Fashion Contour

Fashion contour is the specialist design discipline concerned with intimate apparel, including lingerie, corsetry, swimwear and bodywear, and with the complex technical challenges of designing garments that must fit closely, move with the body, support structure, and perform functionally as well as aesthetically. It is a field that demands both creative vision and precise technical skill, requiring designers who understand the properties of stretch and elastic fabrics, the geometry of pattern cutting for the body, and the manufacturing processes specific to this category of garment.

At the University of the Arts London you will study this three-year programme at one of the world's leading creative education institutions, developing your skills in fashion contour design across its full range of product types and markets. You will work with the materials and construction techniques specific to this field, build your technical pattern-cutting skills, and develop a design practice that is informed by your understanding of the body, fabric behaviour, and the commercial and cultural contexts in which intimate apparel operates. The programme includes a sandwich year and a work placement, giving you direct industry experience before you graduate.

UAL also offers an opportunity to study abroad short-term over the summer break, which can extend your international design exposure further.

Fashion contour graduates work in design roles within lingerie and swimwear brands, at manufacturers, in buying and merchandising, in product development, and as freelance designers. The specialised technical knowledge you develop is valued in a sector that has significant commercial scale and a growing area of innovation in performance, sustainable and inclusive design. Some graduates move into adjacent areas of fashion, using their technical expertise in other closely fitting or performance categories.

Postgraduate study in fashion design, fashion enterprise, or a related field is an option for those who wish to develop their practice further or move into fashion education and research.