Overview
Sportswear Design is the practice of creating garments that fuse technical performance, functional innovation, and contemporary aesthetics for an active world.
The short course in Sportswear Design enables students to understand the sportswear sector from both a cultural and commercial perspective, prioritizing design methodology and hands-on practice with a specific focus on the intersection of athleisure, performance, and emerging textile technologies.
The ultimate goal of the Sportswear Design course is to provide students with a grounded understanding of one of fashion’s fastest-growing industries. This offers them valuable insight into how global sportswear brands operate and evolve, and gives them the chance to develop original concept-driven designs under the direct guidance of industry expert and creative leader Torsten Hochstetter.
Students will acquire knowledge of the global sportswear market and its key drivers in shaping design decisions. They will learn how to develop a sportswear concept from initial research and trend analysis through to final designs and portfolio-ready presentation, receiving individual feedback from professors with extensive industry experience.
In addition to Torsten Hochstetter, the main teachers on the course are professionals drawn directly from the sportswear and fashion industries.
Mentorship
Mentors share tools, guidance, motivation, and resources with students throughout their program. They play an important role in the professional lives of young students.
Torsten HochstetterÂ
Creative Director and Sportswear Industry Leader
Torsten Hochstetter has spent over 30 years working at the heart of the global sportswear industry, building brands and directing creative product teams across three continents, Europe, Asia, and the United States. His career spans close collaborations with Yohji Yamamoto on the Y-3 label and with Ferrari, as well as work with world-class athletes. His award-winning design output covers apparel, footwear, graphic design, and accessories.
Torsten has held senior creative roles at some of the world’s most influential sportswear houses, including adidas, Puma, O’Neill, and Fila, and brings a rare combination of global brand expertise and cross-cultural fluency, speaking five languages, to his mentorship work. As a creative leader and change-maker, he is deeply committed to nurturing emerging talent, sharing his experience of the cross-functional, intercultural workplace that defines today’s global sportswear industry.
Who it's for
This course is aimed at entry-level students and recent graduates in fashion design, product design, or related fields, as well as self-taught creatives with foundational visual skills, who want to develop their knowledge and portfolio within the sportswear sector.
Outcomes
At the end of this course students will produce a coherent, portfolio-ready project demonstrating a complete sportswear design concept, including a concept proposal, original designs, and curated moodboards.
Curriculum
The curriculum of the short course in Sportswear Design includes a range of subjects that will help students develop their skills and knowledge in the field. Some of the key topics covered include:
- Sportswear Design: introduction to sportswear design practice and the global market landscape
- Materials & Textiles: technical materials and functional textile innovations relevant to performance and athleisure garments
- Contemporary Sportswear: analysis of major international sportswear brands and their creative strategies
- Sketching for Sportswear Design: illustration techniques and visual communication specific to sportswear
- Trend Forecasting & Moodboards: trend analysis, performance design trends, concept development, and moodboard creation
- Graphic Design: graphic design and visual practice applied to portfolio development
Certificates
Once you complete the short course in Sportswear Design, you will receive Polimoda’s Official Certificate of Attendance, validating your training in sportswear design and strengthening your credentials.
This certificate will strengthen your CV and expand your career opportunities.
Requirements
Application requirements are:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) with motivation letter
- English language proficiency
- Secondary school (high school) diploma or equivalent
- Knowledge of fashion design recommended
- Portfolio showing creative potential
