Are you looking to gain new skills and refresh old ones?
As with our studio-based courses, our online short courses are designed to help beginners and creative people master new challenges, refresh skills, develop new ones and get inspired by new ideas.
That’s exactly what student Kiona McLennon did. She joined our Fashion Design Online Short Course prior to going back to her university studies after a brief hiatus. We caught up with her to hear how she’s doing.
Where are you from, and what do you do?
I’m originally from Northampton and currently live in Manchester where I study Fashion Design and Technology specialising in menswear at Manchester Metropolitan University.
What short course did you study on and why did you choose it?
I studied on the Fashion Design Online Short Course with Tina Sutradhar. Due to leaving University in December 2019, I wanted a refresher before I returned for the new academic year. I choose this course mainly because I wanted to return to my studies more confident in understanding the fashion design process. This course explores a large variety of areas, from creating initial research to generating mood boards to composing a final collection.
What did you enjoy most about your short course?
What I enjoyed about the course was being able to look at the design process in-depth, everything we learnt each session helped our assignments each week leading towards a final collection. Tina was so helpful and always gave great feedback on how to improve; she explained everything so clearly that it made it so much more enjoyable. What I enjoyed most was being able to interact with a range of people from all over the world, there were people from India, Turkey, Switzerland and more and we all bounced off and interacted with each other sharing ideas and thoughts which added to the experience.
How has this short course benefited your career and personal development?
The short course has given me more confidence in my ability as a designer and creator. The knowledge I've gained will help me towards my degree as well as my journey as a creative individual. The experience allowed me to explore areas of design I never initially thought of and the importance of exploring all aspects of potential idea outcomes. The amount of content we went through in 6 weeks was impressive, and I'm excited to put it into practice and see what I produce.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about taking a short course at UAL Short Courses?
Firstly, I'd say DO IT! There's always time to learn something new and increase your knowledge. The variety of courses UAL offers is mind-blowing there is something for everyone. You're able to interact with like-minded people who also have the same end goal.
Invest in yourself and find a course in areas that excite you. It's 100% worth it, but you do need to make time to be able to focus on completing assignments and understanding the work to the best of your ability. The amount I've learnt in such a short amount of time has been incredible and would recommend it.
What do you believe is integral to the work of a creative, in any discipline?
As a creator, I think it's always important to be happy with the content you're producing. Trust your instinct, and be confident in your decisions, listen to feedback but stay true to yourself. Be open-minded as you're forever growing as a creative individual so let the creativity flow and trust the journey.
What three words best describe your short course experience at UAL?
Inspirational, Memorable and Influential.
If you are feeling inspired, take a look at our upcoming summer 2021 short courses as well as our range of online courses to find out how they can help you.
Wondering what the first steps towards a career in fashion design are? Check-out the latest creative, technical and business skills that will help you stand out set you on the road to becoming a success.
