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Fashion as Design
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 20 hours
  • Course by The Museum of Modern Art
  • Offered by

About

Among all objects of design, our clothes are the most universal and intimate. Like other kinds of design, fashion thrives on productive tensions between form and function, automation and craftsmanship, standardization and customization, universality and self-expression, and pragmatism and utopian vision. It exists in the service of others, and it can have profound consequences—social, political, cultural, economic, and environmental. Fashion as Design focuses on a selection of more than 70 garments and accessories from around the world, ranging from kente cloth to jeans to 3D-printed dresses. Through these garments, we’re going to look closely at what we wear, why we wear it, how it’s made, and what it means. You’ll hear directly from a range of designers, makers, historians, and others working with clothing every day—and, in some cases, reinventing it for the future. Studio visits, interviews, and other resources introduce the history and development of each garment and their changing uses, meanings, and impact over time. Course Learning Objectives: Develop critical tools to appreciate and contextualize fashion design—from everyday clothing to couture garments—through many different perspectives. Trace the history, development, and impact of garments over time, and explore how they may be reinvented. Investigate garments through multiple lenses including politics, identity, and economics. Understand more about the lifecycle of clothing, from its design and production to its marketing, distribution, and consumption. Better comprehend the choices you make about fashion with respect to the visual language of dress, individual and collective identities, and issues such as labor practices, sustainability, and body politics.

Modules

I. Introduction to the course and the exhibition

    • 1 Videos
    • 2 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Why do we wear what we wear?

2 Readings

  • Welcome to Fashion as Design
  • Who's Afraid of Fashion? by Paola Antonelli

II. Review and Discuss

    • 2 Readings
    • 2 Discussion
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2 Discussions

  • Introduce Yourself
  • Create Your Own List of Items

2 Readings

  • Additional Readings & Resources
  • Tell Us About You

I. Introduction

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • How do clothes make heroes?

II. Sports Heroes

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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2 Videos

  • On Site in Los Angeles: Recreating Bruce Lee's Tracksuit
  • Curator Stephanie Kramer on Sports Jerseys

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Sports Heroes

III. Subcultural Heroes

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Guy Baldwin, International Mr. Leather 1989, on Leather Pants

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Item: Subcultural Heroes

IV. Military and Political Heroes

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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2 Videos

  • Designer Richard Malone on the Jumpsuit
  • Designer Kerby Jean-Raymond on the Hoodie

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Military and Political Heroes

V. Celebrity and Pop Heroes

    • 3 Readings
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3 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Celebrity and Pop Heroes
  • Bandana Tewari, Vogue India, on the Sari
  • Malika V. Kashyap, Border&Fall, on the Sari

VI. Contemporary Conclusion

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • On Site in London: Designing a MarsBoot with Liz Ciokajlo

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the MarsBoot Prototype

VII. Review and Discuss

    • 1 Readings
    • 2 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Heroes

2 Discussions

  • Propose an Item
  • What Do Your Heroes Wear?

1 Readings

  • Additional Readings & Resources

I. Introduction

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • How do clothes shape the body?

II. Shape

    • 3 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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3 Videos

  • On Site at MoMA: Designing Mannequins with Tae Smith
  • Curator Valerie Steele, Abecedarium Presentation on the Little Black Dress
  • Fashion Historian Francesca Granata on Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body—and Become One

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Shape

III. Conform

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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2 Videos

  • Linda Loppa on the Tabi Boot
  • Designer Janie Bryant on the Pencil Skirt

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Conform

IV. Augment

    • 2 Readings
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2 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Augment
  • Designer Norma Kamali on the Sleeping Bag Coat

V. Free

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Mickey Boardman, PAPER magazine, Abecedarium Presentation on the Muumuu and Caftan

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Free

VI. Contemporary Conclusion

    • 1 Readings
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1 Readings

  • Fashion Historian Lauren Downing Peters and Co-founder of Universal Standard Alexandra Waldman on Non-Sample Size Clothing

VII. Review and Discuss

    • 1 Readings
    • 2 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Silhouettes

2 Discussions

  • Propose an Item
  • Innovating Silhouettes

1 Readings

  • Additional Readings & Resources

I. Introduction

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • What goes into making what we wear?

II. Crafting

    • 3 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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3 Videos

  • On Site in London: Making a Bespoke Savile Row Suit with Anderson & Sheppard, Part I
  • On Site in London: Making a Bespoke Savile Row Suit with Anderson & Sheppard, Part II
  • Designer Carlo Brandelli on the Suit

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Crafting

III. Producing

    • 2 Readings
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2 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Producing
  • Jason Schott, Schott NYC, on the Biker Jacket

IV. Growing

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Designers Jessica Rosenkrantz and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg on the Kinematics Dress

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Growing

V. Contemporary Conclusion

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • On Site in New Jersey: Designing 3D-Printed Dresses with threeASFOUR

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at Design Collective threeASFOUR

VI. Review and Discuss

    • 2 Readings
    • 2 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Coutures

2 Discussions

  • Propose an Item
  • What Goes Into Making What You Wear?

2 Readings

  • Additional Readings & Resources
  • Mid-course survey

I. Introduction

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • What is the lifecycle of our clothes?

II. Jeans and White T-Shirt

    • 5 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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5 Videos

  • On Site in San Francisco: Levi's Wellthread Design Team Meeting
  • On Site in San Francisco: Historical Jeans in the Levi's Archive with Tracey Panek
  • On Site in San Francisco: The Future of Denim Case Study with Paul Dillinger
  • Curator Emma McClendon, Abecedarium Presentation on Jeans
  • Designers Carmen Artigas and Mary Ping, Abecedarium Presentation on Rana Plaza

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Jeans and White T-Shirt

III. Anew

    • 1 Videos
    • 3 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Curator Michelle Millar Fisher and Historian Francesca Granata on Premaman

3 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Anew
  • Cheng Kang, Woolrich, on the Plaid Flannel Shirt
  • Designer Wei Hung Chen on the Modular Dress for Pregnant Women Prototype

IV. Forever

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Maxine Bédat, Zady, Abecedarium Presentation on E-Commerce

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Forever

V. Contemporary Conclusion

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Conversation with Designer Pia Interlandi on the Little Black Death Dress

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Little Black Death Dress Prototype

VI. Review and Discuss

    • 1 Readings
    • 3 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Lifecycle

3 Discussions

  • Propose an Item
  • Garments that Endure
  • Practicing Sustainability

1 Readings

  • Additional Readings & Resources

I. Introduction

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • How do we use clothes to cover and reveal?

II. Head and Neck

    • 3 Videos
    • 2 Readings
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3 Videos

  • Designer Hana Tajima on the Turtleneck and Hijab
  • Grace Ali, OF NOTE Magazine, Abecedarium Presentation on the Veil
  • Historian Leila Ahmed on the Hijab

2 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Head and Neck
  • Rabbis Jodie Siff, Charles Savenor, and Melissa Buyer-Witman on the Kippah

III. Swimwear

    • 2 Readings
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2 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Swimwear
  • Curator Glynis Jones on Speedo

IV. Legs

    • 2 Readings
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2 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Legs
  • Designer Miguel Mesa Posada on the Harem Pants Prototype

V. Contemporary Conclusion

    • 1 Readings
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1 Readings

  • Designer Zhijun Wang on the Sneaker Mask

VI. Review and Discuss

    • 1 Readings
    • 2 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Modesty

2 Discussions

  • Propose an Item
  • What Informs Modesty?

1 Readings

  • Additional Readings & Resources

I. Introduction

    • 1 Videos
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1 Videos

  • What do we say with what we wear?

II. Appropriate

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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2 Videos

  • Conversation with Artist Amanda Lopez and Designer Tanya Melendez on Door-Knocker Hoops
  • Photographer Tom Gould on the Lo-Life Crew

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Appropriate

III. Subvert

    • 2 Videos
    • 2 Readings
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2 Videos

  • Curator Stephanie Kramer on the Slip Dress
  • Model Hari Nef, Abecedarium Presentation on Unisex Fashion

2 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Subvert
  • Jessica Barber, CALVIN KLEIN, on the Slip Dress

IV. Message

    • 2 Readings
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2 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Message
  • Designer Peter Saville on the Graphic T-Shirt

V. Identify

    • 2 Videos
    • 2 Readings
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2 Videos

  • Photographer David Godlis, Abecedarium Presentation on Dr. Martens
  • Historian Christopher Richards on Kente Cloth

2 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Items: Identify
  • Valarie Benning on New Breed's Dashiki Fashions

VI. Contemporary Conclusion

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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1 Videos

  • On Site in New York: Designing a 21st-Century Biker Jacket with Asher Levine

1 Readings

  • A Close Look at the Biker Jacket Prototype

VII. Review and Discuss

    • 3 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 1 PeerReview
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Expression

1 Peer Review

  • Reflect on Your Own Wardrobe

1 Discussions

  • Propose an Item

3 Readings

  • Additional Readings & Resources
  • Funding & Credits
  • End-of-course survey

Auto Summary

Fashion as Design explores global garments and accessories, examining their creation, significance, and evolution. Featuring insights from designers, makers, and historians, the course includes studio visits and interviews. Offered by Coursera, it spans 1200 minutes and is available through Starter and Professional subscriptions, catering to foundational learners in Arts & Humanities.

Paola Antonelli
Instructors

Paola Antonelli

Michelle Millar Fisher
Instructors

Michelle Millar Fisher

Stephanie Kramer
Instructors

Stephanie Kramer

Anna Burckhardt
Instructors

Anna Burckhardt