University of Technology Sydney

83900 Research Realisation: Major Project

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Design
Credit points: 24 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 83921 Research: Fashion and Textiles Dissertation AND 83922 Research: Professional Practice Identity AND 83923 Research: Fashion Concept Lab

Description

This subject develops students as global citizens, with a focus on ethically and socially engaged and foundational sustainable practices for fashion. Students demonstrate their ability and accumulated knowledge from previous years of study, through the development and realisation of a major body of work. Major Project draws on students research and experimentation undertaken in subject 83923 Fashion Concept Lab, deepening individual student's fashion enquiry and bringing precision and refinement to technical and innovative approaches across garments, textiles and communication of fashion through digital and print media including photoshoots and fashion film. This work is largely self-directed and supported by supervisors with design and textiles expertise. Assessment milestones the progress of the body of work from development to realisation within presentation contexts that supports experiential and performative aspects of the project as well as opportunities to develop skills at professional communication of fashion. On completion of this subject students are prepared for a range of disciplinary and industry-based activities including employment within established fashion professional contexts, independent practice, graduate competition entry and further practice-based academic study.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Apply accumulated academic and professional knowledge
2. Research and critically analyse complex design issues
3. Apply in-depth design inquiry to impact their final major project outcome
4. Develop workable solutions to complex design problems
5. Effectively demonstrate the ability to design conceptual and innovative outcomes
6. Demonstrate a high level of competency in managing time, communicating visual and oral concepts
7. Form professional networks and collaborate with industry specialists.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

  • Ability to interact with diverse fashion and textile people and practices (A.2)
  • Value for service and responsible global citizenship (A.3)
  • Advanced communication skills for industry professional context (C.1)
  • Ability to work collaboratively with other professions and disciplines (C.3)
  • Advanced aesthetic sensibility (I.1)
  • Innovative approaches to materials, textiles and technology (I.2)
  • Problem solving approaches to a global fashion context (I.3)
  • Ability to innovate existing fashion practices and system (I.4)
  • Advanced fashion industry specific technology skills, digital skills and craft skills (P.1)
  • Advanced engagement with professional and global fashion industry practices (P.2)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

This subject is interdisciplinary and contributes to the five CAPRI Faculty Graduate Attribute categories

C = Communication and Groupwork
A = Attitudes and Values
P = Practical and Professional
R = Research and Critique
I = Innovation and Creativity

This subject encourages student learning to develop these graduate attributes. The course content, learning strategies and assessment structure is explicitly designed with these attributes in mind.

Teaching and learning strategies

Subject is delivered in sessions of one hour lecture, half hour supervision/design and four hours independent study. The activities for this subject are centred on self-initiated learning, reinforcing the independent approach to building knowledge, skills and experience. This subject offers continuous one-on-one mentoring with design, technical and textiles supervisors. Students are expected to conduct independent research, attend all lectures and tutorials and follow suggested progress patterns for each of their individual projects.

CREATIVE ENTERPRISE
Emphasising creative exploration, learning in all facets of studio workshops is crucial to ensuring students deploy the design thinking and technical expertise required for success in the field. All students are expected to attend studio sessions, and follow suggested learning patterns and activities. Students are also encouraged to participate actively in the group discussions that occur during the studio sessions.

RESEARCH
Students are expected to conduct independent research supported by recommended texts accessible via UTS Online. Readings assist students to develop essential content knowledge related to both fashion and textile design principles, textile trends and technical systems. Independent research increases student capacity to experiment and develop confidence in testing, justifying and evaluating new and traditional methods of practice.

WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY (WHS)
An emphasis throughout the subject is placed on a professional and sustainable studio practice. Students are expected to demonstrate professional workshop practice and knowledge of WHS requirements in the studios at all times.

ONLINE COURSEWORK
Resources for this subject are located on UTS Online. These are used to support the learning objectives of this subject. A detailed overview of the pedagogy and associated tasks and assessment items are included in the subject documents. In addition, a comprehensive reading list comprising recommended texts is accessible from UTS Online.

FEEDBACK
Three academic presentations offer opportunity for summative and formative feedback. Students benefit from responding constructively to the feedback provided. This involves critically reflecting on advice given and in response altering the approach taken to a given task, activity or assessment. Formative feedback may also, on occasion, be provided by other students. It is delivered informally, either in conversation during a tutorial or in the course of discussion at the scale of the whole class. It is the student’s responsibility to record any feedback given during meetings or studio sessions.

Summative feedback is provided in written form with all assessed work. It is published along with indicative grades online at UTS REVIEW. Summative feedback focuses on assessment outcomes. It is used to indicate how successfully a student has performed in terms of specific assessment criteria. Feedback, grades and assessment criteria will also be available to students via the REVIEW assessment system 2-3 weeks after the submission date.

Content (topics)

This subject will be facilitated through lectures, design studio, textile studio and supervision. Subject content will include students being introduced to advanced processes of design iteration and innovation across varied practices.

Content will include:

  1. In-depth reflection and analysis of experimentation and innovative fashion work
  2. New global contexts for fashion presentation and dissemination
  3. Designers as global citizens with a focus on socially engaged and ethical practices in relation to global and local systems
  4. Advanced aesthetic ability and originality in work with materials
  5. Original approaches to bringing shapes and volumes to the body for fashion
  6. Photographic and video-based fashion practices for communication and presentation

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Major Project Development

Intent:

This Assessment Task focuses on what you have learnt from the insights, exploration, and experiences in 83923 Fashion Concept Lab. The aim of this assessment task is to demonstrate how you have brought precision and clarity to your enquiry and present a convincing proposal towards completion of your Major Project.

The body of work you undertake towards this milestone presentation should demonstrate a shift towards a brave, bold, and focused creative body of work, based on the most potent, interesting, challenging and exciting things that you have discovered in 83923 Fashion Concept Lab.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

3, 4, 5, 6 and 7

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

I.1, I.2, I.4, P.1 and P.2

Type: Project
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 20%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Technical: Quality of construction of toiles and final looks demonstrate accuracy, care and precision. 11 4 I.4
Design: Body of work demonstrates ability to reflect on pre-collection and develop into and visionary and bold Major Project proposal. 13 3 I.4
Design: Body of work demonstrates ability to translate research into innovative fashion enquiry 13 5 I.2
Design: Lookbook and Digital Media strategy is completed to a high standard and shows innovative approaches to these mediums 13 6 P.1
Textiles: Textile development is fashion forward and shows sophisticated approach to colours, texture balance, mood and feel. 13 3 I.1
Textiles: Textiles techniques and methods explored are sympathetic to fashion collection and enhance your fashion enquiry. 13 5 I.2
Textiles: Overall technical ability, care and attention to detail 13 6 P.1
Presentation of work is considered, clearly and creatively articulates relevance of project to particular fashion and creative contexts and ambitions for the project. 11 7 P.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Major Project Realisation

Intent:

This milestone in the development of your Major Project serves to provide you with formative feedback on how the work is progressing and how it can be strengthened. This milestone is a moment of reflection, to look at where you have developed and what needs to be consolidated and strengthened towards the final assessment of your Major Project.

For this milestone, you will submit your body of work, including several finished pieces, that will be used in the photoshoot and video for the end of year event. It is therefore important that your boldest and most interesting work is put forward and developed for this photoshoot, to create the most potent and useful images of your work. We will be consulting students in the nature of the photoshoot and who will be leading this event.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 4, 6 and 7

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

A.2, C.1, I.1, I.2, I.3 and P.1

Type: Project
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 30%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Technical: Quality of construction of toiles and final looks demonstrate accuracy, care and precision. 15 4 I.2
Design: Designs demonstrates an enquiry with aesthetic vision and strong relationship to the body. 15 1 I.1
Design: Designs demonstrates an enquiry with aesthetic vision and strong relationship to the body. 15 2 I.3
Photoshoot proposal demonstrates effective visual translation of design direction and demonstrates an ability to network and collaborate with industry specialists 15 7 A.2
Textiles: Textile development is fashion forward and shows sophisticated approach to colours, texture balance, mood and feel. 15 4 I.2
Textiles: Overall technical ability, care and attention to detail 15 4 P.1
Presentation of work is considered, clearly and creatively articulates relevance of project to particular fashion and creative contexts and ambitions for the project. 10 6 C.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 3: Major Project Final Submission and Photoshoot / Fashion Film

Intent:

To assess student’s ability to conceive a resolved fashion enquiry incorporating a collection of looks, additional material, digital and printed communication of the enquiry.

There are two parts to this assessment task. The first is your final critique, showing your completed collection, and accompanied by your proposal for the Media Day Event. The second is your final social media, digital platforms, lookbook and Photoshoot and /or Fashion Film. This work is to accompany your collection for the Media Event and need to be visually impactful, bold articulations of your fashion enquiry. These also need to show work with industry professionals in the creation of shoot material.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

A.3, C.1, C.3, I.1, I.2 and I.4

Type: Project
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 50%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Technical: Quality of construction of toiles and final looks demonstrate accuracy, care and precision 14 4 I.2
Design demonstrates an enquiry with aesthetic vision and strong relationship to the body. 15 1 I.1
Designs demonstrates an awareness of contemporary fashion design issues, and an understanding of contemporary international fashion contexts 15 2 A.3
Demonstrates ability to design conceptual and innovative outcomes, exploring form, silhouette and volume 14 4 I.4
Photoshoot / Film develops a strong visual translation and flow through of conceptual basis with an ability to work effectively with industry specialists 14 7 C.3
Lookbook demonstrates an effective communication of the fashion enquiry visually through design of layout and illustration, presentation is effective, professional and translates mood of the collection 14 6 C.1
Demonstrates an ability to successfully integrate colour, textiles/fabrication within the range 14 5 I.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

  1. Students must achieve a 50% mark in the overall assessment for this subject.
  2. The Faculty of DAB expects students to attend 80% of all classes for all enrolled subjects. Achievement of the subject’s aims is difficult if classes are not attended. Where assessment tasks are to be presented personally in class attendance is mandatory.
  3. The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.

Required texts

  • Fashion Theory, Berg Pub, Oxford (an electronic version of this text is available from the UTS library website)
  • Shaeffer, C.B. 2001, The Couture Sewing Techniques, Taunton Press
  • Amaden-Crawford, C. 2005, The Art of Fashion Draping, Fairchild Publications Inc.

References

  • Armstrong, H. 1995, Patternmaking for Fashion Design, Harper & Row, New York.
  • Ashelford, J., Von Einsiendel, A. 1996 The Art of Dress: Clothes & Society, 1500 – 1914, Harry N Abrams
  • Batterberry, A, Batterberry, M. 1977, Fashion: the Mirror of History, Outlet Books
  • Boucher, FLL. 1987, 20,000 Years of Fashion: The History of Costume & Personal Adornment, Harry N Abrams
  • Breward, C. 1995, The Culture Of Fashion, St. Martin's Press, London.
  • Davis, F. 1992, Fashion, Culture, And Identity, University Of Chicago Press, Chicago.
  • De La Haye, A. 1997, The Cutting Edge, V&A Publication, London.
  • Evans, C, 1989, Women & fashion: a new look, Quartet, London
  • Evans, C, 2003, Fashion at the Edge: spectacle, modernity and deathliness, Yale University Press
  • Holdsworth, A. 1988, Out of the Dolls House, BBC
  • Jaffe, H. 1997, Fashion Theory, Oxford, Berg Publications, London.
  • Joel, A. 1998, Parade, The Story of Fashion in Australia, Harper Collins, Australia.
  • McRobbie, A. 1999, In The Culture Society, Routledge, London.
  • Mendes, V. 1999, 20th Century Fashion, Thames and Hudson, London.
  • Moers, E. 1978, The Dandy: Brummel to Beerbrohm, University of Nebraska
  • Phaidon, 1998,The Fashion Book, Phaidon, London.
  • Relis, N. 1993, Draping For Fashion Design, Prentice Hall, Reston Va.
  • Rothstein, N. 1992, Four Hundred Years of Fashion, V & A
  • Skrebneski, V. 1995, The Art of Haute Couture, Abbeville Press Inc.
  • Steele, V. 1997, Fifty Years Of Fashion, Yale University, London.
  • Steele, V. 2001, The Corset: A Cultural History, Yale Univ. Press
  • Utley, L., Carey-Adamme, A. 2002, Fetish Fashion: Undressing the Corset, Green Candy Press
  • Wilcox, C, Mendes, V. 1992, Modern Fashion in Detail, V & A
  • Willett-Cunningham, C. 1982, Feminine Attitudes in the 19th Century House, Haskell
  • Wilson, E. 1985, Adorned in Dreams: Fashion & Modernity, Virago
  • Wolff, C. 1996, The Art of Manipulating Fabric, Chilton Book Co, NY.

Web References

  • www.firstview.com
  • www.fuk.co.uk
  • www.alexandermcqueen.co.uk
  • www.condenast.co.uk
  • www.versace.com
  • www.style.com
  • wgsn-edu.com (pin access only-available from subject coordinator)

Journals and magazines

  • Collections
  • Ragtrader
  • Fashion Theory (Also available as an e-journal from the UTS library website)
  • Men's Collections
  • Textile View Magazine
  • International Textiles
  • Fiberarts: the Magazine of Textiles
  • Surface Design Journal
  • Color Research & Application
  • Fashion News: International Fashion Collection
  • International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology

Free journals on the web

  • Daily News Record: http://www.dnrnews.com/
  • Mens Fashion Journal from Fairchild Publications.
  • International Herald Tribune: http://www.iht.com/IHT/FASH/
  • Suzy Menkes fashion columns appear in the Arts and Leisure section of the paper.
  • Ntouch: http://ntouch.linst.ac.uk/ journal from the London Institute of Fashion.
  • Women's Wear Daily: http://www.wwd.com/

References
Firstview: http://www.firstview.com/
Fashion Live: http://www.worldmedia.fr/fashion/catwalk/bio/bio.html
Learning guide
Make sure you refer to the 83800 Major Project ‘Subject Brief’ for Guidelines to activities, Assessment and other Required Tasks, happening through the semester.