my Devoré textiles, use a mannequin within the studios, and finish my garments using all the facilities I needed.

My time at Cardiff Met has truly been an exciting adventure – I have been able to grow as a person, an academic and now a graduate. I would repeat my three years here in a heartbeat, but for now I am looking forward to the opportunities ahead and applying what CSAD has taught me towards them.