Fashion Communication: Histories and Theories

The standard entry requirements for this course are as follows:

First-class or upper second-class honours degree from art and design BA courses or from disciplines such as history, literature, languages, history of art, visual culture, film studies and media studies

Or an equivalent EU/international qualification.

Look beyond pure fashion design to explore connections with culture, identity, politics, history and the wider world. Develop your skills in critical thinking on an academically rigorous course.

MA Fashion Communication: Histories and Theories offers an academic approach to the study of fashion, which assesses its cultural, historical and global significance. Fashion is explored as object, image, text, idea, practice and experience through the critical lens of art history, sociology, geography, literature, politics and anthropology. Students develop writing, research and analytical skills, both to shape the emerging field of Fashion Studies and to develop as active and critical communicators within the industry itself.

The course offers three pathways: Fashion Image, Fashion Journalism and Histories and Theories.

This course is part of the Fashion Programme.

Why choose this course at Central Saint Martins:

• Fashion in context: Study the global scope of fashion as a social and cultural phenomenon through objects, images, words and ideas, with an emphasis on critical enquiry and debate

• Collections and archives: Gain exclusive access to UAL Archives and Special Collections, alongside visits to museums, galleries and archives including Manolo Blahnik and the WORN workshop - to develop hands-on research skills and specialist knowledge of fashion.

• Critical engagement: You will use cultural theories to explore how fashion connects individuals and communities globally and consider more just, inclusive and sustainable fashion practices. Visiting experts include Caroline Evans, Alistair O’Neill, Serkan Delice, Jenna Rossi-Camus, June Rowe, Nathaniel Weiner, Christin Yu, Marketa Uhlirova and Jana Melkumova-Reynolds

• Industry experience and joint projects: We place emphasis on interdisciplinary thinking and experimentation across a diverse range of practices and perspectives, with opportunities to work with international media and fashion brands

• Graduate opportunities: Our students graduate prepared for careers in fashion, museums, heritage, research, writing, curation, trend forecasting, brand strategy, marketing and archiving. Alumni have secured roles at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Phoebe Philo, Dover Street Market, Penhaligons, Malone Souliers, Refinery29, WGSN, Yoox and Cosmopolitan.