module specification

SJ5079 - Styling and Journalism (2024/25)

Module specification Module approved to run in 2024/25
Module title Styling and Journalism
Module level Intermediate (05)
Credit rating for module 15
School School of Computing and Digital Media
Total study hours 150
 
45 hours Scheduled learning & teaching activities
105 hours Guided independent study
Assessment components
Type Weighting Qualifying mark Description
Coursework 10%   Video of styling exercise with 300 word report (Individual)
Coursework 30%   Portfolio of 4 short pieces, no more than 1200 words. (Individual)
Coursework 45%   Styling project; Two 500 word magazine article; 1,000 word supporting information
Practical Assessment 15%   Online journal & reflection; contribution in class
Running in 2024/25

(Please note that module timeslots are subject to change)
Period Campus Day Time Module Leader
Autumn semester North Monday Morning

Module summary

This module offers an introduction to styling within fashion journalism and related industries, underpinned by an understanding of the relationship between the media and industry, surveying the cultural and global business issues which fashion journalists must understand. Merchandising and trend-spotting will be examined along with the role of the stylist in media and marketing. It will be helpful to anyone studying fashion marketing, beauty marketing and journalism.

Weekly assignments will explore different arenas for and types of styling, developing employable skills in sourcing and resourcing looks and products for writing, photography, retail, events, blogging/vlogging, trends and catwalk shows, and new media networking. These will be discussed in class and reflectively via online journal.

Summative assessment will join these strands and take the form of a major styling project, focusing on a specific fashion business, event, publication or store, chosen in consultation with the module teaching team.

Assessment tasks will be: a video styling exercise with 300-word document, a portfolio of four short pieces (no more than 300 words each, with images for each); a final piece of two 500-word articles which creates an original story with 10 self-created images (or can be video of 2 minutes), with an analytic log of research and sourcing (up to 1,000 words); and engagement with class, assessed through self-reflective journal.

Syllabus

In this exciting and ever-evolving module, students cover styling within the fashion industry in context: the nature and meaning of fashion, how stylists are used within the fashion business environment, and the relationship between the media and the fashion industry.
Most classes will be workshop-based, with guest speakers and lectures interspersed with students’ own active writing, sourcing of products and presentation. Site visits will be important.
Portfolio work, inside and outside class, will include:
basics such as who uses stylists and how, from shop windows to catwalks and photo-shoots;
the logistics of the fashion shoot: design, photographer, clothing, caption writing;
accessories;
locations and backgrounds;
the fashion column:
how to mark your mark with a unique style, whether blogging or writing for magazines;
catwalk and trend forecasting and spotting;
beyond fashion to events, launches and lines. 
Students’ use of and sensitivity to images will be crucial.
Classes will discuss and explore: beauty, design, celebrity; the job of the stylist: what a fashion correspondent or editor for a newspaper or magazine does and how they work with stylists; the fashion magazine planning process and its influence on products and stores; criticizing magazines: identity, audience, involvement. The role of social media.
The class blog will allow all contributions to be shared and peer-assessed.
These two strands will be merged in the summative assessment, which will be a major project using original research, in which students display evidence of critical awareness (of other stylists) and their ability to combine new and interesting display ideas (not just from PR). This piece should contain writing, images and a list of sourced products in either a piece of fashion writing or video. It should also connect to online social media – Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr or similar.

Learning Outcomes LO1 - 6

 

Balance of independent study and scheduled teaching activity

Teaching methods include lectures, workshops, guest speakers, seminar discussion and tutorials.  Workshops will focus on producing real journalism-compatible styling within class and outside it. Students are expected to attend and must participate. 
In seminars, workshops and tutorials they are expected to raise issues, ask questions and seek feedback to enable them to reflect on practice. Practical work will include working on cat walks and shoots.
In enhancement and news weeks, field trips, guest speakers, screenings and participation in newsdays will complement one-to-one tutorial and coaching sessions.
In addition to guided reading, students are expected to read and use new media critically. They should readily use a variety of sources (primary and secondary).
Blended learning will be facilitated through the virtual learning environment, twitter and photo-sharing social media.
PDP will be supported: the final project can be added to e-portfolio.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module, having completed all the tasks set, 
students should be able to:
1. Use a range of specialised techniques and skills from resourcing to writing, imaging and shoots, including PR profiles;
2. Communicate a critical understanding of the specialist expectations and context of the fashion journalist for stylists, through sharp and focused writing and creation of fashion shoots and/or events styling;
3. Articulate  and explain the role of the stylist in the promotion of goods and services within and alongside the fashion industry;
4. Create styles and images which serve the differing forms,  platforms and scope of fashion journalism;
5. Critically analyse fashion-related styling across media for its cultural and commercial significance;
6. Show how their work has made them more employable, through an online portfolio of work.

Bibliography

No textbooks
Use of fashion and social media will be paramount

Barnard, Malcolm. 2008. Fashion as Communication. London: Routledge
Beeforth., A 2013. Style Me Vintage. Chicago Review Press: Chicago
Brooks, Amanda. 2009.  I Love Your Style. Harper Collins: London
Design Museum. 2009 Fifty Dresses that Changed the World. Conran: London
Easey, Mike 2008. Fashion Marketing. Blackwell: London
Feldon, Leah. 2001. Dressing Rich. Universe. New York
Flaherty, Somer. 2012. The Book of Styling.  Zest: USA
Goworek, Helen. 2006. Careers in Fashion. Wiley Blackwell: London
Hennessey, Brendan. 2006. Writing Feature Articles. Oxford: Focal press, 3rd ed
Hicks, Wynford, English for journalists. 1998 London : Routledge.
Hicks, Wynford, and Adams, Sally. 2001. Interviewing for Journalists. London: Routledge
Hines, Tony and Bruce, Margaret. 2006. Fashion Marketing: Contemporary Issues. Butterworth-Heinemann: London
Jackson, Tim and Shaw, David, 2005. The Fashion Handbook. London: Routledge
Kazanjian, D.  2017. Vogue: The Covers. Abrams: USA
Lea-Greenwood, Gaynor. 2008. Fashion Marketing Communications. Blackwell: Oxford
Martin, R et al 2001. The Fashion Book. UK: Phaidon.
Morrison, S. C. 2011. Secrets of Stylists. Chronicle. USA
Oppenheimer, Jerry. 2006. Front Row: Anna Wintour. US: Griffin.
Phaidon Press (eds) 2001.  The Fashion Book. Phaidon: London
Sanders, A and Seager, K. 2011. Junky Styling: Wardrobe Surgery. A and C Black. UK.
Sherrill, Marcia and Carey, Karmel 2002. Stylemakers: Inside Fashion. USA: Monacelli
Stott , Rebecca and Avery, Simon (eds). 2001 Writing with style. Harlow: Longman.
Thompson, Rick. 2004. Writing for Broadcast Journalists London: Routledge
The September Issue. 2009. Film. Dir R J Cutler.
Watt, Judith. 2000. The Penguin Book of Twentieth Century Fashion Writing. London: Penguin
Werle, Simone. 2009. Fashionista. Prestel
Zee, Joe and Bullock, M. 2010.  The ELLEments of Personal Style. Gotham
Ziv. Yuli . 2011. Fashion 2.0. Blogging Your way to the Front Row. CreateSpace Independent Publsihing.
Zoe, Rachel. 2008. Style A to Zoe. Grand Central Publishing.