This highly practical module allows students to explore in depth and actively engage with the world of fashion journalism. Students will develop their researching, writing and reporting skills to allow them to write professional fashion news, catwalk and trend reports, interviews and features for specialist fashion and mainstream press and websites. They will also explore different fashion forums and build a range of digital skills such as blogging, vlogging and social media networking. They will learn about editorial styling – putting together shopping pages, makeovers and get-the-look pieces – and gain an understanding of main fashion and photoshoots. They will apply their newly-gained skills to the production of a portfolio of cutting-edge fashion journalism.
The practices of fashion journalism will be placed in a context throughout the module. Through a series of lectures and in-class discussions students will gain insight into the fashion industry and how it works: the designers, brands, seasons and how clothes are made. They will acquire an appreciation of the fashion industry's relationship with the media, the role and function of fashion PR, and the historical, cultural and global economic issues which fashion journalists must understand.
Students will demonstrate their skills and knowledge in an original, independent fashion journalism project.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
The module will be delivered through a mixture of lectures and seminars and practical workshops. The lecturer will deliver the background information necessary to inform classroom discussion of relevant issues as well as students' own work. Both seminars and workshops will involve practical work such as in-class writing practice, idea generation, technical training and production.
Background research and reading will be an essential part of progressing through this specialist module to develop an appreciation of current fashion trends and designers and the historical, cultural and economic contexts of the contemporary fashion industry. This will be monitored by a series of in-class quizzes.
Workshops will be used to facilitate innovation, research, writing, production and to support students' for their individual projects. This will be achieved through exercises set by the tutor and self-directed work on individual fashion journalism packages to be submitted as part of students work-in-progress for their extended individual projects.
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | Weekly one-hour lecture and one-hour seminar in TB1 Two-hour workshop in TB2 | 22 22 |
| Guided independent study | 256 | |
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
The assessment for this module is designed to test the ability of students to apply the specialised skills of fashion journalism, and to put into practice what they have learned in the form of a portfolio of pieces and an extended individual project. It is also intended to test students' awareness of major influences, trends, contexts and stories in the fashion world and the relationship between the fashion industry and the media. It will also test students' ability to generate a body of work demonstrating proficiency, creativity and innovation in the use of mediums for different platforms.
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| 1) Confidently demonstrate an understanding of the specific skills used in fashion journalism by the production of a practical journalism portfolio based on primary research | Formatively assessed through regular writing assignments and work-in-progress evaluations by tutor of features, reports and blogs. Summative assessment of fashion blog, portfolio of fashion articles and independent project. |
| 2) Show a critical awareness of the specialist expectations of the fashion journalist and editorial stylist within the social, cultural and historical contexts of the contemporary fashion industry | Formative assessment of regular in-class quizzes and exercises. Summative assessment through fashion blog, portfolio of pieces and extended individual project. |
| 3) Use a range of specific fashion journalism techniques and skills such as imaging, styling, catwalk/trend reporting, blogging | Formatively assessed through homework tasks and in-class exercises. Summative assessment of fashion blog/social media, portfolio of pieces and extended independent project. |
| 4) Demonstrate an ability to work independently and at length on an extended individual project involving significant primary research and the use of a variety of different processes and/or mediums | Formative assessment through work-in-progress for individual extended project and summative assessment of completed project. |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Fashion Blog / Social Media | 20 |
| Coursework | 2000-3000 word Portfolio of fashion articles | 30 |
| Coursework | Extended individual project | 50 |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It IS NOT a requirement that any major assessment category is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.
Bradford, Julie. (2014) Fashion Journalism. London: Routledge
Jackson, T. and Shaw, D. (2006) The Fashion Handbook (Media Practice). London: Routledge.
Coddington, G. (2012) Grace: A Memoir. London: Chatto & Windus
Dingemans, J. (1999) Mastering Fashion Styling. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Galer, M. (2008) Digital Photography: Essential Skills, 4th edition. London: Focal Press
Lynch, A. and Strauss, M. (2007) Changing Fashion: A Critical Introduction to Trend Analysis and Meaning. Oxford: Berg.
MacSweeney, E. (ed.) (2012) Vogue: The Editor's Eye. New York: Abrams.
Oliver, W. and Bubble, S. (2012) Style Feed: The World's Top Fashion Blogs. London: Prestel.
Stevenson, N.J. (2011) The Chronology of Fashion: From Empire Dress to Ethical Design. Lewes: Ivy Press.
Travers-Spencer, S. and Zaman, Z. (2008) The Fashion Designer's Directory of Shape and Form. London: Quarto.
Tungate, M. (2012) Fashion Brands: Branding Style from Armani to Zara, 3rd edition. London: Kogan Page.
Fashion Editor at Large