Bachelor of Sustainable Fashion Design

Contemporary design. Technical craftsmanship. Ethical practice.

Our Bachelor of Sustainable Fashion Design brings these together in a three-year programme where you’ll create innovative fashion with a conscious edge.

From the start, you’ll build a strong foundation in fashion design, garment construction, and mindful making. In your f irst year you will start developing your creative process while researching and exploring visual communication techniques - discovering your own direction and building the confidence for you to express it. Pattern making and garment construction are central and are supported by studio-based learning and hands-on experimentation. You’ll explore both historical and contemporary fashion movements to inspire your work and engage with earth centred design and cultural sustainability. You’ll end your first year by designing and creating a full outfit showcased at the end-of-year exhibition.

In your second year, you deepen your skills with advanced techniques and critical inquiry - honing your personal design identity. You’ll focus on bespoke tailoring, apply systems thinking to fashion theory and experiment with regenerative design in studio projects. You’ll develop a ‘capsule collection’ that reflects your evolving style, craftsmanship and sustainable values. Supported by expert guidance you'll create statement pieces that not only look incredible but also drive meaningful change.

Your final year centres on advanced creative research, the development of your signature fashion collection, and industry internships and placements. You’ll build a professional design portfolio and lookbook to showcase both your work and your unique identity. This is your opportunity to refine your creative voice, push boundaries, and align your practice with the UN Sustainable Development Goals - ready to launch into the industry.

The programme culminates in a capstone course. Here you bring your vision to life through a full runway-ready fashion collection. Your design concept. Your design identity. Your craftsmanship.

Whitecliffe College is New Zealand’s highest-ranked and most awarded institution in the private education sector. Established in 1984, it is a long-standing Category One Private Training Establishment (PTE), recognized for its excellence and innovation.

Whitecliffe stands as a cornerstone of New Zealand’s private education landscape, with a rich combined legacy of over 130 years dedicated to outstanding teaching and academic excellence across the fields of Fine Arts, Design, Fashion Design, Information Technology, and Creative Arts Therapies.

The merger of three of New Zealand’s oldest PTEs has strengthened Whitecliffe’s position as a leading force in tertiary education. Offering a comprehensive range of programmes — from certificates and undergraduate degrees to master’s qualifications (Levels 4–9) — Whitecliffe is synonymous with academic distinction and is deeply committed to shaping students into global citizens and future leaders in their chosen professions.

At Whitecliffe, we actively collaborate with industry partners to ensure work-integrated learning, deliver high-quality academic programmes, and prepare our graduates for successful, fulfilling careers.

Our graduates are innovators and trailblazers, confident in their skills and ready to lead the future.