Fashion Criticism by Neo Tshebe

Essence of a heroin collectionNeo Tshebe

Prudence Kau , the alumni of North West School of Design on the 6^th November 2015 for the theme of Pinnacles of fashion(Past Present Future) at the Platinum Fashion Festival she interpreted the essence of heroine. She chose unique models to be the face of her ready to wear collection for the buyers. And she chose to represent heroic women all over to express the theme: Essence Of Heroine.

Prudence Kau had a feeling of strength and power.

‘’We workout and we like to show it off’’, it’s the heroine attitude. Prudence Kau’s collection, fabric and everything has sense of royalty and luxury that embodies the sensibility with a heroine attitude.  The fabric/cloth  fashioned in a good quality performance and has rich details. The Collection had peplum, long floor length skirt, shades of orange, rose quartz colour and it’s the way to create emphasize. Exaggerated sleeves.

Has balance of hemlines and necklines, the proportion of the design and added accessory look good together. Design is applied well, each element enhances the others, rather than distracting from the design.

As this is the buyer’s collection, the goal is for consumers to buy as many garments as possible. The looks are suitable for a heroic movie wardrobe. They are just perfect and are going to be memorable. Because now we are starting to see more strong female characters that challenge gender roles by refusing to sit in the corner and look pretty. –Maybe in pop fiction.

Fashion Communication & Buying

Fashion Comm & Buying

• Fashion Management & Communication students will complete all the FASHION MANAGEMENT SUBJECTS which will ensure a strong foundation for creative, communication, administrative and technical skills required by the global industry.
• Fashion Management & Communication students must complete at least one of the SELECTIVE-SUBJECTS per year. These Selective-subjects are presented as evening courses and are also open to the public. Full-time students qualify for a 20% discounted fee for these courses.

Subjects

INTRODUCTION TO PATTERN CONSTRUCTION

• Students develop the skill to engineer (design, plan and construct) patterns for exclusive Couture or mass produced (ready to wear) garments to appropriate standards.
• Students begin by learning basics of measuring and to apply this to a basic block pattern which is then manipulated into any garment style.
• Students learn to compile and follow pattern specifications.
• Taking a pattern from a completed garment and combining existing patterns also forms part of intensive pattern classes.

INTRODUCTION TO GARMENT CONSTRUCTION

• Without any depth, understanding and knowledge of how clothes are constructed, a future in fashion is no more that an illusion. Fashion Buyers and retailers are not responsible for the sewing of garments, but detailed knowledge and experience on various methods of construction is vital. Students develop experience in constructing different parts of the garment and the construction of different garment types.
• Students learn various factory methods of construction as well as couture methods.
• Students learn to compile plans for the correct procedures when identifying, preparing, joining & disposing of sewn components. (Construction plans)
• 1st year students complete a sewing programme whereby up to 120 sewing techniques are completed as to prepare students for sewing of complete garments.
• Students learn how to set and maintain a quality system in the clothing industry. Understanding of SABS Quality standards. Financial implications of quality. Quality audits.
• Working with and applying the Markham™ Quality Standards manual and other retail manuals
• 1st year students are introduced to the principals of Quality Control and Fitting remedies.
• 2nd year students learn to set and follow quality standards for couture exclusives as well as mass produced garments
• 3rd year students compile a Retail Quality Standards manual as production planning of their mass producible fashion range.

FASHION ILLUSTRATION

• In the fashion industry, sketching of garments is the language we use to communicate detail, fit and construction. This is not only a creative, artistic approach, but more importantly a technical process as students have to consider the 3 dimensional form of the figure, the reaction of different fabric types and suitable construction techniques, whilst sketching a garment.
• Students learn the principles of illustration including, proportion, technical drawings, shading, fabric rendering and a variety of story-board presentations.

COMPUTER ILLUSTRATION

• Students learn various computer illustration & presentation techniques using Vector-based software programme.
• Once all techniques have been mastered on manual systems, students learn to plan, draw and present designs using Illustrator, CorelDraw and other specialized industry CAD Software.

INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER ASSISTED DESIGN

Students develop an understanding of the operation and application of CAD systems for patternmaking, grading and marker making

FASHION BUYING

• An overview of the role of buyers in fashion, including merchandising, promotion and interpretation of trends
• Apply knowledge and understanding of international trade documents
• Apply basic principles of local and international trade
• Buying & planning functions in the wholesale and retail industry
• Determine selling prices
• Buying merchandise
• Sourcing and selecting & developing of international suppliers
• Negotiating with suppliers
• Range planning
• Importing merchandise
• Internet purchasing
• Manage the financial performance of a range

Merchandising:

• Analyse & respond to merchandise performance
• Accurately forecast merchandise
• Allocate stock to stores
• Producing a financial budget for a range of merchandise.
• Monitoring the performance of a range of merchandise.
• Recommending action required to improve the performance.

TREND FORECASTING

• Understand the future so you can create it and not react to it
• Concept of trends, global trends and contemporary fashion
• Cultural studies & analysis
• Fashion analysis and consumer behavior. Sociology of fashion is a key element to understanding fashion movements and changes in fashion
• Forecast assessments and case studies
• Detect threats
• Graphic design for visual ( and written and oral) communication and presentations
• An introduction to project management where trend analysis as a mathematical technique that uses historical results to predict future outcome. This is achieved by tracking variances in cost and schedule performance.
• Trend analysis often refers to the science of studying changes in social patterns, including fashion, technology and the consumer behavior
• Students use project management tools to statistically investigate and prove how a range is performing in the market

FASHION JOURNALISM

• Fashion writing and communication has never been so exciting or had such career potential, ranging from print and broadcast to fashion film and online media.
• This subject is designed to equip students with the practical and critical skills needed to success in various areas of fashion journalism.
• Introduction to various media types (magazines, news, blogs, etc) Students will be versatile enough to meet the demands and challenges of today’s fashion journalism in its different forms and to contribute meaningfully to the discipline. Understanding of fashion writing and communication, within the changing framework of digital technologies and Innovation.
• Report – Interview – Inquiry – News, Information – Fashion (including an analysis of clothes) – Fashion Description (photo collage, words, starching or drawing) – Advertising etc.
• Criticisms, judgments, opinions will be discussed openly in the class.
• Students learn communication skills in writing for blogs or news portals.
• Introduction to all on line communication opportunities
• Case Studies
• The role of the fashion blogger and on line editor
• Keeping track of the on line fashion world and interacting on blogs and news portals
• How to set up a blog &/ Or news portal and how this is managed as an enterprise

FASHION DESIGN

• 1st year students develop a clear understanding of the principles of design including proportion, balance, colour, etc. Students develop an understanding of their creativity and its influence of their designs.
• 2nd year students learn how a range is developed.
• Practical styling projects will include fashion show and visual displays
• Students are introduced to the basics of styling
• The role of the stylist in the global fashion world.

PRODUCTION & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

• 1st year students develop an understanding of design and manufacturing processes and systems. Logical flow of all product development and quality control documents forms an integral part of product development for 1st year students.
• The evaluation, researching, comparing and optimizing of production systems forms part of the 2nd year syllabus. Further to this is the issue and receive of materials. Waste reduction management. Stock taking systems. Handling systems, Cutting room control, production plans.
• 3rd year students get the opportunity to apply all of the above in various projects that link subjects to enable students to apply all practical and academic theory into a realistic product development assignment.
• 3rd year students learn to identify strategies to achieve sustainable competitive advantage for a clothing company. Establish standards and plan, measure and monitor productivity. Practical application of work measurements, method studies and specialised studies. Setting and maintaining acceptable levels of productivity against set times, methods and quality.

FASHION MARKETING

• Fashion marketing has a major contribution to make towards business success in the ever-changing global and domestic marketplace. Students learn to plan, conduct and analyse market surveys. Student will learn brand building, advertising and promotion techniques.
• Fashion Brand Marketing considers the design, development and marketing strategies of diverse fashion brands.
• Marketing Communications considers new and old media ways of communicating fashion brands to different consumer target groups.
• International Marketing and Retailing Strategies examine case studies of successful international fashion corporations in different global markets and contexts. All units are assessed by a mix of academic papers and presentations.
• Psychology of fashion will show students how to get customers to buy and to identify product features and what advantages and benefits the product has to the consumer.
• Fashion PR: Fashion publicists work with fashion companies and designers to help them build a positive image and develop and create many promotional offers and publicity to create awareness among the targeted audience. Being a fashion publicist is more specialized than fashion marketing as the fashion publicists represents his client to media exposure as the main objective.
• Students are introduced to mass communication strategies
• Customer profiling
• Identifying the differences between PR & marketing
• How to build up a media data base.
• How to write efficient press releases for an assorted range of media
• Networking as a PR or publicist
• Case studies

FASHION ENTREPRENEURSHIP

• The success of a designer is measured in sales, to obtain this success; students develop business skills and entrepreneurial opportunities in order to apply basic business principles that are focused on the fashion industry.
• Students get to explore career opportunities and gain an understanding of how the industry works, by means of the annual Entrepreneurship week whereby industry leaders are invited to present their careers to students by presentation and a Q & A session.
• Students learn to foster and maintain customer relations for couture, mass production and retail. Various aspects of customer psychology are explored.
• Write and present a business plan and business proposal,
• Compile a design portfolio and CV.
• Produce and use spreadsheets for the designers bookkeeping systems.
• Develop and update a supplier’s file. Global supply chain management for sourcing of materials and supplies.
• Students are introduced to human resource management and public relations.
• Students are introduced to case studies and success stories of fundraising projects run by organizations and individuals.
• Students are introduced to fashion related fundraising opportunities and contracts and learn how to work with fundraising organizations like Hospice, Round Table etc.
• Students learn how to plan, manage and complete large fashion related fundraising events and how to use such events as brand building and community up-liftment projects.
• 1st year students plan, manage and complete individual fundraising projects for funds towards fashion show expenses.
• 2nd year students plan, manage and complete group fundraising projects for funds towards fashion show expenses and resources levies
• 3 rd year students plan, manage and complete fundraising projects that involves sourcing of external sponsors to assist in future business endeavors, fashion show expenses, resources levies

RESEARCH, REPORTING & PRESENTATION

• Research is fundamental to the pursuit of academic, entrepreneurial and creative excellence. With strong research approaches, students generate, communicate and transfer new and advanced knowledge.
• 1st year students are introduced to various research methods and are shown how to do research and how to use research in a project.
• 1st year research projects allows for research to be presented in written form
• 2nd year research projects allows for research to be presented in written, oral and visual form
• 3rd year research projects are linked with other projects and subjects, by means of a combined-subject project that will be researched, developed and presented
• Various design influences that occur around the world are researched and applied.
• Students also develop an in depth knowledge of the design style of the world’s top designers, chain stores and fashion brands in order to differentiate between markets and trends.
• Period costume and fashion history is also researched.
• Contemporary history is fundamental.
• Students learn to work effectively with others as a member of a team and to plan and conduct investigation by applying research techniques.
• This subject further includes the fashion dictionary and fashion lingo.
• Students are also encouraged to report on world and social news. This is to set a custom for news tracking as it is an integral part not only for research but also for forecasting and trend setting.

TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY

• Students learn to identify and use appropriate materials in the manufacturing process and gain familiarity with the characteristics and textures of fabrics.
• Students learn the technical aspects of textiles and the methods and techniques of production.
• Fabrics are analyzed for purposes of developing an understanding of the characteristics of fabric and how the design is influenced by this.
• Classifying of various types of fabrics, their handling and care.
• Fabric modification, weaving and fabric testing form part of the practical applications for this subject.

FASHION EVENTS MANAGEMENT

• The annual Graduation Fashion show forms part of an Awards Ceremony at year-end. Fashion Management students plan and manage this (and other) fashion event
• The history and business of fashion shows and fashion weeks
• Different Categories of fashion shows
• The role of the show producer or director
• The show production team
• All the production services
• Timelines and budgets
• Target market and audience
• Public relations and marketing
• Models and Merchandise
• Front of house
• Backstage and dressing rooms
• Showtime

SELECTIVE SUBJECTS

Fashion Management & Communication students must select subjects from this list. These subjects are presented as part time courses and are all 2 month part time courses, twice weekly. Students must complete one of these subjects per year.

Shoe Design

A Hands-on course, students will learn about a variety of topics including measuring, shoes styles, pattern designing, material selection, and using hand tools. Over the course of the workshop, students will make a pair of shoes for themselves using hand tools.

Window Dressing

Principles of window display, allocation of windows. Planning & preparation of displays

Props and lighting, Selecting stock for displays. Promotional signage, marking & ticketing

Fashion Photography What is fashion photography & commercial photography? The role of the fashion photographer. Developing a style. How to get the right shot. Photography techniques. Formulate & style a fashion shoot. Styling.

Bridal Couture

The course is aimed to prepare professionals in design, pattern making, sewing and fitting for wedding dresses.

The plan of study covers different subjects from the basic notions, through to veils and other accessories.

To Apply for the Fashion management and communication course click here

Why Students Chose North West School of Design

Why students chose North West School of Design

It is that time of year that NWSD, like many other fashion colleges are inundated with applications to register for fulltime fashion studies.  All these fashion hopefuls have one concern in common – how to choose the right fashion college?  Fashion training, as a specialized field in higher education can end up costing much more than more conventional and regular training programmes and because they are buying something that is life determining, future fashion students must rely on the credibility of the institution they are applying to. 

NWSD ranks and measures their quality of fashion education by means of student & graduate reviews.  NWSD students were asked why they chose this college, and their responses will give you an idea of this institution’s track record.

1.                   A Choice in Fashion

The best thing about fashion is the wealth of opportunities Careers in Fashion it offers, but school leavers rarely grasp the vastness of the global fashion industry and they, like many believe that fashion training only leads to a career as a fashion designer.  NWSD introduces first year students to the global scope of the industry so that they can, after six months of studying fashion make a well informed choice of continuing in the field of Fashion Design or moving over to the Fashion Management & CommunicationCourse. 

2.                   International Qualifications

North West School of Design is internationally recognized with a globalized curriculum. NWSD fulltime courses have certificate, diploma, first degree, degree, honours and masters degree exit levels based on the International City & Guilds qualifications stature.

NORTH WEST SCHOOL OF DESIGN is an approved (registered and accredited) CITY AND GUILDS. (Centre no: 848446). City & Guilds London Institute was founded in 1878 and is a well known and respected name worldwide in vocational education and training and commands respect from candidates and employers alike. Because NORTH WEST SCHOOL OF DESIGN offer diploma and degree courses that ultimately lead to Foreign Qualifications, they are accredited with City and Guilds, and not with a SETA, SAQA, CHE or DOE.

3.                   Online Learning System

NWSD leads the way in fashion education as the first SA fashion college to merge contact learning and teaching with an integrated online learning system.  The NWSD learning management system is a an online system for managing training and educational records to distributing course work, manuals, class schedules, assignment dates and calendars. 

The NWSD online learning system lower costs, allows for faster delivery of teaching materials, aids students in more effective learning and has a lower environmental impact.

4.                   100 Years Combined Experience

NWSD has recently celebrated their 16^th birthday and with 16 years of educating experience and the academic staff of NWSD holds more than 100 years of experience within the fashion industry, with a good mix of couture, retail, mass production and entrepreneurial studies.

5.                   Always Evolving

“With their hands on approach and care, the NWSD is the best place to go if you want to make it as a designer in this cut-throat industry. They don't waste time when teaching you the best techniques and business skill. With a principal that never stops bettering her knowledge and experience and a very capable staff, it all comes down to the bottom line: The business of Fashion!" Gert Johan Coetzee - Celebrity Designer & Specialist couturier NWSD Graduate Class of 2004 & 2005.

A college is ranked by its staff, students and research.  NWSD can continually evolve because of ongoing industry research and keeping abreast of the latest industry developments.  The Fashion Modules and courses that were lectured in 2014 is totally different from modules that were lectured in 2003. 

6.                   Alumni

NWSD alumni are this institution’s greatest success stories who have a permanent relationship with the principal. 

Gert Johan Coetzee

Anel Botha

Sylvester Falata

 Mercia Itumeleng Matlhaku

Jose de Canha

Kobus Rautenbach Couture

Eulogoe Zeloo 

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7.                   Fashion Shows

NWSD has recently hosted their 15^th annual graduation fashion show by introducing the first Platinum Fashion Festival.  This sold out event testifies of great community support as well as media and industry support.  Students all agree that the most remarkable thing of the 2014 Platinum Fashion Festival was the vibrancy of the audience which confirmed the great success of the shows. 

The 2015 Platinum Fashion Festival is already booked as a 2 day event which includes not only student collections but will also create a platform for emerging designers, a food fair and a designer’s fair.  The objective is to host a fashion festival for fashion lovers and not necessarily only fashion leaders.

8.                   The NWSD Family

NWSD embraces an extensive community of diverse people.  Students come from all four corners of SA as well as Namibia and as far as Madagascar.  Because fashion is all around us, the dynamic world of fashion is not limited to SA’s bigger cities.   Because Klerksdorp is central, safer than larger cities and offers more affordable accommodation, parents are not as reluctant to send their young adults to an out-of-town college. 

9.                   Work Hard, Play Hard

There is a lot of great things about NWSD’s world of fashion – the excitement, the creativity, the buzz, but don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s all glitz and glam.  NWSD students develop a culture of productivity and they soon adopt the creed of Work Hard, and Play Hard. 

For more reading:

·         NWSD Success Story

·         How To Apply

·         News & Blogs

·         NWSD Videos