What it is like to be a
Fashion Designer at Alsager School
Fashion: Students learn about the ‘design and make’ process using an iterative design approach and they are encouraged to consider the work of past and present designers in order to inspire their project work. Fashion at Alsager is about being creative, unique and coming up with fresh, new and innovative ideas.
Studying Fashion at Alsager School gives the students a chance to access information about all Design and Technology subjects; students are exposed to a breadth of knowledge including new and emerging technologies, design strategies and material areas such as woods, plastics and metals. Students also learn information linked directly to fashion and textiles including construction, manufacturing processes, and fibres, yarns and fabrics.
We ask students to question existing fashion products and designs, considering how they can be developed and improved. Students know the importance of seeking other people’s opinions and feedback in relation to design and practical work and they are taught how to use this information to make improvements to their own work. We also challenge students to learn a range of complex practical skills such as applique, patchwork, heat transfer printing and give them opportunities to embed this into their own projects.
I love teaching Fashion at Alsager School, I get to see the students being independent, creative and challenged in so many ways. It’s great to see how students develop their knowledge and skills and how proud they are when they produce great quality work. I love showing the students that making mistakes is all part of the learning process.
Mrs Howard (Textiles teacher)
What does it mean to be a Fashion designer at Alsager School?
“It means stepping outside my comfort zone and using different techniques that I wouldn’t use outside this subject”.
“To be a fashion designer at Alsager School means to respect other student’s ideas and feedback given. Also, to be creative and unique and not to worry if you make a mistake”.
“To be a creative individual who respects, and is resilient towards, other people’s opinions. To learn about new and emerging technologies and the sustainability of fashion”.
(Year 10 students)
What skills have you learned in Fashion?
“To create different types of research and market research to develop ideas”.
“Different sewing techniques, how to set up a sewing machine and how to experiment with the machine”.
“To help others if they need it”.
(Year 10 student)
How do we challenge you in Fashion?
“Teachers encourage us to take the harder pathway but without making us feel uncomfortable”.
“We are challenged by making us question our designs, ‘why are you doing that?’ and ‘how will this develop in the future?’”.
(Year 10 students)
How do we make you enthusiastic about Fashion at Alsager School?
“Teachers help us with our decisions and support us”.
“The teachers make us enthusiastic and the lessons are fun. We can use our own imagination to influence our designs. All lessons are different, not everyone is the same”.
(Year 10 students)
How do you get to use the practical skills taught to you in Fashion, and how do they help you?
“They can help us outside school if we want to create things by ourselves at home”.
(Year 10 student)
What knowledge do you learn in fashion and how does it help you?
“You learn about different companies which helps you understand their thinking and how they have developed their product. This helps us to do the same with our products as we go through the same process of developing it and using market research to influence our decisions”.
“You learn about the sustainability of fabric and the effect on the environment, making you more environmentally aware and friendly”.
(Year 10 students)Spacer
