Fashion & Textiles For Product & Costume – BA (honours) in Limerick Institute of Technology, Ireland

Fashion & Textiles For Product & Costume – BA (honours) in Limerick Institute of Technology

What is the programme about?

Our four-year BA programme provides students with the creative ability to visually communicate design ideas and the technical skills to produce innovative and exciting fashion and textiles for costume and product. 

We offer a high level of practical learning through studio projects, talks, workshops and one-on-one tutorials. Students will explore the many and varied practices within fashion and textile design and are exposed to a range new ideas and engage with an array of skills. The course has a strong knitwear specialty and students gain rigorous technical knit experience. 

The programme has strong links with industry through our Professional Practice module, our industry placements, our exciting calendar of Visiting Lecturers, direct from Industry, and competition opportunities that provide real world experience while you study. Class Contact hours are 23 hours per week in Year 1; however, as the programme progresses, study becomes increasingly self-directed. Year 4 students are supported in seeking employment or Postgraduate study. 

On graduating your training allows for a career as Knitwear Designer, a designer specialising in fashion and textiles for product and costume and other areas of employment or further study, such as digital drawing, manufacturing and production technical specialist, styling, buying, visual merchandising, journalism and forecasting. 

Aisling Mc Callion, programme graduate (2017)
Being part of industry-based projects throughout my time in college, combined with my internship at Sibling London in third year, meant I finished LSAD with actual experience that I could rely on to get me employment in my desired field. The freedom of the course combined with the vast technical knowledge let me grow as an individual designer yet also provided me with the skill-set to take on any knitwear design challenge. The inclusion of digital media and industrial Shima Seiki training provided me with the opportunity to secure a job as a technical knitwear designer & mechanic at Inis Meáin Knitting Co before I had even finished my final year. I am currently developing my skills and now realising just how much I learnt at college in my first few months as a graduate designer. 

Programme staff
We are a multi-skilled group of designers and researchers practicing Fashion, Fashion Knitwear and Costume. Led by our programme leader Ruth Duignan we bring industry experience that includes international consultancy, expertise in knitwear technology, running fashion and knitwear labels and designing for companies such as Victoria’s Secret, Gap and Troy Studios. Our research specialisms include inclusive design, contemporary textiles and brand development. 

The programme – an inside view 
Year 1- This year focuses on developing your imagination and your tactile ability with materials. Design workshops on digital drawing platforms (Illustrator/Photoshop) support research based projects in the areas of fashion, textiles and costume. 

Year 2- Through specific projects you will develop a personal process of research and design whilst acquiring new skills in textile development, fashion knitwear, creative pattern cutting and digital drawing. Training is provided on the Shima Seiki industrial knitwear machine. 

Year 3- In this year you get the opportunity to gain real life experience by choosing a work placement based on your aspirations to work in the international fashion, textiles and costume industry. Erasmus funding is available for eligible European placements. 

Year 4- The final year show is an exciting showcase of innovative work where you will present the results of a self-directed brief executed to professional and industrial standards.