Textiles

A-Level

Textile design is a versatile discipline that involves the creation, selection, manipulation and application of a range of materials and processes in order to produce fabrics for different purposes. Textile designers are expected to work in a multi-disciplinary way to create ideas, concepts, materials and techniques for different applications; for example in fashion and clothing, or innovative clothing for theatre or film production. Technological innovation in textile development is used increasingly to produce specialist fabrics, which can be protective, fireproof, waterproof, or performance enhancing.

Some textile designers create fabrics for interior applications such as upholstery, bed linens, wallpapers, carpets or work more generally as surface designers for vinyl coverings, tiles, greetings cards and wrapping paper. Textile design can also be interpreted as a personal and individual fine art discipline, being used to create installations, mixed media constructions, tapestries, three-dimensional pieces, applications, soft sculpture and wall hangings.

Textile design is sub-divided into the following three disciplines: textiles for interiors, fine art textiles, fashion textiles.

Component 1: Supporting studies, practical work and a personal study (60% of the total qualification)

Component 2: Textiles Externally Set Assignment – Preparatory studies and a 15 hour period of sustained focus. (40% of the total qualification)

All exam students are invited to showcase their work in the annual runway show or exhibition and are encouraged to enter the annual Young Fashion Designer Awards coordinated and hosted by Kent College. Click here for the official Young Fashion Designer UK website. 

Leaver’s Destinations:

Central St Martins, London College of fashion, Brighton University, Ravensbourne College of Art,

De Montfort University, Northumbria, Nottingham Trent.