FASHION calling

If you’re a young and creative individual dreaming of an illustriouscareer similar to the ones Marc Jacobs and Riccardo Tisci embarked on, dream no more. A diploma ordegree programme at MDIS can help you jumpstart your career in fashion design and marketing by giving you the knowledge, skills and confi denceto prepare you for the future.

A CREATIVE EDUCATION

The MDIS School of Fashion and Design offers two honours degree programmes and one diploma course for full-time students. The school’s mission is to nurture a new generation of creative professionalss pecialising in Fashion Design as well as Fashion Marketing and Branding. Students will be taught by experienced professionals, enjoy access to a Fashion Studio (evenoutside of classroom hours) and gainvaluable insights through industrycollaborations with Louis Vuitton,Audi Fashion Festival, Jakarta Fashion Week, Inverted Edge and Ducati, just to name a few. Assessment is based on 100 per cent coursework. 

Both honours degree programmes offered by MDIS are in partnership with Nottingham Trent University in the UK, and degree graduates will receive similar certifications and transcripts as on-campus students. A member of the European University Association, Nottingham Trent University is renowned for its Schoolof Art and Design, founded in 1843 and ranked 22nd in The Times and The Sunday Times University Guide 2014: Art & Design and 10th in The GuardianUniversity Guide 2015: League Table for Fashion and Textiles. The university is also recognised for producing shows including the Adidas London 2012 Design Award Collection and AlfaRomeo Young Designer 2012.

The MDIS Diploma in Fashion Design and Marketing teaches the core language and values of designand marketing, giving students aworking knowledge of the industrywith the help of collaborations, fi eldtrips and seminars. Armed with this diploma, students can advance to thehonours degree programme.

PURSUING A DREAM

Amos Tan, 18, is a former Institute of Technical Education student currently enrolled in the MDIS Diploma in Fashion Design and Marketing course. Although he only started in May, he’s excited about the experienceso far. He has learnt the basics of fashion illustration (“I took two hours to draw a model wearing a gown!”) and was engaged by what he picked up during the fashion history module. “Women had to be inventive when it came to fashion during the World War.”

Some of his classmates are from Indonesia, Russia, China, Vietnam,India and Korea – a multicultural mix that makes for a vibrant exchange of ideas. Amos is looking forward to working backstage at a Bollywood fashion show. “We’ll be setting up garments and checking details before the models hit the runway; it’ll be a great hands-on experience.”

EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCES

Juggling project deadlines, visiting museums for inspiration, surveying what people are wearing, predicting fashion trends… it’s all in a week’s work for Noella Foo, 21. A second-year student from the Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Fashion Design programme, Noella shares that fashion as a course of study can be “emotionally crazy”. First comes the euphoria of hitting on a grand idea, then the lows when ideas don’t work out as planned or when others aren’t necessarily impressed. It’s moments like these she’s glad she’s studying in Singapore where family and friends offer ready support and encouragement. “If I had gone abroad to study fashion, there would be no one for me to share myhighs and lows with.”

The programme has also offered her meaningful experiences. “During industry collaboration, we teamed up with the National University of Singapore School of Medicine tomake clothes for children with cancer. The kids told us what they wanted to wear and we designed and made the outfits – they were so happy!”

THE COURSES

The MDIS School of Fashion and Design offers full-time diploma and honours degree programmes with these entry requirements:

• Diploma in Fashion Design and Marketing, awarded by MDIS

GCE ‘N’ Level, GCE ‘O’ Level orGCE ‘A’ Level from any discipline;related ITE qualifi cations fromNITEC, COS or NTC; or other equivalent qualifications awarded by recognised institutions can be considered

• Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Fashion Marketing and Branding, awarded by Nottingham Trent University, UK

• Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Fashion Design, awarded by NottinghamTrent University, UK. Any one of these qualifications: Two GCE ‘A’ Level or equivalent, relevant diploma in Fashion Design and Marketing, other relevant diplomas from recognised polytechnics oro ther Private Education Institutions, or other qualifications from professional institutes may be considered; plus, a developed and comprehensive creative portfolio (for the Fashion Design course only)

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