module specification

 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 portfolio of five short pieces (no more than 300 words each, with images for each); a final piece of up to 1,000 words 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.

 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; LO2
accessories; LO2, LO4
locations and backgrounds; LO3
the fashion column: LO3
how to mark your mark with a unique style, whether blogging or writing for magazines;  LO1, LO2, LO3, LO5
catwalk and trend forecasting and spotting;
beyond fashion to events, launches and lines. 
Students’ use of and sensitivity to images will be crucial. LO1, LO3, LO5
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.  LO1, LO3, LO4, LO5
The class blog will allow all contributions to be shared and peer-assessed.LO2, LO4, LO5
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. LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5, LO6

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.

 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.

 This module will be assessed by a portfolio: a set of five original short pieces (four of which are print, no more than 300 words each, with images; one of which is video): which will cover the essentials of styling across print, TV, video and the web.  New media and blogging, links to other sites and images must be included.
In addition, engagement with class will be assessed through presentations and online journal, moderated by tutors.
A final piece of up to 1,000 words with at least 10 images -- or 2 minutes’ video -- will feature in-depth original research creating a styled event, display or shoot for a specific fashion business, publication or event, chosen in consultation with the module teaching team. An analytic log of up to 1,000 words will explain research and sourcing methods, with lists of contacts.
Formative assessment from tutor and class members will be shared in class, promoting group learning.
The portfolio will be formatively and summatively assessed, through feedback in class and one-to-one sessions in class as well as electronic feedback.
The final piece will be summatively assessed, with feedback sent electronically.
       Class contribution will be assessed through presentations with immediate feedback and self-reflective journal moderated by tutors’ checks on attendance.

 No textbooks
Use of fashion and social media will be paramount

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