Teachers' Notes

Resource created by M&S Archive.

This resource is intended to provide a broad picture of fashion innovation, using selected items from the M&S Archive collection. The overall aim of the Fashion related resources is to show changing fashions throughout M&S history, changes in products over time and how this links to wider social history and world events.

Curriculum Links

KS3 Design & Technology: Design | Make | Evaluate (Fashion)

Learning Objectives

Knowledge of developments in fabric technology and 20th Century high street fashion
Understanding of how high street retailers match their products to fulfill customers' needs in line with new trends
Skills of identifying popular fashion trends and developments over several decades

Fashion Show Project

KS3 Design and Technology (Fashion)

Look at the fashion images (see Resources) and find some images of current fashion.
- Compare the images
- What is similar about them?
- What is different about them?
- Which items do you prefer?
Create a timeline of decades from the 1960s to today. Include a drawing or picture of fashion for each decade.

Read the headline and first paragraph of the M&S Orlon advert from 1971. Choose a fashion advert from a current magazine or find one online. Prepare your own headline and top paragraph - write a persuasive article encouraging people to buy the clothes.

Design a new item of clothing or accessory, label the fabrics and materials in your design. Give your reasons for choosing those particular materials.
Design a survey to find out more about clothing and fashion today. Ask friends, relatives and yourself these questions:
- what are your favourite clothes?
- what are they made of?
- do you prefer synthetic or natural fabrics, and what are your reasons?
- list the advantages and disadvantages of synthetic fabrics, then do the same for natural fabrics

Glossary