Design

Diploma of Branded Fashion Design

CRICOS 107018A

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Diploma of Branded Fashion | Student Drawing

What is a Diploma of Branded Fashion Design?

A Diploma of Branded Fashion Design is an introductory qualification, generally over one year of full-time study, that builds a foundation to understanding the business of what we wear and how they're made. It covers the creation of inspiring designs, developing and producing them for market with an emphasis on finding creative, strategic, sustainable and cost-effective solutions.

Led by highly regarded industry professionals, you’ll investigate the theories behind design and marketing, evaluate communication and brand-fashion strategies, and scrutinise past, present and future fashion trends. This course is an all-inclusive qualification that starts you on the journey of understanding the fashion industry from an historical, social and political point of view, as well as the creative process of taking garments from design to market. You'll be introduced to all aspects of fashion design – how to use form, shape and colour, choosing materials, technical drawing, matching ideas with purpose, and more.

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Learning outcomes

Master technical drawing skills to bring your ideas to life.
Develop a commercial awareness of how to build and sustain a brand.
Learn the importance of shape and form.
Experiment with a range of styles, fabrics and patterns.

DIA-recognised course

This course is recognised by the Design Institute of Australia, giving you confidence that your education is of the highest industry standard.

Vogue Australia partnership

We’ve partnered with industry leaders including Vogue Australia, to offer you internship, mentoring and scholarship opportunities.

Free Adobe Creative Cloud Pro licence

You'll receive a free Adobe Creative Cloud Pro licence for the entire time you're studying Design with us.

Download course guide Start online application

Study mode

On campus, Blended, Online

Campus locations*

Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane

Student

Domestic

International

Course duration

1 year full time, 2 years part time, 6 months accelerated

Start date

05 Jun 2023

18 Sep 2023

View all key dates

Fees

View fees

This is an AQF Level 5 course delivered by Torrens University Australia Ltd T/A Billy Blue College of Design.

*For more details on international student study options.

Learn from practicing fashion designers

Our lecturers bring their professional experience into the classroom, with most running their own fashion brands.

Develop industry-ready skills

Learn essential fashion design skills such as shape and form, fashion illustration and technical drawing using industry-standard software.

Guaranteed pathway entry into a bachelor's degree

Take your credits and pathway directly into the second year of our bachelor's program.

Georgia Bellingham provides insights into her experience studying with Billy Blue, from interning with Alice McCall to learning digital rendering.

Career opportunities

Designers who can combine fresh and inspiring designs with an understanding of how to produce for commercial success are the ones who will thrive in the industry. You’ll graduate with a grounding in what it takes to create, build and sustain a brand and align it with a target market.

Potential career paths

Production Assistant
Average salary: $50,993 - $77,359
Stylist
Average salary: $51,350 - $66,900
Fashion Designer
Average salary: $57,000 - $80,000

Learn more about careers in Design

Showcase

Holly Villagra

Holly's passion for fashion dates back to her childhood when she would flick through the pages of Vogue. Today, she has not only interned with Vogue Australia but has also launched her own label, ARTYST.

Showcase

Jackson Cowden

Jackson has a keen interest in fashion design and creative direction. During his course, he gained proficiency in software such as CLO 3D, enabling him to bring his graduate collection to life in 3D animation.

Showcase

Joshua Djordjewitsch

Joshua's eponymous label, Djordjewitsch, was developed with a focus on unconventionalism, minimalism and considered fabrics in brutal silhouettes. His work saw him awarded the Queensland Fashion Design Award of Merit by the Design Institute of Australia.

Showcase

Julie Song

Julie switched from interior design to fashion and never looked back. Her final collection was designed to celebrate her culture and identity, and the calibre of her work saw her featured in Powerhouse Museum's Future Fashion showcase.

Showcase

Thomas Saint-Cyr

Thomas was 2020's Branded Fashion Design Graduate of the Year, and his work has been showcased at exhibitions including Powerhouse Museum's Future Fashion. He loves fashion and design's ability to communicate an identity and solve a problem simultaneously.

Showcase

Georgia Bellingham

Georgia encountered obstacle after obstacle while developing a graduate collection throughout a pandemic. Her understanding of the tech-enabled fashion industry helped her to overcome these by pivoting to display her collection digitally using CLO3D.

Branded Fashion | Carine Ferreira da Silva | Torrens University

Showcase

Andrea Maurer

Andrea is an emerging pattern designer and illustrator based in Brisbane, who created this print design exclusively for Myer’s ‘Miss Shop Introduces’ range.

Subjects and units

This course comprises of three core subjects and five specialisation subjects.

Each subject involves 10 hours of study per week, comprising three hours of facilitated study and seven hours self-directed study.

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Core
Specialisations

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Requirements

Complete three core subjects.

Core subjects

Design Context | DCX101

Design Context is a foundational subject that introduces students to the designed world and their place within it. Students are encouraged to explore the interconnected nature of design and its capacity to inspire change, drive progress and navigate complex challenges. Through observation, research and iterative approach students will develop a series of creative responses that demonstrate an awareness of the value of design and its ability to create meaningful interactions for people, communities and their environments.
Design Studio 1 | DSO102

This subject explores the relationship between materials and storytelling. It introduces students to the attributes of materiality and encourages them to re-imagine the possibilities of creating through making. Students will explore the art of paper folding, developing skills and taking creative risks. These results will be captured digitally and altered using the appropriate software. Individual tasks allow students to develop an understanding and appreciation of materials, their many varied uses, properties, and the sustainable manufacturing processes related to them. Students will progress towards determining suitable materials in which to construct their final model with its form and function contextualised and supported by a documented process journal. Their final submission will be a model that reminds us that stories which fill our lives are not only spoken and written but sometimes are best told through craft.
Design Studio 2 | DSO103

Design Studio 2 offers an introduction to the building blocks of creating and developing brands and is designed to give students a broad understanding of the stages and methodologies adopted in the brand development process. The subject draws on the theory and practice that sits behind brand creation. It covers the broad spectrum of brand development, values, trends and branding techniques, as well as fundamentals such as brand positioning and brand architecture. The subject also explores the relationship between branding and audiences, cross-cultural influences and shifts in consumer behaviour. Students must first understand and apply the fundamentals of branding and then go on to use that knowledge as the basis for developing and progressing a brand. This theoretical and practical subject will equip students with the knowledge and insight with which to build their own branding expertise.

Requirements

Complete five specialisation subjects.

Specialisation subjects

Fashion Illustration | FA101A

Fashion Illustration introduces students to the skill of visual representation and communication through the art of drawing. It acknowledges drawing as a fundamental skill of the designer, and its importance in communicating design ideas. Students will cultivate an understanding of balance, proportion, and shape through observational drawing skills. Through visual rendering techniques of various surfaces, fabrics and structures, students gain insight into the manner in which different materials and fabrics drape, shape and change on the human body. This subject underpins the development of fundamental principles of fashion design as well as the capacity of the student to visually communicate their designs.
Introduction to Branded Fashion Technical Drawing | FA104A

Introduction to Branded Fashion Technical Drawing provides a solid foundation for students to develop accurate and proportional hand drawing and computer drawing skills which will be used throughout their course and career. Students initially develop hand drawings to identify, depict and communicate the technical and construction elements required for garment construction. Using progressive feedback and building upon these hand drawing skills, students are introduced to Computer Aided Design (CAD) and communication methods specific for branded fashion. Students produce a series of digital folios that develop their understanding of garment construction through both hand and digital drawing techniques.
Introduction to Shape and Form (Co-requisite FA108A) | FA107A

Through the exploration of a variety of cutting, sewing and finishing techniques, students are introduced to the importance of shape, form, line, and volume in garment construction. Industry terminology is defined through the execution of a variety of sewing samples and methods. Students familiarise themselves with the various components that make up a garment and the interrelationships between those components. Applying this knowledge, students execute and assemble a self-designed garment and will make decisions about the most appropriate construction techniques for that garment. Throughout their time in the sewing workroom, students will apply Work Health and Safety (WHS) practices in their workroom practice. Students participate in a Sewing Skills program – a series of additional sewing workshops that run concurrently with their formal study. These two-hour workshops provide students with an opportunity to further develop their garment construction skills.
Fashion Studio Practice (Pre-requisite FA107A) | FA108A

In Introduction to Shape and Form, students develop foundational design studio practice skills and knowledge. Through idea generation, fabric manipulation and draping, student’s progress their ideas and translate these into a commercial garment design. Students gain a deeper understanding of design elements and principles as key design concepts by conceptualising and producing 2D and 3D design outcomes. These design outcomes inform the student’s final garment production in Fashion Studio Practice.
Fashion vs Clothing | FA106A

In this subject, students are introduced to various social, political and design influences that have defined historical fashion periods. Examination of several case studies of fashion occurrences will inform students of the issues, attitudes and foundations that may lead up to the formation of a fashion, the role of the designer in that process and its effect on general dress behaviour as a result. Students will analyse and apply knowledge of the history of fashion to reflect on the fashion design process and the development of their own design handwriting whilst extending technical drawing and illustration skills. Students continue to develop their technical proficiency and ability to accurately communicate their design outcomes as they are introduced to specialist software applications and techniques.

International students must not enrol in more than one-third (33%) of online subjects over their course, and must study at least one face-to-face subject each study period. Please note that due to COVID-19, authorities have provided exceptions to the usual face-to-face learning requirements until 30 June 2023 only. For more information, visit Study in Australia.

International students on a student visa are required to study full time (i.e. must complete a minimum of 1.0 EFTSL of study per year). For the latest information on study locations, please check the entry requirements flyer.

Industry partners and work placements

The big difference at Billy Blue College of Design at Torrens University Australia is that you’ll start working in the design industry from day one – gaining valuable experience, learning from industry professionals and making industry connections.

Gain professional experience

Gain work experience as you complete an industry brief, putting your learnings into practice with guidance and mentoring from practicing professionals.

Entry details

Domestic
International

Fees

Check the domestic course fee schedule for the cost of your course.

FEE-HELP

Eligible Australian students may choose to defer some, or all, of their tuition fees through FEE-HELP, a loan scheme repaid through the tax system based on income.

Learn more about fees and FEE-HELP

Scholarships

If you are truly passionate about Design and Creative Technology, we want to hear from you. We have a variety of Design and Creative Technology scholarships on offer to assist you in becoming a key part of the Design and Creative Technology industry:

Admission criteria

Before you begin your course application, check that you meet the requirements listed below.

Year 12 (Australian secondary school certificate) or equivalent

OR

Successful completion of a Vocational qualification (AQF Level 4), or above

OR

Successful completion of a Higher Education qualification

OR

Work life experience demonstrating the ability to undertake study at the required level.

View full course admission information

Guaranteed pathway and Recognition of Prior Learning

If you have already completed a qualification you may be able to credit this against your degree with us, even if it’s from another institution. This is called Recognition of Prior Learning. We also offer pathway opportunities to further your learning.

Learn more about study pathways

Fees

Check the international course fee schedule for the cost of your course. Onshore international students requiring a student visa should choose campus-based / blended options.

Fee payment

Course fees can be paid across three study periods. Each instalment to be paid before the beginning of the academic stage census date.

Scholarships

We want you to have the best possible chance to succeed, which is why we offer a range of financial scholarships to support our international students during their study journey.

Admission criteria

Before you begin your course application to study as an international student, check that you meet the requirements below.

Australian Year 12 or equivalent and

Academic IELTS 5.5 (no band less than 5.0) or equivalent

OR alternative entry requirement may be available. Contact the International Admissions team for more information.

View full course admission information

Guaranteed pathway and Recognition of Prior Learning

If you have already completed a qualification you may be able to credit this against your degree with us, even if it’s from another institution. This is called Recognition of Prior Learning. We also offer pathway opportunities to further your learning.

Learn more about study pathways

Frequently asked questions

What are Torrens University Australia’s ATAR requirements for domestic students?

Torrens University Australia no longer considers ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) as our primary entry requirement. We have removed ATAR as the key admissions criteria for applicants aiming to study at Torrens University Australia. We strongly believed an alternative to the ATAR system should be found, which more broadly assesses students, especially when soft skills are emerging as important employability attributes. So, students with a recent secondary school education are now considered for admission if they have a Year 12 (Australian secondary school) certificate. Exceptions may apply to some courses.
What if  I don’t meet the entry criteria for a degree?

Torrens University Australia has a range of application pathways to help you gain entry into our degrees based on different criteria.

To find out more, visit Study Pathways or contact our Future Student Advisors.
Am I eligible for FEE-HELP?
If you are a domestic student attending university or an approved higher education provider, you can get a FEE-HELP loan to pay all or part of your tuition fees.

You are eligible for FEE-HELP assistance for a unit of study (i.e. subject) if you:

Undertake study with an approved provider.

Meet the citizenship and residency requirements:

An Australian citizen or a New Zealand Special Category Visa holder who meets the long-term residency criteria and who will undertake, in Australia, at least one unit of study contributing to your course; OR

A permanent humanitarian visa holder who will be a resident in Australia for the duration of your unit; OR

Are a permanent visa holder who is undertaking bridging study for overseas-trained professionals, and will be a resident in Australia for the duration of the study.

Enrolled in an eligible unit of study by the census date for the unit.

Have not exceeded the FEE-HELP limit.

For full details, visit the Australian Government website Study Assist.

If you are still unsure, please contact our Future Student Advisors who can talk you through the information.

Can I get course credit for previous experience?

Yes, course credit is available for most courses upon application and academic approval (excluding Higher Degree by Research programs). 

If you have already completed a qualification or have relevant work experience, you may be eligible for credit towards your course. This credit can take the form of credit transfer, block credit or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Review our Course Credits page or chat to our Future Student Advisors.
What are Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Transfer (CT)? How do I apply?

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is an assessment process that recognises experience, previous study and qualifications, and other forms of informal and non-formal learning, to determine if you meet course requirements.

If you have relevant qualifications or experience, you may be eligible for credit towards your course and a reduction in tuition costs.

Please speak to our Future Student Advisors to discuss your prior learning experiences.

For more information, please visit Course credits.
How do I apply for a scholarship?

Torrens University has a wide range of scholarship options to support new, returning, international and Australian students. They all include a reduction in tuition fees, and some scholarships include a mentoring component with our industry partners.

Domestic students

When you speak to our Future Student Advisors, let them know you wish to be considered for a scholarship in your application form. They will show you how to apply for a scholarship.

International students

Please contact your Education Agent for further information. Alternatively, you can call us on 1300 575 803 or by email.

For more details, explore our range of scholarships.

View all FAQs

Diploma of Branded Fashion Design