Diploma of DesignFASHION DESIGN
Builds core patternmaking and garment construction skills, develops your ability to take a design from sketch to finished garment, and prepares you for continued study or entry into the fashion industry.
COURSE INFORMATION
- Course Level:
- Diploma
- Delivery:
- On Campus
- Next Intake:
- February 2027
- Format:
- Full-Time / Part-Time
- Intakes:
- Feb, Jun, Sept
- Location:
- Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane
- Duration:
- 2 Trimesters
- Tuition:
- FEE-HELP Approved
FASHION DESIGN OVERVIEW
The Diploma of Design specialising in Fashion Design is your fast-track introduction to professional garment design and construction. Across two trimesters, you'll build the skills to design, pattern and construct real garments in a studio environment, developed the same way Whitehouse teaches its full Bachelor of Design. Graduate with two constructed garment projects in your portfolio, ready to continue into further study or take on entry-level roles in pattern cutting and garment production.
Why study Fashion Design at Whitehouse
Craft first - every project at Whitehouse builds real construction and pattern making skills.
Graduate with a portfolio and a credited next step. Two creative projects to show, and direct advanced standing into the Associate Degree or Bachelor of Design if you want to keep going.
Construct real garments from your first trimester. A daywear skirt and customised shirt, then a small capsule collection blending utility wear with elevated silhouettes, taken from pattern through to a finished, constructed piece.
WHY WHITEHOUSE?
#1
FOR SKILLS DEVELOPMENT*
We achieved 92.1% in the QILT Student Experience Survey 2025, the strongest result of any creative arts and design institution in the country.
20+
STUDIO HOURS A WEEK
You'll get real face-to-face studio time, more than double the national average.
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Students intern at names like Maticevski, Dior, Mariam Seddiq, Carla Zampatti and Rebecca Vallance.
*QILT Student Experience Survey 2025 when compared to institutions offering creative arts and design courses.
7 IN 10 FASHION DESIGNERS ARE QUALIFIED
Source: Jobs and Skills Australia, Fashion Designers (2021 Census).
LEARNING OUTCOMES
What you'll learn
Through hands-on studio projects, you'll build the creative and technical foundations of garment design:
- Patternmaking and garment construction, from basic through to more intricate technique
- Working with toiles: interpreting, analysing and refining a prototype garment
- Fashion illustration, starting from observation of the human form
- Digital design and visual communication tools
- Colour, materials and the technologies used in garment production
- Design history and the movements shaping fashion today
- Academic research and critical writing
What you'll graduate with
By the end of the Diploma you'll have:
- A portfolio of two constructed garment projects
- Confidence with foundational patternmaking and construction technique
- The ability to take a design from concept sketch through to a finished garment
- A developing fashion illustration style
- Direct credited entry into the Associate Degree or Bachelor of Design
COURSE STRUCTURE
The Diploma of Design specialising in Fashion Design comprises 6 core subjects (Design Contexts, Digital Design and Illustration for Design) and 4 specialisation subjects (Fashion Design and Fashion Workshop). To be awarded the Diploma of Design, candidates must accrue an aggregate of 96 credit points, including satisfactory completion of all subjects.
The course is offered both full-time and part-time. At a full-time study load, students undertake five subjects each trimester and complete the Diploma across 2 trimesters (7 months).
Design core subjects
Design ContextsDC1 and DC2. 6/12 credit points
Builds critical awareness of the history of design and the movements that continue to shape practice today, alongside research and writing skills. Examines the frameworks used to understand and review design across different periods, giving students methods for reading any designed object.
Digital DesignDD1 and DD2. 6/12 credit points
Introduces the digital tools designers use, building skills in Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator to produce mood boards, design boards and technical sketches. Range planning and print design, developing the trade sketches, technical sketches and specification sheets that communicate a garment to whoever has to make it.
Illustration for DesignID1 and ID2. 6/12 credit points
Introduces fashion illustration, from the fashion head and hands to contrast in line, building the foundations of drawing the figure. Rendering with tints, shades and tones, developing colour control and the fashion figure used in design folios.
Fashion Design specialisation subjects
Fashion Design 1 to 2FD1 and FD2. 6/12 credit points
Introduces the design process: research, ideation and moodboarding, with the elements of design applied to a skirt and customised shirt project.
Fashion Workshop 1 to 2FW1 and FW2. 24/48 credit points
Introduces sewing, seams and construction technique, building a skirt toile through skirt workshops. Blouse, pants and soft jacket workshops: drafting patterns, reviewing toiles and finishing garments in final fabrics.
THE PROJECTS
In this accelerated 7-month course you'll complete two industry focused projects. You're given a design problem to resolve, a series of colour palettes from the latest trend research and then together with your design teacher, you come up with an original design solution.
Diploma, Trimester One
Fashion Daywear Skirt + Customised Shirt
You'll start out simply with a skirt, this is a foundation project to get you used to industrial machines, pattern-making and garment construction techniques. You'll design, toile, sample your garment and work with your design and workshop teachers to bring your 2D illustration to life in 3D form. Your task is to design a trans-seasonal fashion forward daywear outfit featuring a skirt for womenswear and a re-worked shirt. You'll end up producing two pieces and presenting them, styled together for a runway or editorial to create an entire look.
Diploma, Trimester Two
Fashion Daywear Pants + Blouse/Shirt + Optional Soft Jacket
Design a capsule collection of two-three pieces which can be worn across two bodies. You'll learn how to create a powerful contrast between functionality of traditional design garments and non-fashion utility garments. Luxe volume and high fashion textures. You're tasked with working for a high-end concept store to create an innovative, captivating womenswear collection that is design directional, functional and commercial. You'll examine silhouettes and proportions in current hybridised utility wear collections.
Later, in the Bachelor of Design
Continue into the Bachelor of Design with full credit, and take these on next.
- Trimester ThreePrint Design (Dress + Soft Jacket)
- Trimester FourTailoring & Menswear Introduction
- Trimester FiveSignature Hero Garment
- Trimester SixGraduate Collection
“Deciding to study Fashion Design at Whitehouse was the best decision I have made.”
YOUR PATHWAY
On completion, you'll be ready to take your craft to the next level. The Diploma provides a direct and seamless pathway into the Associate Degree of Design and Bachelor of Design with full credit for your completed trimesters, so you can continue building your fashion design skills without starting over.
FACILITIES
With purpose-built design campuses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Whitehouse students work within professional-standard environments designed around the way the industry actually operates. Not lecture halls, but studios, workshops and resources you'll use in your specialisation every week.
Professional atelier studiosDesign Collection (Sydney Only)Adobe Creative Cloud suiteIndustry partnerships and sourcing networkResearch servicesView detailsHide details
Professional atelier studios
Fully-equipped studios give you the space to move between manual and digital design methods - from pattern cutting and garment construction to digital design in the Adobe Creative Cloud suite and StyleCAD.
Design Collection (Sydney Only)
At the Sydney campus, students have rare access to one of Australia's most significant design archives, including original pieces from Louis Vuitton, Burberry and Sacai - a hands-on resource for studying construction, detail and the language of luxury up close.
Adobe Creative Cloud suite
Every student receives free access to the full Adobe Creative Cloud suite, giving you the same tools used across professional design, editorial and creative direction. From week one you'll work in Photoshop, Lightroom, InDesign and Illustrator.
Industry partnerships and sourcing network
Whitehouse connects students to the network the fashion industry runs on - fabric and materials suppliers, industry competitions and brand partnerships with organisations including LVMH, Christian Dior, Carla Zampatti, Mariam Seddiq, Camilla, Melbourne Fashion Week, Australian Fashion Week and The Woolmark Company.
Research services
Fashion Design students draw on industry-grade trend-forecasting services and a specialist design library, developing the research rigour behind every strong creative decision, from mood and colour direction to sourcing and concept.
Whitehouse continually updates and expands its resources to ensure every student has extensive design research support throughout their degree.
FEES
Domestic fees
All Design courses are FEE-HELP eligible for domestic students. No upfront payment for tuition fees needed if eligible.
| 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Trimester Tuition Fee (full-time study) | $14,610 |
| Indicative Average Unit Fee (5 units) | $2,922 |
Fees exclude course materials and technical kits.
International fees
See the International section for information on international fees.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply for the Diploma of Design specialising in Fashion Design, submit a direct application through the Whitehouse Institute of Design website.
Whitehouse has no application fees.
Important dates
Applications for Whitehouse's Diploma of Design with specialisation in Fashion Design are open year-round, with three main intakes each year - February, June and September. Applications typically open within 6 to 12 months of the intake commencing. We recommend applying early to secure your preferred campus and start date.
Entry requirements
- ATAR
- No ATAR required
- Academic
- Completion of Year 12 or equivalent
- Design Meeting
- All applicants attend a Design Meeting
- Portfolio
- No portfolio requirement
Here are the main requirements to get you started. The full entry requirements are in the links below, and our team is happy to talk them through.
In addition to standard entry requirements, international students must have a minimum level of English language skills as well as a valid and appropriate visa for studying in Australia.
FAQS
What is the Diploma of Design in Fashion Design at Whitehouse?
The Diploma of Design specialising in Fashion Design is a fast-track introduction to professional garment design and construction at Whitehouse Institute of Design. Over two trimesters you build core patternmaking and construction skills, taught the same way Whitehouse teaches its full Bachelor of Design, and prepare for further study or entry into the fashion industry.
How long is the Diploma of Design in Fashion Design?
The Diploma of Design in Fashion Design takes 2 trimesters, about 7 months, at a full-time study load of five subjects each trimester. It is also offered part-time.
When and where can I study the Diploma of Design in Fashion Design?
You can study the Diploma of Design in Fashion Design on campus at Whitehouse in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. There are three main intakes each year, in February, June and September, with the next intake in February 2027.
What will I learn in the Diploma of Design in Fashion Design?
You'll learn patternmaking and garment construction, working with toiles, fashion illustration from observation of the human form, and digital design and visual communication tools. The Diploma also covers colour, materials and production technologies, design history, and academic research and critical writing.
What projects do you make in the Diploma of Design in Fashion Design?
You complete two industry-focused projects. In Trimester One you design and construct a fashion daywear skirt and customised shirt, and in Trimester Two a small capsule collection of two to three pieces blending utility wear with luxe, high fashion elements.
What will I graduate with from the Whitehouse Fashion Design Diploma?
You'll graduate with a portfolio of two constructed garment projects, confidence with foundational patternmaking and construction, and the ability to take a design from concept sketch to finished garment, with Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator skills from Digital Design. You'll also have a developing fashion illustration style and direct credited entry into the Associate Degree or Bachelor of Design.
Do I need sewing or drawing experience for the Diploma of Design in Fashion Design?
No sewing or drawing experience is listed in the entry requirements. Fashion Workshop 1 introduces sewing, seams and construction technique, the first project gets you used to industrial machines, and Illustration for Design builds the foundations of drawing the fashion figure.
Do I need a creative portfolio for the Diploma of Design in Fashion Design?
No. Whitehouse's diploma level courses have no portfolio requirements.
What are the entry requirements for the Diploma of Design in Fashion Design?
No ATAR required. You need to have completed Year 12 or equivalent and attend a Design Meeting, and there is no portfolio requirement; you apply directly through the Whitehouse website with no application fee. International students also need a minimum level of English language skills and a valid visa for studying in Australia.
What high school subjects are recommended for the Diploma of Design?
Whitehouse recommends a combination of Modern or Ancient History, Design & Technology, Visual Arts, Visual Communication and Textiles & Design in Years 11 and 12. There are no compulsory prerequisite subjects.
Can I go from the Diploma of Design into the Bachelor of Design?
Yes. The Whitehouse Diploma of Design in Fashion Design provides a direct pathway into the Associate Degree of Design and the Bachelor of Design, with full credit for your completed trimesters. In the Bachelor you continue with print design, tailoring and menswear, a signature hero garment and a graduate collection.
What is the difference between a Diploma and a Bachelor of Design at Whitehouse?
The Diploma of Design in Fashion Design is 2 trimesters and 96 credit points, with two garment projects. The Bachelor of Design is 6 trimesters (2 years) and 288 credit points, and culminates in a graduate collection; Diploma graduates can continue into it with full credit for their completed trimesters.
What jobs can I get with a Diploma of Design in Fashion Design?
The Diploma prepares you to take on entry-level roles in pattern cutting and garment production, or to continue into further study at Whitehouse.
How much does the Diploma of Design in Fashion Design cost, and is FEE-HELP available?
For 2026, the domestic tuition fee is $14,610 per trimester at a full-time study load, an indicative average of $2,922 per unit across 5 units, excluding course materials and technical kits. The Diploma is FEE-HELP approved, so eligible domestic students need no upfront payment for tuition fees.
FEE-HELP limits apply. Check the latest limits and eligibility on the Australian Government's StudyAssist website.
Can I get academic credit for previous study in the Diploma of Design?
Yes, you may be eligible. Whitehouse may award credit for single subjects for accredited study at another provider or relevant industry experience, and Advanced Standing for students who have completed courses in a similar field. Contact Whitehouse Admissions or raise it during your interview.
Can I defer my enrolment in the Diploma of Design?
Yes. If you have received an offer but aren't ready to start, you can defer to the next intake without reapplying. To talk through your options, call Whitehouse on 1300 551 433 or email study@whitehouse-design.edu.au.
What AQF level is the Diploma of Design, Fashion Design?
The Diploma of Design, Fashion Design is an AQF Level 5 qualification under the Australian Qualifications Framework. Graduates can continue into the Whitehouse Associate Degree of Design (AQF Level 6) or Bachelor of Design (AQF Level 7) with full credit for their completed trimesters.
Still have questions? Call 1300 551 433.
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