The Institute specifies and encourages fashion as a function of overall perception especially with its many forms of body-related research and development. The educational goal is the formation of a comprehensive design praxis built upon a three-fold foundation: learning about different design techniques and methods, developing a human-oriented understanding of design and unfolding one’s own potential.

Through innovative approaches students and faculty embark on a voyage of design discovery and thereby pursue the question of how relevant visions of society incorporating urgent issues for the future can be considered and applied as fashion. Through the three perspectives of design – concept, collection and communication – students develop their own investigations in the context of a lively public exchange and professional environment during all developmental stages from initial concerns and ideas to the collection and its performative staging, throughout which design praxis and reflexion about contemporary everyday culture remain closely intertwined. Following the three design perspectives of concept, collection and communication the study program projects are structured by four design phases: research, design concept, realization and launching & application.

Each academic level also has a particular focus:

- 1st & 2nd Semesters: Mapping the Terrain and Locating One’s Own Position

- 3rd & 4th Semesters: Crossing the Terrain, Sharing and Connecting

- 5th–7th Semesters: Participating and Re-Organizing Thinking and Doing

Doing Fashion: Thesis

Proceeding from the practical and reflective development of a personally-formulated inquiry, in the final 7th semester the student’s personal design concept emerges within the bachelor’s thesis, which is presented for viewing and discussion to an interdisciplinary, international jury. For the third time under the artistic direction of Priska Morger, the Graduate Show 2014 will present the hotbed of talent’s sensual spectacle, a burning moment. We say: whoever thinks too much, doesn’t act. – Therefore: Act! Run! Burn! Dress Your Naked Flame!

Master Program Institute Integrative Design/Studio Fashion Design 

In cooperation with the Masterstudio Design program the Institute of Fashion Design offers a specialized master’s degree: Studio Fashion Design. The leitmotif of the Studio Fashion Design is Fashion Entrepreneurship: the ability in the constantly evolving fashion system to develop, implement and through innovative business models secure one’s own creative vision on the market. The design praxis of the Studio Fashion Design is shaped by the Doing Fashion approach: the aim is to design alternative concepts of fashion that create a high degree of independence, can be sustainably established on the market and change the praxis of fashion. The master’s thesis entails a complete collection including accessories, which is shown in an international context.

Together with all enrollees of Masterstudio Design, Studio Fashion Design students absolve the core program, which entails multi-disciplinary basic fields, deepening/consolidation and participating in the workshops. What’s special about Studio Fashion Design is that the project modules and master’s thesis are specifically supervised by and under the responsibility of the Institute of Fashion Design, Academy of Art and Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Northwest Switzerland.

The program start is always in the autumn semester (Study duration: 3 semesters).

Doing Fashion Paper (Publication)

Published as a limited edition this year’s Doing Fashion Paper already marks the fourth issue and is entitled Encyclopedia of Doing Fashion Detours. Following Experiment, Body Perception/Staging of the Body and The Colour of Doing Fashion this issue newly seeks exchange through its up-to-date insights into the Institute’s latest happenings – the completion of projects, study excursion and workshops.

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Credits: BA + MA Graduate Designers 2015, Olena Caduff, Isabelle Hunziker, Arabella Miller, Julia Zwahlen, Ugo Pecoraio, Marco Zwick, Nadine Scherer, Matthias Fürst, Katrin Wütherich, Manuela Thüler, Angela Thurnherr, Delia Matthäus, Martina Sluka, Isabelle Mayer, Lisa Rechsteiner Foto Yasmina Haddad, Model Sara Maria Gwiazda @ Fotogen, Hair / Make- up: Eva Bühler, Performer: Lorena Projer & Timon Imfeld, Assistant Creative Direction: Matthias Waldhart, Creative Director: Priska Morger