Fashion Futures 2

FAD Fashion Futures 2 (FF2), developed by Fashion Awareness Direct, is a pathway between education and the fashion industry. 6th form students participate in workshops with professionals to gain skills and knowledge, which helps them progress to higher education and on to the workplace.

The Fashion Futures 2 programme runs in three key stages:

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Fashion Futures 2009, Stage 1 workshops

Stage 1: Saturday Workshops

Over ten Saturday workshops, students receive expert tuition from practising designers and FE tutors, to learn about the complete fashion design process - from initial research and garment design to pattern cutting and constructing a finished toile. As part of Stage 1, the students also take part in an industry day at the Fashion & Textiles Museum (FTM), consisting of talks from fashion professionals and workshops designed to give them an insight into careers and the working world of fashion.

At the end of the 10 week course, the students' work is showcased at an exhibition in central London. All participants are presented with a certificate, and the finalists who have been selected to go on to the Stage 2 summer school are announced.

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Fashion Futures 2008 Summer School at Central Saint Martins

Stage 2: Summer School

Students spend an intensive week at a top London design university expanding on the skills that they developed in Stage 1. Supported by a team of university tutors, students and technicians, the finalists have just five days to create a finished garment based on the toile they designed in Stage 1.

The summer school is complemented by a specially designed industry programme, where finalists have the opportunity to visit different fashion workplaces, and be guests at a catwalk show during London Fashion Week.

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2008 FAD Junior Awards; 2007 FAD Junior Awards; 2008 FAD Junior Award Winner, Aysha Simpson

Stage 3: The FAD Junior Awards

The finished designs are showcased at the FAD Junior Awards, a professional catwalk event in London. The students who have produced the most outstanding work are presented with awards, and the overall winner is announced and presented with a top industry work placement.

Since January 2007, FAD Fashion Futures 2 has been accredited by the Open Colleges Network through Newham College, and is now a New CAD unit "Fashion Design Process Level 2".