Advanced Fashion Design
Intensive Workshop (suitable for students who have completed Fashion Design Part I or have the equivalent skill level)
Taught by Kristina Büsing or Gabrielle Richaud.  Click here for instructor profiles.

This course is intended for those who have completed the beginner course (or who possess the equivalent knowledge and skills) and who want to develop their own styles, looks, and talent.  Students will be guided through the creative process on a more advanced level as they develop innovative design solutions in the creation of their own garment.  We will explore historic and modern trends, study colors and fabrics more closely, and translate our ideas onto paper, sketching them to reflect mood and direction.  Sketches will be combined with mood boards that will help to develop our design concepts and express these ideas and feelings to others.  Over the course of the ten weeks, the class will partake in the entire process of garment construction from start to finish.  Students will learn to understand the nature and hand of fabrics and how to render different textures, weights, and patterns.  You will develop an original design and execute the entire process of designing and creating a garment, including decisions on style, volume, color, and fabrics, as well as the entire process of creating tailor-made patterns, cutting, draping, sewing, and fitting.  We will combine the basic skills of the beginner course with extended pattern making and draping knowledge, as well as new associative- and creative-drawing and drafting techniques.  With the help of a sketchbook, students will express the whole design development process and then elaborate it into an experimental garment.

Course Outline:

Introduction to the Project: The development of an innovative garment/dress including creative design guidelines

Learn to study objects in your environment as sources for inspiration and then transform this information into innovative designs through collecting ideas, elaborating them into collages with different materials and colors, and sketching and drafting.  Incorporate your professional research into a design sketchbook to transform inspiration into innovative designs.  Learn techniques to exercise and expand creativity as you interact with and develop ideas before putting them to paper.

Basic Dress Pattern

Construction of a basic dress pattern
Small version for notebook with detailed description
1-1 version on pattern paper with own measurements

Advanced Dress Pattern

Variations of dress patterns; the different constructions and shapes of dresses

Shapes, Silhouettes, Experimental Sketching, Colors

Different forms of silhouettes
Basic shape forms and their technical definition
Exercise on catwalk pictures to practice forms and silhouettes
Exercise with abstract techniques to experiment and find new shape solutions
Use abstract design techniques to achieve innovative design ideas in a playful way, using different materials and colors on paper
Drawing and drafting using experimental design techniques
Understanding the psychology of colors and their effects and emotional meanings
How to use colors and their combinations

Introduction to the Basic Skills of Draping

Understanding Fabrics

Introduction to draping
Work with different fabrics on the mannequin
Learn more about the characteristics of different fabrics, characteristics of materials, and how they influence shapes
Drafting of own draped ideas into the design sketchbook

Manipulating Darts

Exercise on mannequin on a basic garment/dress, creation of a toile to find new seam solutions and to understand the manipulation of darts, their technical function as well as aesthetic methods; drafting of different design variations into the design sketchbook

Development of Own Design Idea

With the help of your newly-acquired knowledge over the last 6 weeks, it is up to you to choose the way to develop your garment including pattern and draping techniques.  After every step, sketch into your design sketch book.

Realization of Dress Project

Complete development of design work in form of a sketch book
Finished dress in original fabric

Course Title: Advanced Fashion Design
Tuition Fee: RMB 3200
Materials Fee: RMB 700

Spring Session 2013: March 6th to May 11th

Section A: Thursday mornings (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)   Registration Closed
10 weeks from March 7th to May 9th (Course Code: FD203)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section B: Thursday afternoons (1:00 PM - 3:30 PM)   Registration Closed
10 weeks from March 7th to May 9th (Course Code: FD204)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section C: Wednesday evenings (6:30 PM - 9:00 PM)   Registration Closed
10 weeks from March 6th to May 8th (Course Code: FD205)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section D: Saturday afternoons (1:00 PM - 3:30 PM)   Registration Closed
10 weeks from March 9th to May 11th (Course Code: FD206)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Fall Session 2013: October 9th to December 14th

Section A: Thursday mornings (10:00 AM - 12:30 PM)
10 weeks from October 10th to December 12th (Course Code: FD203)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section B: Thursday afternoons (1:00 PM - 3:30 PM)
10 weeks from October 10th to December 12th (Course Code: FD204)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section C: Wednesday evenings (6:30 PM - 9:00 PM)
10 weeks from October 9th to December 11th (Course Code: FD205)
Location: ELC Learning Center

Section D: Saturday afternoons (1:00 PM - 3:30 PM)
10 weeks from October 12th to December 14th (Course Code: FD206)
Location: ELC Learning Center

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS COURSE

Registration Procedure:
First register online to reserve your place.  You will receive a confirmation email with further details and instructions.  Payment must be made on site at the ELC Learning Center during the payment dates shown below (you can come in person or send someone).

Tuition fee payment for the Fall Session 2013 will take place Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, September 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th.  The payment hours are 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  Payments will be received in the Registration Office at the ELC Learning Center.  Payment must be received on time to complete your enrollment and maintain your reservation in the class(es) for which you have registered.

Register early to reserve your place, as many classes fill up quickly.  If the course for which you are registered does not reach the minimum enrollment requirement, you will be notified of the cancellation before the payment dates.  As such, we receive payments only for courses which are proceeding as scheduled.  Please note, we do not offer trial lessons or discounts of any kind.  Refund Policy: No refunds will be issued after the start of the term.