Prepare for a career as a successful innovator and future leader in the fashion industry with this varied and engaging course. You'll develop in-depth knowledge and understanding of the rapidly evolving fashion industry and develop your own creative, enterprising, and strategic business design skills.
You will be equipped to challenge existing business practice and propose new and innovative solutions for a more sustainable and socially responsible fashion industry. You'll study the challenges faced by social enterprises today and the process of setting up a new business. At the same time, you'll learn about new opportunities for the fashion industry, be that through innovation in fashion product development or advancements in fashion marketing and communication and the digitalisation of the fashion industry.
Delivered collaboratively between School of Design and Leeds University Business School (LUBS), you will be taught by experts across fashion and business. This will enable you to view the fashion industry from a range of perspectives, including social, cultural, and commercial perspectives.
You will develop strong research skills throughout the programme, with your learning culminating in a final major research project, which can be tailored to your own research interests and career aspirations. This independent research project can take a variety of forms. For example, you could produce a traditional dissertation on a fashion related topic of your choice, or alternatively, a more creative, industry-led piece of research such as a business proposal.
MA Fashion Enterprise and Society is built upon the three pillars of design, business and research.
You will study the three design-led specialist fashion modules: Fashion Marketing and Creative Realisation, Fashion Sustainability and Society, and Fashion Futures. You will also study two business-led modules: Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Creation and New Venture Creation. Research in Design and Enterprise will provide you with an array of skills to prepare you for your Major Research Project and the industry.
Specialist facilities
The School of Design offers excellent facilities and technical support for developing your creative skills. We have a range of dedicated spaces where students can work independently. The School also has a number of practical workshops, studios and specialist facilities, including: the Sculpture Studio; 2D Art Studio; Fashion Design Studio; Knit and Weave Studio; Photography Studio; Digital Print workshop; Laser cutting and 3D Print workshop; Printmaking Workshop; XLab for Immersive Technologies and 3D workshop. We provide access to a team of excellent technicians across the full range of skills who can help you to realise your work to reach its potential.
The School also provides a range of other support to enhance the student experience and prepare students for the workplace, including: free dedicated software; a wide range of technical induction programmes; free access to Linked-in-Learning Tutorials; free cameras and video recorders on loan; supporting a Degree Show; external promotion; and Visiting Speakers, who are well known figures from industry or other institutions around the world.
MA Fashion Enterprise and Society students may find our excellent fashion-related research resources, such as the School's Yorkshire Fashion Archive and access to the Marks and Spencer's (M&S) Company Archive, of particular interest. The M&S Company Archive includes documents, advertising, photos, films, clothing and merchandise from throughout Marks & Spencer's history, offering a fascinating insight into the changing nature of branding and advertising over time. Students also have access to the International Textile Collections, which collects, preserves and documents textiles and related areas from around the world.