Contour Fashion is a huge, established and specialised field within fashion design. It is defined by garments worn close to, or shaping the contours of the human form, including corsetry, lingerie, swimwear, performance sportswear, nightwear and athleisure. The Contour Fashion Innovation MA is ideal for contour graduates with advanced pattern-cutting skills wishing to further their practice, or fashion or textile graduates who want to specialise in contour design.

The course explores creativity, technologies and entrepreneurship, alongside the technical considerations of this complex specialism. Contextual studies into historical, political, social and cultural considerations are at the core of this programme and fuel intellectual curiosity, speculative enquiry, imagination, and divergent thinking to successfully understand design concepts.

During this course, we prepare our graduates to succeed in this competitive and fast-developing industry. Our unparalleled understanding of the sector informs the curriculum and includes loungewear, sportswear and athleisurewear – these specialisms are in high demand following the global shift to remote working which has led to a growth in comfort-inspired, fashion-driven work attire. Marketing and visual communication is examined from the viewpoint of a creative individual, giving you the skills to develop a leading-edge portfolio and the insight into how a contour fashion label might be launched into the market place.

You will learn to take a critical and innovative approach to contemporary global challenges facing designers and businesses, with a focus on sustainable practice embedded throughout. 

Contour Fashion is a specialist area within Fashion design, defined by garments worn close to or shaping the contours of the human form. Traditionally, Contour Fashion graduates have sought careers as designers, technologists and pattern cutters of foundation garments such as corsetry, lingerie and swimwear. Increasingly, roles extend to performance sportswear, athleisure, nightwear, medical, wearable technology and within sustainable advancement.