The track Digital Fashion Technologies of the Master Digital Design programme not only gives you skills and knowledge about digital fashion technologies, but also immerses you into a network of fashion and digital agencies, companies, and partners. The program is open to students from various backgrounds including, but not limited to, IT, fashion design, fashion management, fashion branding, communication multimedia design, product design, engineering, etc.

Learning community

A student will work in a digital fashion technology community of practice (CoP). The key to a CoP is that learning does not happen in isolation and that knowledge sharing and mutual engagement is key. This does not mean that you can’t work individually, but it means that you are motivated to exchange knowledge, skills, and experiences with students, teachers, researchers, industry partners, and other stakeholders involved. We envision to build a thriving community together that is based upon mutual support and ongoing learning, that a student is part of way longer than their master program takes.

Focus

Nowadays fashion industry has to change drastically; the overconsumption, excessive waist and depletion of raw materials, non-inclusiveness and lack of diversity, and unequalness and underpaid and protected workers are only some examples of the problems the industry is causing and has to deal with. The Digital Fashion Technology track focusses on the use of digital fashion technology to transform (parts of) the fashion supply chain and critically review the effect(s). This can involve developing and researching new ideas and innovations, or switch current work methods for digital technology or advice on where the industry needs to slow down. We focus on the design, production, manufacturing and use of the apparel product and digital technologies, and are very critical about the fact that digital does not always means sustainable. The industry is in need of more knowledge and professionals that can not only use, but also strategically implement and reflect upon the effect of technology. The programme does not cover the sole use of marketing and trend analysis technologies, except when they are used to change the named phases mentioned above.

Research through design

The programme teaches students to use the research method “research through design”. Research through Design (RtD) is an approach to generate new knowledge through design and making. It emphasizes design and prototyping as a method of inquiry. This entails that students will generate knowledge by design, prototyping, experimentation, and iteration. The RtD method is especially powerful for the digital fashion technology field, since it gives professionals the opportunity to use and implement digital technologies in fashion, and at the same time research the effect.

Themes

The Digital Fashion Technology community has three main research domains: the body, fashion systems, and the product. The body entails all projects with a focus on the body like, but certainly not limited to, sizing, adjusted and inclusive apparel, and immersive identity. The sub area Fashion systems researches changes in, or inventing, systems that can be used in fashion. Example projects are setting up systems for automatic translation of 3D products to pattern pieces, verifying ownership and uniqueness, or platforms for user-generated design. The product surrounds research questions about the product. Product personalization, automatic product design, and digital twinning are topics that belong to this theme. All projects will take the whole supply chain into account when designing and evaluating the effect of the digital technology.

Personal learning track

During your year in the Digital Fashion Technology track, self-directed learning is an important focus. At the end of the foundation period, you will create a personal learning plan that will guide you through the semester. This plan can be updated as you learn new things and make decisions. It gives you a chance to show what you already know and what you hope to gain from the programme, helping you to choose what you want to learn, the roles you take on, and the projects you work on.

Planning

The track is split up into three different periods: a foundation, an industry project, and a capstone project. The work you do, things you learn, and roles you take on during these periods are strongly based upon your personal learning plan where you can express your goals and wishes.
 

Assessment

You are formally evaluated in a summative assessment in January and June, for 30 ECTS each. These summative assessments consider your successful demonstration of the acquired competences provided by the programme and your individual study plan.

Title and Diploma

After successfully completing the program, you will be awarded the title of Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Digital Design - Digital Fashion Technology Track, at the Postgraduate Level 7 of the Dutch Qualification Framework (NLQF).