5 Day Courses

Who doesn't love handbags and shoes? Because I clearly cannot buy enough of either. You know what would be a dream come true... to design my own!

The FTM is hosting two 5-day introductory courses in handbag and shoe design in August.

Each class is an affordable £195 but will be a priceless experience. Spaces are limited, so sign up now! To book your place, call the FTM on 020 7407 8664 or pay online

Introduction to Handbag Design
August 15-19, 10:00-16:00
This one week course provides the opportunity to learn about the handbag design process - from sketching out your ideas, to choosing materials, to designing a range of bags and finally producing your own handbag block.

This is an excellent opportunity to use your ideas and skills under the tutoring of Ann Saunders, who has extensive experience in the fashion industry. As design co-ordinator for Laura Ashley she specialised in accessories and was also responsible for styling, arranging shoots, staging fashion shows and the mail order catalogue. Anne is also a visiting lecturer at the London College of Fashion and runs her own accessories company.

Introduction to Designing Shoes
August 22-26, 10:00-16:00
We all love shoes- but where do all those fabulous styles come from?
This introductory course takes you through the fascinating history of footwear from the bejewelled pumps of Elizabeth I to the bejewelled pumps of Jimmy Choo.

We will look at how shoes are made and learn how to design and illustrate our own ideas. The course ends with a practical design exercise following the stages taken by professional designers to produce a range of shoes. This will include illustrations and 3D mock-ups. Lead by Chris Hill who has been designing shoes for over twenty years, some of her students are now household names – Jimmy Choo, Emma Hope and Patrick Cox.