Skip to main content
Postgraduate

MA Fashion Futures

Female working in makeshift lab. Dark blue and neon lighting.
MA Fashion Futures Student, Aniela Fidler Wieruszewska, 2019
College
London College of Fashion
Start date
September 2023
Course length
15 months

MA Fashion Futures places sustainability at the heart of fashion practice to help shape the next generation of sustainable brands and fashion pioneers.

Why choose this course at London College of Fashion

  • Forward-thinking: critique the status quo of the fashion system through exploration and experimentation with fashion thinking, design futuring and speculative design.
  • Sustainable links: benefit from strong relationships with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at LCF providing unique access to resources, events and research facilities.
  • Facilities: links to technical facilities and staff expertise which support sustainable values.
  • Career opportunities: pursue career options at various levels of the industry in design and strategy positions for brands and organisations in the fashion industry and beyond.

Course overview

MA Fashion Futures places sustainability at the heart of fashion practice to help shape the next generation of fashion practitioners who prioritise environmental, social, economic and cultural criteria. Students are encouraged to critique the nature and purpose of design in a rapidly changing world, imagining and envisioning alternative ways in which fashion will be created and experienced in the future, whilst grounding their research in an understanding of the immense challenges that face the industry and wider society today.

In this ground-breaking course, you are encouraged to explore and develop experimental fashion practice and theoretical perspectives in parallel in order to conceptualise a transformed fashion system, one that values nature first and creates economic prosperity in service to this goal. Using your own knowledge, practice and experience as a starting point, you will identify new territories for fashion and work in new spaces with novel technologies, to communicate ideas in relation to design for sustainability to varied audiences. 

Through a combination of taught content and independent study, you will examine a diverse range of methodologies and forms of communication, including film, digital platforms, garment and artefact prototyping, publishing, events and performance. Key to MA Fashion Futures is critical fashion practice and reflexive thinking to test, reframe and make responses to existing paradigms. This will enable you to develop a very personal response to, and a critique of, the current paradigm and the role and activities of fashion in a changing world.

Through a systems thinking approach, the course has been developed to connect fashion’s social, cultural, environmental and economic aspects, examining perspectives from local to global scales and embracing fashion practice from both traditional and technological spheres. MA Fashion Futures offers a space to experiment with new ideas and physical/digital prototyping to challenge existing narratives as well as being a place to put principles into action in a manner that aligns with each student’s individual strengths, interests and future aspirations. 
Students are encouraged to read widely, attend internal and external lectures, events and symposia, engage with UAL research hubs and researchers, and collaborate both across other postgraduate courses and across the wider University of the Arts community. 

Aligned to the Centre for Sustainable Fashion, the course involves research and knowledge exchange led teaching, with contribution from a range of the Centre’s members. Further specialist technical teaching and support is provided by the Digital Learning Lab.

Contact us

Register your interest to receive information and updates about studying at UAL.

Contact us to make an enquiry.

Course units

Course structure

15 months, level 7, 180 credits
September to February:
New Fashion Perspectives (40 credits)
Collaborative Challenge (20 credits)

February to June
Re-Imagining Fashion (40 units)
Research Methods (20 credits)

June to November
Masters Project (60 credits)

Types of learning and teaching methods include lectures, seminars, masterclasses, workshops, small group presentations and tutorials. Learning hours per week vary, but typically students can expect up to 10 hours contact time per week. Students will also have regular opportunities for individual tutorials with the course leader throughout the course, including three 30-minute tutorials in block one, and six 30-minute tutorials in block two. Students will be allocated a supervisor for their Masters Project including 6 hours of support.

Learning and teaching methods

​The following blended teaching and learning methods are employed to support the integrated achievement of the course outcomes. There will be a combination of physical and virtual online delivery:

  • Lectures
  • Seminars 
  • Peer review and critique
  • Studio-based practical workshops
  • Individual and group tutorials
  • Group work
  • Group presentations
  • Formative feedback
  • Summative feedback

Graduate Showcase

Explore work by our recent students on the UAL Graduate Showcase

Student and graduate work

  • Abhinov-Asokan.jpg
    MA Fashion Futures student work by Abhinov Asokan.
  • Anustha-Kishor.jpg
    MA Fashion Futures student work by Anustha Kishor.
  • Deborah-de-Mello.jpg
    MA Fashion Futures student work by Deborah de Mello. 'Untold stories about unseen bodies.'
  • Diane-Wallinger-2.jpg
    MA Fashion Futures student work by Diane Wallinger.
  • Silvia-Martinez-Cerezo.jpg
    MA Fashion Futures student work by Silvia Martinez Cerezo.
  • Danica-Dsouza-1.jpg
    MA Fashion Futures student work by Danica Dsouza.

Latest news from this course

LCF Facilities

  • Library, John Princes Street
    Library, John Princes Street Photography by: Ideal Insight
    LCF library and archives

    Take a tour of LCF's world renowned fashion library, ideal for research and study.

  • Mare Street

    Design, pattern cutting and tailoring facilities

    Explore our design, pattern cutting and tailoring facilities.

  • Mare Street Canteen

    LCF's social spaces

    Explore our social spaces, for collaborative study and breaks, across our six sites in London.

  • LCF at Stratford Exterior Design
    LCF at Stratford Exterior Design
    LCF's Move

    LCF is moving to a new single campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2023. Find more information about the College’s relocation.

Staff

Julia Crew, Course leader

Julia Crew has been working as a designer, entrepreneur, educator, and researcher in the area of fashion and sustainability for more than a decade. Since 2018 Julia has worked across the School of Design and Technology at LCF to develop and support sustainability content and delivery, working towards the college’s goals of a transformed fashion education system.

With a background in design practice, Julia has worked on sustainable design and research projects with Centre for Sustainable Fashion, Oxfam, Channel 4 and the United Nations group Responsible Ecosystems Sourcing Platform. In 2010 she co-founded the fair trade accessories and knitwear brand Here Today Here Tomorrow, working with producer groups in Nepal and supplying fashion boutiques throughout the UK and Europe.

Her research interests focus on the role of education to enable creative and critical thinking, to drive change in industry and society. She has contributed towards the Erasmus+ project FashionSEEDS, which has the intention to develop a holistic framework to embed sustainability into higher education fashion design. Julia is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Alex Pollman, Subject leader in Wearable Technology

Alexa Pollmann runs the Peut-Porter Design Collective – leading on projects, which speculate and present the public with possible fashion futures and apply practice based research using performance, fashion, technology and interaction to create participatory and inclusive experiences. Currently, she is directing DAZZLE, an experience combining fashion, dance and mixed reality technologies ranging from motion-capture and VR to open-source zero-waste garment production and generative print creation. The work of Peut-Porter has been shown internationally and was exhibited in the Design Museum London, Sadler’s Wells Theatre, the Museum of London and the BFI amongst others.

Alexa Pollmann previously worked with Burberry (Creative Media Department), Royal College of Art, and Barbara I Gongini (Copenhagen).

Katelyn Toth-Fejel, Lecturer in Fashion and Sustainability

Katelyn is a researcher, artist, designer and lecturer working across the School of Design and Technology to design and deliver curriculum at the intersection of fashion, design and sustainability. Her PhD research project, Fashion-in-Residence, brings together methods of ethnography, co-design and participatory art to map how sustainable fashion behaviours and cultures are linked to place.

She was previously co-director of the knitwear and accessories brand, Here Today Here Tomorrow and worked with Kate Fletcher on the international research project, Local Wisdom, which explored the ‘craft of use’.

Recent academic papers include ‘Clothing landscapes: interdisciplinary mapmaking methods to understand fashion behaviours and place’ and ‘ Here Today Here Tomorrow: experimental socially engaged business ’, co-authored with Julia Crew and Anna-Maria Hesse.

Dr Francesco Mazzarella, Senior Lecturer in Fashion and Design for Social Change

Francesco teaches on a number of courses across London College of Fashion. He works at Centre for Sustainable Fashion, exploring ways in which design activism can be used to create counter-narratives towards sustainability in fashion. Francesco's research spans the fields of design activism, fashion and textile artisanship, design for sustainability, social innovation, and place-making.

Francesco is currently the lead researcher on the ‘ReGo’ project, on the 'Fashion Values' KE project, and a Co-Investigator on the AHRC-funded project 'Digital, Regeneration and Experience Economy modelling'.

Fees and funding

Home fee

£12,700

This fee is correct for 2023/24 entry and is subject to change for 2024/25 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

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

£25,970

This fee is correct for 2023/24 entry and is subject to change for 2024/25 entry.

Tuition fees may increase in future years for new and continuing students on courses lasting more than one year. For this course, you can pay tuition fees in instalments.

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

Entry to this course is highly competitive: applicants are expected to achieve, or already have, the course entry requirements detailed below.

  • An Honours degree at 2.1 or above in a related discipline. Applicants with a degree in another subject may be considered, depending on the strength of the application;

OR

  • Equivalent qualifications;

OR

  • Relevant and quantitative industrial experience for a minimum of three years.

English language requirements

All classes are conducted in English. The level required by the University for this course is IELTS 7.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in each skill.

Admissions Procedures

The course seeks to recruit students from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and welcomes applications from mature students. The selection procedures for the course fully comply with the Equal Opportunities Policy of UAL. 

Selection criteria

The course seeks to recruit students from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds and welcomes applications from mature students.

The course seeks to recruit students who can demonstrate:

  • Interest in the environmental, social, cultural and political context of fashion;
  • Strong commitment and motivation towards a career in an aspect of the fashion industry;
  • Awareness and relevant experience of fashion;
  • Appropriate knowledge and skills commensurate with planned entry into the course.

Apply now

This section includes all the information you need on how to apply, how your application is considered and what happens next.

UK/EU students can apply to a postgraduate course at LCF by completing a direct application.

Deferring your place

This course accepts requests from offer holders to defer their place for one academic year. Deferral requests are granted on a first-come, first-served basis until all deferral places are filled, or a deadline has been reached, whichever is sooner. Read our Admissions Policy for details, including how to request a deferral and by when.

External Student Transfer Policy

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units/modules on your current PG course and wish to continue your studies at London College of Fashion, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible.

Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and transcripts.

Please be ready to provide an official document (translated into English if necessary) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.

Start your application now

Extra information required for applications to this course


When you are submitting your application form, you will also need to provide the following pieces of documentation in support of your application:

Curriculum Vitae

You will be required to submit a Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) in support of your application. This should include your full education and employment history.

Personal statement

The personal statement is your opportunity to tell us about yourself and your suitability for the course that you intend to study.

Some key points to consider:

  • Make sure that personal statement is your own work and is about you.
  • Explain why you want to study the course you are applying to.
  • Try to link your skills and experience required to the course.
  • Demonstrate your interest and enthusiasm for the course and link these with your personality.
  • Make sure it is organised and literate (grammar, spelling, punctuation check).

Essay

You should submit a 1,000 to 1,500 word written essay with your application. The essay title that you should respond to is:

'Envisage a world where you would like to live, what place does fashion have in this world and what does it look like?’

Please include bibliography and referencing.

Study proposal

Your proposal should be no more than 500 words (excluding research sources and bibliography).

It should:

  • Describe the context of the proposal, demonstrating your knowledge, skills and values relating to the cultural, ecological and social significance of your area of interest.
  • Suggest the area for exploration in your project proposal, either from the perspective of designer, buyer, maker, communicator or wearer.
  • Consider that the proposal may change significantly in consultation with tutors, however we need to ensure that you are thinking on the appropriate level for MA study.

You should include:

  • Research sources - Give details of libraries, museums, galleries, events, organisations, companies and any special archives that you are planning to visit and investigate or have done so as part of your research for your proposal.
  • Bibliography - Insert relevant documentary material. Keep a full record of all original and documentary material consulted. List appropriate reading material using the Harvard Referencing System.
  • Appendices / Images - Insert any additional material that you consider relevant to the core of the proposal or your essay.

Portfolio

You will be required to submit a digital portfolio with a maximum of 30 images that you consider would help support your application. Submit your portfolio via the university’s digital portfolio tool, PebblePad. More details will be sent to you after you have submitted your application. Label and present any visual work with care, including dates and captions.

Video task


We’d like you to submit a 2-3 minute video to help us learn more about you.

Please speak clearly in English and face the camera. Read our guidance for how to submit your video task and which file types we accept.

Your video task should cover the following topics:

We would like you to identify one project from your portfolio which challenged you and your understanding of fashion design and sustainability. Explain how this experience has inspired you to apply to MA Fashion Futures at LCF.

What happens next

All application forms, personal statements and relevant documents are read and considered by the course team against the selection criteria listed in the Entry requirements and Selection Criteria sections.

Depending on the quality of your application, you may be asked to submit a number of images of your work. For this course your portfolio could include: drawings; photographs of realised designs; speculative design; sketch work; process; and photographs. Label and present any visual work with care, including dates and captions.

If the course team wish to consider your application further, you will be invited to attend an interview. If you are selected for interview, these will take place online using Teams from Microsoft – please ensure that you download this software prior to the interview date; this is available as a free download from the Microsoft website. We will send you further details at a later point about how we will connect with you for your interview.

If you are successful at the interview stage you will be offered a place. Please note that applicants are not guaranteed an interview.

Please note that if you are unable to attend, the College may not be able to re-schedule.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

The result of your application will be communicated to you through your UAL Portal. If your application has been successful, you will receive a full offer pack including details of accommodation, fees, and other important information.

Applications for this course can only be accepted for this year of entry. Applications for deferred entry cannot be accepted.

Application deadline

19 December 2022 and 3 April 2023

For postgraduate courses at UAL there are 2 rounds of applications. This is to ensure equal consideration and fairness for all of our applicants. You must apply for 19 December 2022 for Round 1 or by 3 April 2023 for Round 2 for equal consideration.

If there are places available after 3 April, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled. We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to resolve any initial queries about your application as quickly as possible.

When you'll hear from us

If this course requires a digital portfolio as part of the application process, we will contact you to invite you to submit this through UAL’s online submission tool, PebblePad. For Round 1 applications, you will need to submit your portfolio by 9 January 2023 at the latest and by 20 April 2023 for Round 2.

This course receives a high volume of applications. We need to make sure that we give all applications equal consideration, so the course team will review them in 2 rounds, after each application deadline date. This means you won’t hear from us about the outcome of your application until after the relevant application deadline date. Outcomes for Round 1 will be released by (at the latest) end of March and outcomes for Round 2 will be released by end of June 2023.

Remember to check the outcome of your application in the UAL Portal. If you apply in Round 1 and don’t hear back from us, we will consider your application within Round 2.

Find out more about what happens after you apply.

This section includes all the information you need on how to apply, how your application is considered and what happens next.

There are 2 ways international students can apply to a postgraduate course:

Read our immigration and visa information to find out if you need a visa to study at UAL.

You can only apply to the same course once per year. Any duplicate applications will be withdrawn.  Read the UAL international application advice for further information on how to apply.

Deferring your place

This course accepts requests from offer holders to defer their place for one academic year. Deferral requests are granted on a first-come, first-served basis until all deferral places are filled, or a deadline has been reached, whichever is sooner. Read our Admissions Policy for details, including how to request a deferral and by when.

External Student Transfer Policy

If you are currently studying at another institution and if you have successfully completed 60 credits in the equivalent units/modules on your current PG course and wish to continue your studies at London College of Fashion, you can apply to transfer. The Admissions Tutor will consider applications on a case by case basis, subject to places being available. You must apply directly to the course via the course webpage as early as possible.

Please check our Student Transfer Policy for more important information and be ready to provide us with your current course handbook and transcripts.

Please be ready to provide an official document (translated into English if necessary) from your current university, explaining the learning outcomes of the units you have completed.

Start your application now

Extra information required for applications to this course


When you are submitting your application form, you will also need to provide the following pieces of documentation in support of your application:

Curriculum Vitae

You will be required to submit a Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) in support of your application. This should include your full education and employment history.

Personal statement

The personal statement is your opportunity to tell us about yourself and your suitability for the course that you intend to study.

Some key points to consider:

  • Make sure that personal statement is your own work and is about you.
  • Explain why you want to study the course you are applying to.
  • Try to link your skills and experience required to the course.
  • Demonstrate your interest and enthusiasm for the course and link these with your personality.
  • Make sure it is organised and literate (grammar, spelling, punctuation check).

Essay

You should submit a 1,000 to 1,500 word written essay with your application. The essay title that you should respond to is:

'Envisage a world where you would like to live, what place does fashion have in this world and what does it look like?’

Please include bibliography and referencing.

Study proposal

Your proposal should be no more than 500 words (excluding research sources and bibliography).

It should:

  • Describe the context of the proposal, demonstrating your knowledge, skills and values relating to the cultural, ecological and social significance of your area of interest.
  • Suggest the area for exploration in your project proposal, either from the perspective of designer, buyer, maker, communicator or wearer.
  • Consider that the proposal may change significantly in consultation with tutors, however we need to ensure that you are thinking on the appropriate level for MA study.

You should include:

  • Research sources - Give details of libraries, museums, galleries, events, organisations, companies and any special archives that you are planning to visit and investigate or have done so as part of your research for your proposal.
  • Bibliography - Insert relevant documentary material. Keep a full record of all original and documentary material consulted. List appropriate reading material using the Harvard Referencing System.
  • Appendices / Images - Insert any additional material that you consider relevant to the core of the proposal or your essay.

Portfolio

You will be required to submit a digital portfolio with a maximum of 30 images that you consider would help support your application. Submit your portfolio via the university’s digital portfolio tool, PebblePad. More details will be sent to you after you have submitted your application. Label and present any visual work with care, including dates and captions.

Video task


We’d like you to submit a 2-3 minute video to help us learn more about you.

Please speak clearly in English and face the camera. Read our guidance for how to submit your video task and which file types we accept.

Your video task should cover the following topics:

We would like you to identify one project from your portfolio which challenged you and your understanding of fashion design and sustainability. Explain how this experience has inspired you to apply to MA Fashion Futures at LCF.

What happens next

Immigration History Check

After you have applied, you will need to complete an Immigration History Check to identify whether you are eligible to study at UAL. Do be aware, if you do not complete the Immigration History Check we will not be able to proceed with your application.

Initial application check

All application forms, personal statements and relevant documents are read and considered by the course team against the selection criteria listed in the Entry requirements and Selection Criteria sections.

Depending on the quality of your application, you may be asked to submit a number of images of your work. For this course your portfolio could include: drawings; photographs of realised designs; speculative design; sketch work; process; and photographs. Label and present any visual work with care, including dates and captions.

If the course team wish to consider your application further, you will be invited to attend an interview. If you are selected for interview, these will take place online using Teams from Microsoft – please ensure that you download this software prior to the interview date; this is available as a free download from the Microsoft website. We will send you further details at a later point about how we will connect with you for your interview.

If you are successful at the interview stage you will be offered a place. Please note that applicants are not guaranteed an interview.

Please note that if you are unable to attend, the College may not be able to re-schedule.

How we notify you of the outcome of your application

The result of your application will be communicated to you through your UAL Portal. If your application has been successful, you will receive a full offer pack including details of accommodation, fees, and other important information.

Applications for this course can only be accepted for this year of entry. Applications for deferred entry cannot be accepted.

Application deadline

19 December 2022 and 3 April 2023

For postgraduate courses at UAL there are 2 rounds of applications. This is to ensure equal consideration and fairness for all of our applicants. You must apply for 19 December 2022 for Round 1 or by 3 April 2023 for Round 2 for equal consideration.

If there are places available after 3 April, the course will remain open to applications until places have been filled. We recommend you submit your application as early as possible to allow the Admissions team to resolve any initial queries about your application as quickly as possible.

When you'll hear from us

This course receives a high volume of applications. We need to make sure that we give all applications equal consideration, so the course team will review them in two rounds. This means that offers won’t be sent to successful applicants until after the relevant application deadline date. Outcomes for Round 1 will be released by 31 March 2022 and outcomes for Round 2 will be released by 30 June 2022.

Remember to check the outcome of your application in the UAL Portal. If you apply in Round 1 and don’t hear back from us, we will consider your application within Round 2.

Find out more about what happens after you apply.

After you apply

After you’ve submitted your application, you’ll receive a confirmation email providing you with your login details for the UAL Portal. We’ll use this Portal to contact you to request any additional information, including inviting you to upload documents or book an interview, so please check it regularly.

Once we’ve reviewed and assessed your application, we’ll contact you via the UAL Portal to let you know whether your application has been successful.

Careers

All our postgraduate 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:

* 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.

Career paths

MA Fashion Futures graduates apply their skills in a multitude of ways and pursue diverse career paths. These might include the following:

  • Attaining a position within a brand, for example as a designer, and building sustainability from within the role, something that employers are increasingly looking for;
  • Attaining a specific sustainability related role within a company or brand, for example an MA Fashion Futures graduate was the Sustainability Manager at Alexander McQueen;
  • Setting up their own brand and fashion enterprise, recent examples include Trashion Factory and Post-Carbon Lab;
  • Embarking upon further research such as PhD, or a career in education.

Graduates from the course have achieved recognition through competitions and awards including the Kering Awards, Redress Design Awards, Proctor and Gamble Award, the Deutsche Bank Award, the Earth Awards and the Observer Ethical Awards.