The MA in Fashion is the youngest of our Design MAs: its first students came to Goldsmiths in 2013. Ruth Jacob was part of this inaugural group of Fashion students, and now she’s sent word to us on what her studies at Goldsmiths meant to her, and what she’s been up to since graduation:
“Since graduating from Goldsmiths in 2014, I have endeavoured to keep myself linked with fashion as much as I can. The MA Fashion was quite different to what I expected, as it took on a more contextual and theoretical viewpoint. However, this provided me with a great opportunity to learn about fashion from different viewpoints and to broaden my awareness of the industry. Being a student in the first ever year of the MA Fashion course was truly exciting and it also revived and reasserted my enthusiasm and curiosity in the subject.
While on the course, I was able to build on ideas and develop techniques that I am using today for personal projects; some of which I am working into professional ones. One of these is a fashion and lifestyle label called BIGGER BOY, which aims to combine culture and adages from Africa with contemporary fashion and style. The research and development for the label began while I was studying for a module called Social Paradigms. The course involved exploring how fashion and society interrelate. I looked at how aspects of race and ethnicity correlate with fashion. The MA Fashion degree has definitely enhanced my entrepreneurial drive.
But this is by no means my only area of interest. Others include media publications, textiles and accessories and amongst others. In addition to this, I am also completing a PGCE qualification to become a Fashion Lecturer in FE education. Having the opportunity to teach future generations about the industry, practice and subject of fashion is something that I will relish.”
Originally posted on the Goldsmiths Design blog on 19 February 2016.
