Can somebody help me please! (regarding fashion courses)

[missjef]

I am 18 years old, and left school after Yr 12, then did a few months of doing AS levels at college then left because i didn't settle in. I am now working in a clothes shop, and i have been looking on a website for Leeds Art & Design college, and their Fashion courses seem really good.. but im not sure if i will be the right person to do that course as i havent had that much experience with sewing or art, & i didnt take textiles or art for AS or GCSE's, but on the website i cant see that it says you need to have any experience in those.. however it does say you should have a portfolio - what would this be of?

this is the national diploma which im interested in:
http://www.leeds-art.ac.uk/theCourses/BTECNDFa shionClothingDesignTextileDesign.asp

& also this:
http://www.leeds-art.ac.uk/theCourses/BAHonsFa shionClothing.asp

If anyone can help i would be very grateful, as i am wanting to do the National Diploma but am jsut wanting to know if you have to be great at drawing, or sewing?

thanks x

ps. i know this is the wrong section but it takes forever for q's to be answered in other sections, plus you guys are always so helpful :-)

[loukr]

hi, I'm on my second year of an ND in fashion and clothing, a portfolio for this particular course doesn't have to have any textiles related stuff in (although this would help), but mainly pieces of art, they don't have to be finished but they've got to be good.

It's a good course though and I'm really enjoying it. However, i'm guessing you'll be 19 in your first year, which means you'll need to pay for the course, but I don't know how much.

If there is and colleges that are local to you that offer the course I'm doing (BTEC National Diploma in Fashion and Clothing), it would be more appropriate for uni but the ND in design is also a good idea, incase you decide fashion isn't the thing for you.

I didn't do textiles GCSE but I did do art.. that doesn't mean I'm any good though!

If you want any more help let me know, I'd be happy to help :D

Lou xx

[loukr]

ooh sorry just noticed that is the same course that I'm doing :D x

[missjef]

Thanks for that, i would really like to do it but im just worried that ill have to have done art and be good at drawing!
what kind of art do they want in a portfolio? just bits and pieces that youve drawn at home?
sorry i just have no idea!

[loukr]

well I did graphics and art GCSE, so I put various pieces together from that, or stuff you've done at home. it doesn't matter whether you've done the GCSE, just as long as you can show you are able.

Obviously fashion related art is good as it's a fashion course, but again it's not necessary.

Also, I started when I was 17, so because I'd already had a year between starting the course and school, they seemed to be more open in letting me do the course. And because you'll be 19, they'll see you as more mature and able to do the course :D

[missjef]

did you have an interview type thing? what kind of things did they ask you? i really hate going for interviews because they always want to know why i left school and college, and when i had an interview to do nursing they asked me loads of questions that i just thought were stupid like 'do you give money to big issue sellers, and if you dont why not?!" - i didnt see how this was relevant to doing a mental health nursing course!!
needless to say i didnt get in to do that!!

[loukr]

well I had an interview, I didn't exactly do too well before college.. I left school with 3 C's and an A, went to 6th form for 3 weeks, which I didnt like as it was too like school, so started an ND in business late, which i failed in my first year miserably.

When I went to my interview my tutor showed me round the studio and print rooms and told me what I'd be doing and just looked at my portfolio then welcomed me onto the course..

I'm sure it wasn't that easy for some of the other students but I'm guessing it was because of my age.

Dunno why they asked you all those questions... bit random if you ask me!

[missjef]

yeah i thought it was a bit strange, kind of glad i didnt get on the course now!

thanks for your help, if i think of anything else i know who to ask now!

x

[loukr]

hehe cool well good luck if you do go for the course! Lou xx