Assessment 1: Portfolio (80%) (Learning outcomes 1 – 3)
An individual portfolio comprising:
• Primary and secondary research and evaluation
• Concept and design development (e.g. moodboards, sketches and samples)
• Product development (e.g. patterns and toiles)
• Ongoing annotations describing alternative options and justifying design choices
• Final outcomes

Assessment 2: Presentation (20%) (Learning Outcomes 3)
A PowerPoint or equivalent presentation to an audience ranging from 6 - 8 minutes, covering a summary of your research and proposed design intentions, supported by visual and statistical data. This must be accompanied by the submission of your PowerPoint presentation and the comparative report that your portfolio is based on.

This module aims to equip you with the skills required to work in a commercial environment and will allow you to explore the information gathering processes that underpin trend forecasting. This will enable you to develop fashion ideas based on sound knowledge of the end user and its commercial viability. You will first explore the importance of research in developing a commercial fashion product, including:
• market segmentation
• sourcing and interpreting qualitative and quantitative information
• identifying target markets
• preparing a comparative report

You will research a specific market segment and/or customer, leading to the generation of a comparative (comp) report that demonstrates a full understanding of your target market and justification for the design choices you are making. You will develop a persuasive argument and present it visually and verbally to peers and tutors, as well as creating forward looking fashion items that respond to the needs and expectations of the consumer that you have identified. In order to achieve this you will have to adopt the fast-paced approach that the commercial sector practices. This will include producing a full technical (tech) pack so your design can be reproduced to your specifications, as required by factories in industry.

This module complements the skills you are developing in other modules, such as Fashion Business and Pattern Cutting, and recognises that the skills are transferable, giving you a more holistic view and supporting flexible approaches that reflect the dynamic environment of the industry today. By the end of the module, you will have researched and developed a portfolio of work, showing how you are able to present your ideas professionally and argue from a sound knowledge base.
The challenge and stimulation that this module provides will keep you ahead of the game in both the generation of design ideas and translating these speedily into reality.

1. Demonstrate an ability to investigate a chosen market and/or customer, and interpret findings in order to forecast trends and make fashion design choices.
Enquiry

2. Translate ideas into appropriate solutions to fulfil the required specifications for a chosen market. Application
Problem Solving

3. Communicate arguments and ideas effectively and professionally in a variety of forms, suited to specific purposes related to trend setting in the fashion industry
Communication
Working with Others

You will learn how to develop a professional portfolio of work through a combination of theory and practical activities, including working on location and studio based. Study will be both tutor-led and independent. Your Module Handbook will include a week-by-week summary of activities.

As such, the learning strategies will include, but are not limited to:

• Lectures and seminars
• Primary and secondary research
• Workshop activities, such as writing comparative reports and producing technical packs
• Practical development work, including design and make sessions
• Portfolio development
• Presentation skills development
• Peer evaluation and critiques

High Street
WGSN.com – Trend Forecasting website
Specialist industrial sewing equipment
Adobe Design suite
University Library
Word-processing facilities
Internet
Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment will support this module where relevant.

Online Resources
https://www.wgsn.com/en
http://www.fashionserviceshongkong.com/
https://www.artsthread.com/portfolios/

HALLETT, C. and JOHNSTON, A. (2014) Fabric for Fashion: The Swatch Book. 2nd Ed. London: Lawrence King
SZUTNICKA, B. (2017) Technical Drawing for Fashion: A Complete Guide. 2nd Ed. London: Lawrence King
LEE, J. and STEEN, C. (2015) Technical Sourcebook for Designers. London: Bloomsbury