Exploring Fashion Design in Borås
Students:
- Marcus Kresse, University of Art and Design Linz (Austria)
- Luvini Githara Sumanaweera, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (Australia)
- Lars Bollgönn, Universität der Künste Berlin (Germany)
What made you choose the University of Borås for your exchange semester?
Lars: “I had heard about it before and figured it would be a good place to explore and experiment. I am interested in the technical aspects of clothing, so I thought it would be a good match for me.“
Marcus: “One of my teachers back home suggested that Borås could be a good fit for me. I did not know about the university before, but searched for it on Instagram and really liked it. The experimental shapes and different approaches stood out compared to the other universities - it was not boring. It was exciting to see the unique forms and ideas.”
Luvini: “For me, a lot of people at RMIT recommended that I go to Borås.”
How has your experience been so far, almost halfway through?
Luvini: “Pretty good! All our classmates are so nice and helpful. They have really taken the time to sit down with us and offer support.”
Marcus: “I like the social environment – everyone pushes you to get better. I also really like the machines you have here.”
Lars: “I was positively surprised by how nice people are. There is a very international vibe, and everyone casually speaks English. It is nice to feel as you are not just an exchange student – you quickly feel settled in.
Everything is also very well organised and just works smoothly. The only downside is that the high level of structure sometimes makes it hard to do things spontaneously – for example, getting access to a specific lab.”
How does studying here compare to back home?
Lars: “I feel like the whole building is dedicated to fashion alongside the other related study programmes. It is always very design-oriented, though not as artistic or conceptual as I am used to.”
Marcus: “I feel it is a bit less design-focused. So far, the supervisions have not given me the kind of artistic input I expected. Back home, I have a mentor who spends more time discussing my overall approach and direction.”
Luvini: “I can relate to that. At my home university, I meet my tutors and mentors more often and for longer sessions. I think I also receive more critical feedback there, partly because the grading system requires a more detailed and critical approach.
Overall, I feel that assignments back home demand more – both in terms of doing research off-campus and submission. For example, if I submit 10 slides here, I would probably need to submit 45 slides in Australia.
I do appreciate having my own workplace here, though! At my home university, you must fight for a spot at 7 in the morning, so many students have their own studios outside of school instead. Having your own space here saves time and makes it easier to get things done.”
Marcus: “At Linz, we also have our individual workspaces, but they are in one large open room. I think it is even better as it is not as separated as it is here.”
Lars: “I can agree – there are too many walls for my taste.”
Were you pleasantly surprised by anything about your exchange studies here?
Marcus: “The machines – absolutely. The number of sewing machines, the knitting machines… I have not worked with knitting before and do not even know all they can do, but I am impressed.”
Lars: “Yeah, I feel like you could double the number of students and there would still be enough space and equipment for everyone.”
Luvini: “The machines are really the main reason why someone should study Fashion Design here.“
Marcus: “I was also surprised by the block system, where you take one course at a time. I have not fully decided if I like it, but I think it is better as you can focus on one course.”
Text: Gustav Kibe
Photo: Gustav Kibe, Lars Bollgönn