London – the New Milan?

This week is Design Week in London (May 24-26). During the week, over 60 showrooms will be opened up and a number of other designed focused events will take place around the city. Read more about the week here: http://www.clerkenwelldesignweek.com/.

So is London the new Milan? The Huffington Post reports that British design has it’s own sense of creativity and originality, setting it apart from other design hubs. So if you’re looking to study Design and/or Fashion during your semester abroad, and perhaps haven’t had a chance to brush up on your Italian, London may be the place for you! Here are two Interstudy programs with Design and Fashion options for study abroad students:

—— Goldsmith’s, University of London ——
“The Department of Design represents a unique combination of knowledge and skills including interdisciplinary design, design futures, eco-design and design education in schools. Our programmes address both the understanding and the practice of design in the educational, social, technological, and economic development of people, environments and communities. There is a dedicated computing suite enabling 2D, 3D, media, multimedia and CAD/CAM design works.”

Sample Courses
Design Practice DS51009B
Design Practice is a studio-based activity. You will need to want to work conceptually in a variety of media. Your work will focus on developing your creative processes, which can be applied to many areas of design. The course helps students from different areas – including graphic communication, three dimensional and interaction design – appreciate other disciplines as well as developing their own thinking. The projects invite you to question current notions of design and to develop new levels of problem solving, idea generation and realisation. You will produce a broad-based conceptual portfolio in which you present the scope as well as the depth of your thinking.

Design Methods and Processes with Technical Studies DS51015A
This is a series of practical and reflective sessions in the studio and workshop, available only to those students who opt for full term sets of courses in Design. Sessions cover areas including drawing and sketching in the design process, research methods for designers, modelling ideas in paper and card, and the study of creative methods and processes. There is also a set of practical workshops that develop your skills to use in design, from working in our workshop to using design software. These workshops vary depending on current requirements.

——- University of Westminster ——–
“With one of the most varied arts and media portfolios in Europe covering art and design, fashion, media, music and photography, the School of Media, Arts and Design aims to prepare you not merely to enter the creative industries but to shape and lead you. The strong reputation for professional and practice-based education is matched by a distinguished record in academic teaching and scholarly research, encouraging the development of reflective and critical practitioners.”

Sample Courses
MERCHANDISING IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY 2FMM401
The module aims to provide you with an understanding of the economic and cultural importance of the fashion industry in the business world, its characteristics and global relationships. You will learn to analyse and understand the merchandising function and the different merchandising responsibilities in various types of organisations.

FASHION MARKETING 2FMM404
The module will provide students with a fundamental understanding of the philosophy and concepts of marketing and a recognition of the importance of marketing in business, enabling you to identify and apply the principal concepts and techniques of marketing to the fashion business.

ROLE OF DESIGN IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY 2FMM502
You will learn to combine commercial awareness with an understanding of creativity, recognise the role of design in the fashion industry, gain an understanding of the different skills within the design process, including colour prediction, fabric development and life style prediction.