Performance sportswear is a booming specialism, with forward-thinking designers creating new materials, products and styles every day. We'll give you everything you need to become one of those designers, encouraging you to experiment, create and innovate so you can discover your unique design identity. With our support, you'll design cutting-edge apparel that’s practical, functional and aesthetically pleasing, producing wearable designs to launch your career in this fast-paced exciting industry. Surfing, snowboarding, running, climbing, mountain biking; performance sportswear is a huge industry that is driven by creative and scientific exploration. Shaped in response to industry needs, this course offers an opportunity to develop your intellectual, technical and creative skills, enabling you to design and create clothing specific to a variety of action sports. From ultrasonic welding to bonding, laser cutting to digital printing, you'll experiment with the latest fabrics and construction methods and, using both hand drawing and digital technology, develop designs that meet the needs of this most demanding of sectors. You'll also study trends, computer-aided design (CAD) and branding to ensure your practical skills are balanced with an appreciation of aesthetics and marketing. You'll put your skills into practice on live projects and undertake work placements with recognised brands – including Decathlon, Finisterre, Rip Curl and howies – to gain a thorough insight into the industry. Visiting speakers will inspire you to create original, exciting and progressive designs, so you graduate primed to launch into the industry.

Careers * Career as an assistant designer/designer with a performance sportswear company * Work as a buyer or merchandiser * Becoming a proprietor of a clothing label * Career as a stylist * Work as a production manager Assessment Continuous assessment of visual, verbal and written assignments, as well as a dissertation, final year project and exhibition. Experience you'll get * Study trips, international work experience and live projects with industry partners * Final year fashion show * Computer-aided design (CAD) * Fashion website design