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Undergraduate

BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories

Female model in hat with glossy strawberry blonde hair.
Project by BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories: Product Design and Innovation student, Lauren Jordan. ©Dan Sheung | London College of Fashion | University of Arts London
College
London College of Fashion
UCAS code
W705
Start date
September 2024
Course length
3 years / 4 years (with placement year in industry)

Students will learn the skills to research, produce initial design ideas and develop designs through to a finished 3D prototype. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the fashion accessories industry and the role of a product designer and developer.

Why choose this course at London College of Fashion

  • Career preparation: the course provides excellent vocational skills and preparation for a career in innovative product design development.
  • Industry links and opportunities: students will have the chance to compete for prizes and scholarships and will benefit from industry visits from The Cordwainers and Leathersellers livery companies.
  • Sustainability: Project briefs drive students to develop their knowledge and critical skills of issues such as the environmental impact of materials, circularity, new technologies and social engagement. The course equips students with the skills to work in industry as leaders for positive change; to use their design practice to respond to global problems the world is facing.
  • Facilities: students gain unrivalled access to specialist resources, appropriate to industry practice.

Open days

There are currently no Open Days scheduled for this course, please check back at a later date.

Scholarships, bursaries and awards

Course overview

Introduction 

Fashion Handbags and Accessories are a key successor in the fashion industry and are responsible for a substantial part of the annual turnover of many Fashion Houses.

BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories is a course that connects design, making and business skills with the objective to prepare the next generation of accessory designers and product developers who can make an innovative, relevant and visionary contribution to accessory design and development within the fashion industry.

The course is delivered with a focus on product innovation, sustainability and employment in the industry in mind. 

What to expect 

  • Professional skillset: You’ll study a range of units that will equip you with professional design and making, communication and business skills. You’ll also develop aa range of specialised technical leather skills and will engage with a variety of relevant materials including non leather options 
  • Knowledge of the entire design process: You’ll focus on understanding the design and development process from research, initial design ideas to 3D experimentation and prototype making
  • Industry links: You’ll undertake live projects from industry where there will be presentations to and from the companies involved. 
  • Industry placement: You’ll have the opportunity to undertake an optional placement year which will enhance your employability by offering valuable experience and contacts within the industry.

Work experience and opportunities 

You’ll have opportunities to undertake industry projects as part of year two, through industry-set challenges and briefs. Previous companies have included Vivienne Westwood, Bill Amberg, Lineapelle Pittards and others. 

To enhance your employability and gain useful contacts in the industry, you may choose to undertake an optional industry placement year. This optional diploma can be taken between years 2 and 3. With support from your tutors, you’ll undertake an industry placement for a minimum of 100 days/20 weeks. As well as developing industry skills, you’ll gain an additional qualification upon successful completion. The Cordwainers and Leathersellers livery companies support the Cordwainers courses through prizes, scholarships and industrial visits. 

Mode of study 

BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories: Product Design and Innovation runs for 90 weeks in full time mode. It is divided into 3 stages over 3 academic years. Each stage lasts 30 weeks.

Climate, Social and Racial Justice

The course is committed to embedding UAL’s Principles for Climate, Social and Racial Justice. 

Course units

Stage 1

In Stage 1 you are required to complete 120 credits at level 4 in order to progress to Stage 2.

  • Introduction to Fashion Bags and Accessories (20 credits); This is an introductory unit where you’ll engage with research, design, and 3D principles, are familiarised with critical thinking and evaluative skills and engagement with academic writing. This unit is an important foundation to further build on.
  • Accessories Design and Technologies (40 credits); This unit will introduce you to essential design and technical skills required for the development and production of accessories. Through workshop demonstrations and practice you will learn about the materials and processes involved, along with specialised technical leather core skills, pattern cutting techniques, construction methods, production techniques and prototyping skills that are necessary to fully understand the design and prototyping process and become a successful product developer. You will then consider how these processes can be applied to your design ideas.  You will be introduced to health and safety requirements within the workshop areas. Change-making themes around race, climate, ethics, equity and inclusion will be explored. You will reflect on the role of the designer in the current context of Climate Emergency and start developing your own critical thinking.
  • Creative Identity (40 credits); This unit explores the creative design process and your identity as a designer in relation to your own cultural and societal values. You will be introduced to a series of technical, design and theoretical skills that an accessories designer must work through when developing new ideas. Research and inspiration are always the starting points within the design process. These will lead you on to initial ideas, design development and design finalisation focused on an end consumer. An important part of design is how you communicate your ideas to others and the overall presentation of your work. You will be introduced to team working. Change-making themes around race, climate, ethics, equity and inclusion will be explored. You will reflect on the role of the designer in the current context of Climate Emergency and further develop your own critical thinking.
  • Fashion Cultures and Histories (20 credits); Fashion Cultures and Histories takes a philosophical and theoretical approach to the study of fashion and its role in representing and communicating identity. The unit assembles key theorisations and ways of thinking about fashion across its cultural, historical, social and political contexts. It will engage you in debate and analysis of fashion as a key marker of social and cultural change and a means of understanding the relationship between individuals and communities. 

Stage 2

In Stage 2 you are required to complete 120 credits of which a minimum of 100 must be at level 5

  • Professional Practice (40 credits); This unit introduces you to the global context of the fashion industry and the study of design and development for a specified market. It explores areas that will affect the development of a product, such as sustainable and ethical sourcing, costing and the environments in which the product will be consumed. This unit will further develop your critical thinking around design and technology for your specialist area and allow you to engage with industry relevant project briefs and challenges. Within this unit you will design a range of accessories for an identified market/purpose, explore the product development process and make a final prototype.
  • Critical Issues in Fashion Research (20 credits); This unit will introduce you to a range of urgent and emerging debates within fashion research and will expand your critical understanding of fashion in a global context. You will be introduced to a range of approaches to researching fashion across its social, historical, political and cultural contexts, building on themes studied in the first-year unit Fashion Cultures and Histories. The seminars will involve you in collaborative research around current and emerging cultural issues, and guide you through approaches to researching and writing about fashion in an academic context. The unit will support you in developing your own independent research path and interests. 
  • Future Crafts (20 credits); This unit will develop your critical thinking; broaden your professional skills set and support your innovative individual response to the brief. Creative, strategic and practical skills will be developed through traditional and contemporary techniques in order to communicate strong visual and written responses. You will use critical judgement and current debate to inform and develop appropriate outcomes and evaluate and justify your solutions. You will engage with 3D or other technological design processes and prototyping of accessories using sustainable materials.
  • Industry Project (40 credits); As an undergraduate you will consolidate your understanding of research methods in relation to industry-set challenges. Through undertaking a live or simulated industry brief your knowledge and professional understanding of the design and product development processes will be enhanced. This unit will support you in thinking differently, to fuse creative, practical and entrepreneurial skills within an industrial context. This unit will further nurture critical thinking and understanding of issues around human equity, social and racial justice. Within this unit you will engage with the design process including research, initial designs, design development up to final prototype making. You will evaluate your process and demonstrate problem solving skills. Your design work will be supported by a rational to contextualise and justify your design proposal of your collection.

Optional Diploma Year

Industry DIPS

This optional diploma can be taken between years 2 and 3. With support from your tutors, you’ll undertake an industry placement for a minimum of 100 days/20 weeks. As well as developing industry skills, you’ll gain an additional qualification upon successful completion.

Enterprise DIPS

This optional diploma can be taken between years 2 and 3. With support from your tutors, you’ll undertake an enterprise placement year where you will explore a business idea from proposal to minimal viable product (MVP). As well as developing enterprise skills, you’ll gain an additional qualification upon successful completion.

CCI Creative Computing

Between years 2 and 3, you can undertake the year-long Diploma in Creative Computing. This will develop your skills in creative computing alongside your degree. After successfully completing the diploma and your undergraduate degree, you’ll graduate with an enhanced degree: BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories (with Creative Computing).

CCI Apple Diploma 

Between years 2 and 3, you can undertake the year-long Diploma in Apple Development. This will give you an opportunity to become an accredited apple developer alongside your degree. After successfully completing the diploma and your undergraduate degree, you’ll graduate with an enhanced degree: BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories (with Apple Development).

Stage 3

In Stage 3 you are required to complete 120 credits at level 6.

  • Concept Vision (40 credits); This unit will provide a platform from which you will be able to formulate an innovative and enterprising, self-initiated concept and strategy to underpin the rest of your final year of study. This will enable you to embody knowledge, creative thinking and experience gained and present a major piece of product design and development work. It should be intellectually explored, viable for your chosen market and informed by appropriate theory, ethical debate, research and development. In relation to your own personal values and your role as a designer within the fashion industry change-making themes should be explored and tackled to provide solutions in response to the current context of Climate Emergency. Themes around race, climate, ethics, equity and inclusion in line with your career aspirations should be explored.
  • Contextualising Practice (20 credits); Contextualising Your Practice allows you to build on your historical and theoretical understanding of fashion through a research-led extended essay. You will identify a topic, related to your field of practice, that you will investigate through an independent research project, underpinned with cultural and critical theory. It is an opportunity for you to undertake a substantial piece of structured research that examines fashion practice in context and it will build on the critical debates and concerns raised through your course.
  • Concept Realisation (60 credits); This unit will enable you to identify, research and develop your personal vision via an individually negotiated project. You will continue to develop design ideas from your Concept Vision outcomes. You will broaden and deepen your research, design and development. Your research and experimentation will result in the production of innovative and creative fully realised prototypes of your proposed collection of accessories. This exploration should evidence full engagement with your responsibilities as a designer/product developer, informed by current debates. You will present your work using appropriate professional techniques.

You’ll be entitled to a tutorial package that consists of:

  • one induction tutorial (group or one to one);
  • one group and/or individual tutorial per block for the duration for your course of study at LCF;
  • group tutorials as required;
  • an appropriate level of confidentiality.

Learning and teaching methods

The following teaching and learning methods are employed to support the integrated achievement of the course outcomes:

  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Tutorials
  • Group and individual projects
  • Critiques
  • Peer group presentations
  • Demonstrations
  • Studio-based workshops
  • Supervised Studio time
  • Visiting speakers where appropriate 
  • Field trips where appropriate
  • Reflection
  • Demonstrations
  • Self-directed study
  • Self-evaluation

Graduate Showcase

Explore work by our recent students on the UAL Showcase

  • Stream of Consciousness
    Stream of Consciousness, Yuetong Wang, 2023 BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories, London College of Fashion, UAL
  • Mind the Gap collection - Concept Realisation Unit
    Mind the Gap collection - Concept Realisation Unit, Rumie Suenaga, 2023 BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories, London College of Fashion, UAL
  • ‘VOICE OF THE OCEAN'
    ‘VOICE OF THE OCEAN', Fei Mo, 2023 BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories, London College of Fashion, UAL
  • YL Studio Soft Carrier
    YL Studio Soft Carrier, YUANLU MA, 2023 BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories, London College of Fashion, UAL
  • Graduate Showcase: Apollonia Celentano
    Apollonia Celentano, 2023 BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories, London College of Fashion, UAL

Student and graduate work

  • charlie-wilkinson-1-sml.png
    Work by Charlie Wilkinson
  • Louise-De-Groote2.png
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  • Aleksandra-Klimek-sml.png
  • Yihong-Wu.png
    Work by Yihong Wu

BA (Hons) Cordwainers Fashion Bags and Accessories

Graduate work from the LCF summer series 2021

Latest news from this course

Staff

Kathrin Lodes is Course Leader and has 20 years experience in the fashion industry. She worked as Head of Accessory Design for Vivienne Westwood for over 10 years, as a consultant for the United Nations on projects in Africa and for other brands, projects and institutions. She has extensive experience in Product Development worldwide and has a degree in Made to Measure tailoring and Pattern Cutting being able to support students from this facetted background. She has a particular interest in sustainability, future materials and creative pattern cutting approaches. Kathrin also graduated from BA (hons) Cordwainers Product Design and Development:  Accessories from London College of Fashion.

Eting Liu is a technical lecturer and Cordwainers Alumni. After gaining her degree she polished her skills at one of London’s leading leatherwork studios. Seeing a gap in the market for small scale design led manufacturing she set up Studio168 with a fellow alumni in East London offering design consultancy, product development and production that soon gained loyal customers, including brands such as Ally Capellino, Topshop , Fiona Paxton and Mawi. With over 10 years industrial experience Eting has strong pattern cutting skills and is specialised in taking initial design concepts through to final production stage.

Lindsey Riley has over 30 years experience in the fashion trend forecasting industry, the majority as fashion director and co-owner of Insight Ltd. As an industry-recognised specialist in the footwear, accessories and leather markets she is experienced in trend and colour forecasting, fashion illustration and journalism. She has worked with a global list of clients on product development, special projects and as a guest speaker, for companies including Timberland, Nike, Pittards, Clarks, Nordstrom, Walmart, Marks & Spencer, Steve Madden, Kenneth Cole, Nine West, and Converse. Lindsey graduated with a 1st class BA (hons) in Fashion Design at MMU and a Post Graduate with distinction in Academic Practice in Art, Design and Communication at LCF. She is a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Glovers.

David Tracy is technical lecturer and was for many years a tutor at Cordwainers College before joining the United Nations as their leather products specialist. He has travelled widely and set up many manufacturing units throughout the world while with the UN. David is a designer/craftsman with expertise in creating 3D from 2D and a particular interest in pattern precision and the satisfaction that comes from creating a new product. In more recent years he has acted as consultant for many high street retailers and travelled to their manufacturers in China, India and Indonesia to assist in perfecting the manufacturing process. He now carries out that same roll at LCF working with students to perfect their skills adding his experience to their creative ambitions.

Selina Cheong is technical lecturer, a CSM graduate and co-owner of Studio 168 for the past decade, consulting for design briefs and making high quality leather bag samples for either catwalk, exhibitions or to be put into production. Past clients include Jonathan Saunders, Thomas Tait, ASOS, Topshop Unique, Lara Bohinc, Sophie Hulme, Harris Tweed, Prism, MAWI, Ally Capellino, Village England and French Connection. Selina has been teaching bag and accessories, pattern cutting and making at UAL and other colleges for five years.

Darla Gilroy is the programme director for the Design and Craft group of courses, including this one, within the School of Design and Technology. She has worked in design education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels for over twenty years at Cordwainers College, at Winchester School of Art, where she developed a number of research projects, and at the Royal College of Art, where, in addition to being specialist tutor in footwear and accessories, she undertook a funded research project on the ‘Ethnicity of Cool’.

Volker Koch is a Lecturer in Fashion Accessories 3D Development and Realisation. He teaches and supports students in their product development process, pattern cutting, technical detailing and quality finishes. He completed an apprenticeship as a leather goods craftsman in 1994 and has since gained an extensive technical knowledge in his profession. He has worked at notable fashion houses, such as Hermès and later took on a position as the Head of the Product Development at a luxury leather goods brand in South Africa, where he specialised in creating bags from exotic leathers. After working in Cape Town for 15 years, Volker moved to London in 2010 to complete the master's degree ‘Fashion Artefact’ at the London College of Fashion. Following his graduation in 2012, he teamed up with LCF graduate Oliver Ruuger and later co-founded silentgoods.com, while also passing on his expertise as a visiting lecturer by holding workshops at LCF, CSM and universities abroad.

Rob Phillips is the creative director for the School of Design and Technology. Trained in fashion womenswear, surface textiles: print, menswear and illustration Rob went on to become the fashion editor for International Textiles magazine and consultant for fashion brands. Rob's broad skill set of fashion design, process, graphics, presentation, typography, advertising and communication led to his appointment as creative director of Fashion Forecast magazine, where his progressive work promoting young fashion talent garnered him much acclaim from industry. Rob continues to nurture talent at LCF across all courses within the School, teaching holistically about fashion, developing the students’ full potential so they can make their unique contribution to the fashion industry. He furthers the work of the College through many routes, including industry projects, collaborations and competitions. He also curates and directs the School’s events including fashion shows, films, photoshoots, publications and exhibitions. Rob continues to contribute to industry as a fashion commentator (BBC, The Guardian, SHOWstudio and more) and as creative consultant for fashion brands. View Rob Phillips' full profile here.

José Teunissen is dean of the School of Design and Technology at London College of Fashion, UAL, and professor of Fashion Theory. José previously worked as a journalist for several Dutch newspapers and Dutch broadcast television, and was curator of Fashion and Costume at the Centraal Museum in Utrecht (1998-2006). 
At ArtEZ in 2002, José was one of the first professors in the Netherlands to conduct research and develop theory in the field of fashion. In 2008, she set up the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) research project National Identity in a Globalised World, working closely with Radboud University Nijmegen and other universities of applied sciences. José took various hot items from the fashion industry, including the effects of globalisation, sustainability and technology, and used them as the basis for research projects, publications and exhibitions in association with ArtEZ Press, which earned her an excellent international reputation. View José Teunissen's full profile here.

Fees and funding

Home fee

£9,250 per year

This fee is correct for entry in autumn 2024 and is subject to change for entry in autumn 2025.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students.

Home fees are currently charged to UK nationals and UK residents who meet the rules. However, the rules are complex. Find out more about our tuition fees and determining your fee status.

International fee

£28,570 per year

This fee is correct for entry in autumn 2024 and is subject to change for entry in autumn 2025.

Tuition fees for international students may increase by up to 5% in each future year of your course.

Students from countries outside of the UK will generally be charged international fees. The rules are complex so read more about tuition fees and determining your fee status.

Scholarship search

Entry requirements

The standard minimum entry requirements for this course are:

One or a combination of the following accepted full level 3 qualifications.

  • 112 UCAS tariff points from two or more A Levels (preferred subjects include English, Maths, Art, Design, Textiles and Science);
  • Distinction at Foundation Diploma in Art and Design;
  • Distinction, Merit, Merit at BTEC Extended Diploma preferred subjects Art & Design;
  • Merit at UAL Extended Diploma;
  • Access Diploma or 112 new UCAS tariff points from the Access to HE Diploma;
  • 112 new UCAS tariff points from a combination of the above qualifications or an equivalent full Level 3 qualification;
  • or equivalent EU or non-EU qualifications such as International Baccalaureate Diploma at 25 points minimum;
  • and three GCSE passes at grade A*-C or grade 9-4.

Entry to this course will also be determined by assessment of your portfolio.

APEL (Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning)

Applicants who do not meet these course entry requirements may still be considered in exceptional cases. The course team will consider each application that demonstrates additional strengths and alternative evidence. This might, for example, be demonstrated by:

  • Related academic or work experience
  • The quality of the personal statement
  • A strong academic or other professional reference
  • OR a combination of these factors

Each application will be considered on its own merit but we cannot guarantee an offer in each case.

English Language Requirements

IELTS level 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Please check our main English Language Requirements.

Selection criteria

The course team seeks to recruit students who can demonstrate:

  • An understanding of research and its relation to the design and development process
  • Good hand-drawing and illustration skills
  • A sophisticated aesthetic sensibility
  • Good communication skills in visual, oral and written form
  • An ability to critically analyse and synthesise a broad range of research sources
  • An ability to visualise and develop products in 3D
  • An interest in fashion accessories
  • An awareness of current fashion trends and  global developments
  • An interest in sustainability and issues around social, racial and climate justice
  • A commitment to independent, professional self- development
  • A commitment to develop strong and refined making skills of accessories
  • A commitment and interest to engage critically in a variety of written essays and reports

Apply now

Application deadline

31 January 2024 at 18:00 (UK time)

If there are places available after this date, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Apply to UAL

Home students can apply to this course through UCAS with the following codes:

University code:

U65

UCAS code:

W705

Start your application

Apply now

Application deadline

31 January 2024 at 18:00 (UK time)

If there are places available after this date, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled.

Apply to UAL

International students can apply to this course through UCAS with the following codes:

University code:

U65

UCAS code:

W705

Start your application
or

Apply with a UAL Representative

Based across the world, our local UAL representatives can support you with your application from your home country. Check to see if there is a representative available in your country currently.

Find your representative

How to apply

Follow this step-by-step guide to apply for this course

Step 1: Initial application

You will need to submit an initial application including your personal statement.

Personal statement advice

Your personal statement should be maximum 4,000 characters and cover the following:

  • Why have you chosen this course? What excites you about the subject?
  • How does your previous or current study relate to the course?
  • Have you got any work experience that might help you?
  • Have any life experiences influenced your decision to apply for this course?
  • What skills do you have that make you perfect for this course?
  • What plans and ambitions do you have for your future career?

Visit the UCAS advice page and our personal statement advice page for more support.

Step 2: Digital portfolio

We will review your initial application. If you have met the standard entry requirements, we will ask you to submit a digital portfolio.

You’ll need to submit this via PebblePad, our online portfolio tool.

Digital portfolio advice

Your portfolio should consist of recent work that reflects your creative strengths.

It should:

  • be maximum 30 pages
  • feature work that best showcases your technical and practical skills
  • include research to demonstrate your understanding and exploration of the social and cultural contexts behind contemporary fashion
  • include work in progress as well as finished pieces to demonstrate your ability to experiment and develop ideas from initial concepts to final outcomes
  • be organised into a clear order to ensure your ideas are presented effectively.

For more support, see our Portfolio advice and PebblePad advice.

Step 3: Interview

You may be invited to an interview following our review of your application. All interviews are held online and last 15 to 20 minutes.

For top tips, see our Interview advice.

You also need to know

Communicating with you

Once you have submitted your initial application, we will email you with your login details for our Applicant portal.

Requests for supplementary documents like qualifications and English language tests will be made through the applicant portal. You can also use it to ask questions regarding your application. Visit our After you apply page for more information.

Visas and immigration history check

All non-UK nationals must complete an immigration history check. Your application may be considered by our course teams before this check takes place. This means that we may request your portfolio and/or video task before we identify any issues arising from your immigration history check. Sometimes your history may mean that we are not able to continue considering your application. Visit our Immigration and visas advice page for more information.

External student transfer policy

UAL accepts transfers from other institutions on a case-by-case basis. Read our Student transfer policy for more information.

Alternative offers

If your application is really strong, but we believe your strengths and skillset are better suited to a different course, we may make you an alternative offer. This means you will be offered a place on a different course or at a different UAL College.

Deferring your place

You must apply in the year that you intend to start your course. If you are made an offer and your circumstances change, you can submit a deferral request to defer your place by 1 academic year. You must have met your conditions by 31 August 2024. If you need an English language test in order to meet the entry requirements, the test must be valid on the deferred start date of your course. If not, you will need to reapply. Requests are granted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Contextual Admissions

This course is part of the Contextual Admissions scheme.

This scheme helps us better understand your personal circumstances so that we can assess your application fairly and in context. This ensures that your individual merit and creative potential can shine through, no matter what opportunities and experiences you have received.

Careers

All of our undergraduate courses offer career development, so that you become a creative thinker, making effective contributions to your relevant sector of the fashion industry.

LCF offers students the opportunity to develop Personal and Professional Development (PPD) skills while studying through:

  • An on-course work experience or placement year. Please note, this is not available on every course; please see the Course Details section for information about work placement opportunities.
  • Access to to speaker programmes and events featuring alumni and industry.
  • Access to careers activities, such as CV clinics and one-to-one advice sessions.
  • Access to a graduate careers service
  • Access to a live jobsboard for all years.
  • Advice on setting up your own brand or company.

Graduates who wish to continue their education at postgraduate level can progress to suitable courses within the College, the University or elsewhere.

Career paths

Many graduates prefer to seek employment as soon as they have completed their undergraduate studies.Recent Fashion Accessories graduates have obtained positions with a number of companies, including Alexander McQueen, Mulberry, Vivienne Westwood, Tom ford, Lulu Guinness, Chanel, Simpsons, House of Fraser, Accessorize, H&M, Dunhill and Bill Amberg.