The future of fashion: Swinburne launches groundbreaking tech-focused fashion course

Swinburne University of Technology is fusing high tech and high fashion to launch a new forward-thinking Bachelor of Design (Fashion) preparing graduates for a rapidly transforming industry.

This isn’t your typical sewing class; students will dive headfirst into advanced technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), generative AI, wearables, sensors, smart fabrics and other sought-after innovations.

The course is tailored to empower the next generation of fashion designers with cutting-edge technology expertise, allowing them to create virtual fashion experiences and smart apparel that interacts with the world around us. With a strong underpinning of sustainable fashion practice, graduates will lead change around concerns of the environmental and social impacts of the fast fashion clothing industry.

Dean of Swinburne’s School of Design and Architecture, Blair Kuys, says Swinburne is bridging the gap between fashion and technology. 

“Our course isn’t just about stitching fabrics; it’s about enabling students’ to harness technology to drive the future of sustainable fashion. These technologies are fundamentally reshaping how consumers interact with fashion and how designers create innovative outcomes,” Kuys said.

“This program represents a critical shift towards technology-enabled fashion design, where students will explore sustainable practices, advanced manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing, and the application of innovative textiles into tech-enabled outcomes such as smart garments, footwear, soft goods and sporting apparel to name a few”.

Technology woven into the fabric of Swinburne 

Developed with input from industry experts, the Bachelor of Design (Fashion) will ensure students are not only proficient in design but given the knowledge and skillsets to research, conceptualise, prototype and construct technology-enabled fashion, preparing them for a future-focused fashion career.  

Students will also have access to state-of-the-art facilities including the world-class ProtoLab and a newly outfitted Advanced Fashion Studio. 

Through real world experiences with professional placements and customisable pathways in Industrial Design, Branded Environments, Innovation, Digital Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Communication Design, and much more, students will graduate prepared to influence and shape the fashion industry.

Industry leaders are emphasising the urgent need for technology skills in the fashion market. AR, VR and genAI technologies are revolutionising retail experiences and wearables and smart fabrics are merging fashion with functionality, offering garments that monitor health metrics or adapt to environmental changes.

Padraic “Poz” Crunden-Smith, member of the Swinburne University Advisory Committee for Fashion Design, and Director of Design and Product Development at Aquaterro, says this course will create graduates who can lead the way in transforming how fashion is conceptualised, produced and consumed.

“We need fashion graduates with tech skills to revitalise the industry. Students at Swinburne will receive practical, hands-on training that enables them to prototype with 3D software and work in advanced manufacturing. What is most appealing is the practical application of new and emerging technologies to create functional fashion outcomes that have the potential to revolutionise our industry,” he said.

Kuys says students will be encouraged to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation with real-world application. Like all programs within the School of Design and Architecture, students will learn how to convert good ideas into commercially viable outcomes and have an immediate impact.

“Technology is a catalyst for innovation in fashion. Our graduates will be at the forefront of designing smart apparel, next-generation wearables with embedded sensors, and will be poised to redefine the trajectory of future fashion industries,” he said. 

The Bachelor of Design (Fashion) will have a stall at Swinburne University of Technology’s Open Day on Sunday, July 28, where prospective students can stitch up their future.