Sustainable Fashion MA (Online)

Re_Imagine asks you to harness the power of imaginative storytelling, grounded by research into how today’s fringe ideas and technologies look to the future. Through global case studies from multicultural and inclusive perspectives, alongside independent research, you will develop an in-depth overview of how the fashion product lifecycle sits within the contexts of environmental, social and economic sustainability.  

You will examine the reasons why change is needed and the approaches the industry is taking to solve these complex challenges such as circular business models, regenerative practices, engaging with social justice and defining governance structures to regulate the industry, looking at the UN Sustainability Goals and the Inner Development goals.     

Linked design thinking techniques and horizon scanning will enable you to speculate about how things could be and translate your knowledge to envision alternative fashion systems that question how we source materials, design, manufacture and distribute products, and communicate and experience fashion. You will materialise this future worldview through the production of a creative platform that defines your sustainability agenda and core values and create a proposal for a set of interventions to bring about this change in global and local contexts.  

(30 credits)   

Re_Make will challenge you to develop a positive sustainable relationship between the sourcing of materials, the design of fashion products and the sustainability of environments and regenerative eco-systems. Utilising design thinking processes you will analyse and evaluate sustainable product design solutions through investigation into responsible materials, circular technologies, and ethically transparent processes.  

You will then propose innovative ideas and directions for the design of visionary fashion product opportunities with a positive impact on the environment, producing a report detailing your approach to the design of a sustainable product range that attempts to meet a 100% traceability target. 

(30 credits)   

Re_Wire critiques the systems behind fashion and poses the question; how can you implement sustainable change that addresses the multiple intersecting crises in the fashion system?  Through case studies and personal investigation into fashion’s sourcing, production and distribution systems, you will question the practices of fashion’s supply chain. Ethical trade and sustainable certifications will also be explored to show how the industry can change their practices in a responsible and positive way.   

You will develop a culture of collaborative innovation to understand how fashion activities, people, ecosystems and external industries interact and how you can embed responsible decision making. Networking with each other and across the industry, open-source sharing and group work will be central to building teamworking and leadership skills. 

You will scrutinise why systems need to be radically transformed to design out the exploitative practices in fashion and identify where you can rewire the system to deliver a responsible impact for the planet and its people. 

(30 credits)   

Re_Frame critiques interactions with the fashion product lifecycle through the context of environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Focusing on how audiences engage with fashion sustainability, you will scrutinise the fashion communication and business landscape to understand; what could happen if we empower consumers to imagine and shape their sustainable futures?    

By exploring circular business models and purpose-driven communication strategies behind economic and social sustainability, you will develop a working understanding of what responsible brand narratives, platforms, services and organisations can look like. 

Through taught content and independent study, you will examine positive and negative communication methods used by brands, communities, NGOs, individuals, and activists to discuss sustainable fashion, and explore the impact these narratives have on conscious consumerism and decision-making. Studying human behaviour will also enhance your understanding of why we consume the way we do and give you the design thinking skills to develop interventions to address this consumption. 

Based on social innovation design practices, ethnographic research and applied design thinking, you will develop a presentation about a new service, communication platform or organisational model that responsibly impacts the fashion community and seeks to improve the wellbeing of individuals and communities on a global or local scale. 

(30 credits)   

Consolidating all the knowledge, research methods and design skills you have learned in the previous modules, you will identify and address a sustainable challenge through the development of positive and responsible intervention, platform or system. Using your conscious mindset, you will define yourself as a collaborative change agent, working across disciplinary borders, with an inclusive range of people or in new areas that can reform the industry in a responsible and positive direction for the planet and its people.     

Using a combination of theory, practice-led or practice-based research you will immerse yourself in your chosen theme and create an innovative iterative design strategy to inform the strategic development of your outcome within your own company, in a brand, in the community or another space. 

(60 credits) 

You can apply to begin your studies in May 2023 by selecting the relevant course route below:

Apply for MA

Apply for PGDip

You can apply to begin your studies in September 2023 by selecting the relevant course route below:

Apply for MA

Apply for PGDip

You can apply to begin your studies in January 2024 by selecting the relevant course route below:

Apply for MA

Apply for PGDip

An honours degree or Level 6 equivalent qualification is desirable. However, candidates without a degree or formal qualification are still encouraged to apply. If you'd like to discuss our entry requirements, speak to an advisor.

For more information regarding equivalent international qualifications and Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) either request information with our easy online form, or read about it on our apply page.

If English isn't your first language, you'll need to demonstrate English language skills that are sufficiently developed for successful completion of your studies. We accept a range of recognised English language qualifications that are equivalent to the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic minimum score of 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.