In the first year, you will receive many experimental design assignments. You will let go of existing ideas and develop your own original way of thinking and creating. You will get to know the visual arts in general and fashion in particular. Subjects you take will be on such topics as experimental design, fashion design, textiles, pattern drawing, fashion and costume, and art theory.
In the second year, you will deepen your subject knowledge and learn new skills. You will take a broad range of subjects, including on fashion design, fashion drawing, pattern drawing, execution, textiles, print design, publicity, photography, digital skills, fashion and culture, and art theory. You will also attend four clinics: sessions with specialised professionals who show what opportunities the field has to offer. It is an intensive year, with more contact hours than in the first year. A study load of around sixty hours per week is not unusual.
In the third year, you will take your first steps into professional practice. You will start with the collective project Collectie Arnhem and then complete a national or international internship. In Collectie Arnhem, you and your classmates will design a clothing collection together. You will go through all stages of the design process: from concept and technical development to execution, styling, funding and presentation. Within this project, you will collaborate with companies, students from other programmes and international partners. Previous editions have been presented during fashion weeks in Paris and Amsterdam.
In the second semester, you will complete an internship of at least three months, either in the Netherlands or abroad. You will also have a full schedule of subjects, including on fashion design, machine knitting, fashion drawing, pattern drawing and draping. You will write a thesis on art theory, which serves as the basis for your design.
The fourth year will focus on your signature style and graduation. You start with an independent design workshop led by a multidisciplinary guest lecturer. Throughout the year, you will receive guidance from specialists in design, materials and prints, technology, presentation and theory. External experts will also provide feedback and assess your work. Based on your own signature, interests and ambitions, you will develop your final collection. You will complete your studies with a major presentation for a national or international audience, for example through a show or a video.