What background knowledge is necessary?

No prior knowledge of fashion, design, or art history is needed to complete this course.

Will I earn university credit for completing the course?

Coursera currently provides certificates of completion, but MoMA does not offer additional accreditation at this time.

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Fashion as Design: Craft and Sustainability

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Fashion as Design: Craft and Sustainability

This course is part of Fashion As Design Specialization

Instructors: Rachael Schwabe

Included with

Learn more

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

7 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

7 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Analyze the evolution of the fast fashion model and its impact on global labor standards and environmental health.
Gain fluency in the processes behind both high-fashion couture and everyday icons to understand what constitutes true value in design.
Explore methods to extend the longevity of your clothing, from repair practices to innovative circular design strategies.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Fashion As Design Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

Every garment tells a story of craftsmanship, labor, and environmental impact. This course offers an exclusive look into the hidden lifecycle of your wardrobe, moving from the rapid cycles of fast fashion toward a deeper understanding of quality and stewardship. By exploring the tension between global mass production and bespoke artistry, you will develop the analytical tools to navigate the future of the fashion industry.

The Museum of Modern Art will take you behind the scenes of world-renowned institutions—from the precision of a Savile Row suit shop in London to the historical archives of Levi’s in California. Through studio visits and insights from designers, activists, and historians, you will analyze how modern technologies are being used to reimagine the way garments are made. Whether you are a student of design or a professional seeking to lead ethical change, you will gain a new perspective on your closet, transforming a daily habit of getting dressed into an act of informed agency.

Module details

Gain insights into the processes that make the clothes in your closet, consider concerns for the fashion industry’s labor and sustainability practices, and explore methods for extending the lifecycle of your clothes.

What's included

2 videos4 readings1 assignment

2 videosTotal 11 minutes

Preview Fashion as Design1 minute
On Site in London: Making a Bespoke Savile Row Suit with Anderson & Sheppard, Part 110 minutes

4 readingsTotal 40 minutes

Welcome to the course10 minutes
First Look: This Course in Three Garments10 minutes
Optional Readings & Resources10 minutes
Optional Prompts for Discussion & Reflection10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

What does sustainability mean to you?20 minutes

This module explores the complex processes—from traditional handcrafting to the use of new technologies—that go into the making of high-end and everyday garments.

What's included

5 videos12 readings

5 videosTotal 30 minutes

On Site in London: Making a Bespoke Savile Row Suit with Anderson & Sheppard, Part 213 minutes
Photographer Naeem Douglas on Tailoring4 minutes
Martin Margiela on the Tabi Boot2 minutes
Historian Christopher Richards on Kente Cloth4 minutes
On Site in New Jersey: Designing 3D-Printed Dresses with threeASFOUR8 minutes

12 readingsTotal 120 minutes

Welcome to Module 210 minutes
In the Studio10 minutes
Tailoring10 minutes
Look Book: Tailoring10 minutes
Craft10 minutes
Look Book: Craft10 minutes
Technologies10 minutes
Look Book: Technologies10 minutes
Review of Module 210 minutes
Optional Readings & Resources10 minutes
Optional Prompts for Discussion & Reflection 10 minutes
Optional Mid-Course Survey10 minutes

This module examines the lifecycle of garments—how cycles of production, consumption, and disposal impact the world, and discover ways to break those cycles both at the industrial and personal level.

What's included

7 videos12 readings

7 videosTotal 28 minutes

On Site in San Francisco: Historical Jeans in the Levi's Archive with Tracey Panek8 minutes
Fashion Historian Emma McClendon's Abecedarium Presentation on Jeans8 minutes
Kalpona Aktar on the White T-Shirt3 minutes
Shawey Yeh on Circular Design2 minutes
Jessie Inglis on Lean Manufacturing3 minutes
Andrea Zittel. Corduroy Personal Panel. 1995-982 minutes
Jessie Inglis on Make, Do, Mend2 minutes