About this course: 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.
Who is this class for: General audiences and those specifically interested in art, design, and fashion. No pre-requisites in fashion or design required.
Created by: The Museum of Modern Art
Taught by: Paola Antonelli, Senior Curator, Department of Architecture & Design, and Director, Department of Research & Development
Department of Architecture & Design
Taught by: Michelle Millar Fisher, Curatorial Assistant
Department of Architecture and Design
Taught by: Stephanie Kramer, Research Assistant
Department of Architecture & Design
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 2-3 hours per week |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
Introduction
1 video, 3 readings
- Reading: Welcome to Fashion as Design
- Video: Why do we wear what we wear?
- Reading: Who's Afraid of Fashion? by Paola Antonelli
- Discussion Prompt: Introduce Yourself
- Discussion Prompt: Create Your Own List of Items
- Reading: Additional Readings & Resources
WEEK 2
Heroes
Wearing certain garments can inspire heroic transformations, while heroes can elevate everyday clothing to iconic status. In this module, you will discover the relationship between aspiration, achievement, adulation, and attire through a wide range of heroes—and even imagine yourself as a space hero in the future.
8 videos, 8 readings
- Video: How do clothes make heroes?
- Video: On Site in Los Angeles: Recreating Bruce Lee's Tracksuit
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Sports Heroes
- Video: Curator Stephanie Kramer on Sports Jerseys
- Reading: A Close Look at the Item: Subcultural Heroes
- Video: Guy Baldwin, International Mr. Leather 1989, on Leather Pants
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Military and Political Heroes
- Video: Designer Richard Malone on the Jumpsuit
- Video: Designer Kerby Jean-Raymond on the Hoodie
- Video: Designer Kerby Jean-Raymond, Abecedarium Presentation on the Hoodie
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Celebrity and Pop Heroes
- Reading: Bandana Tewari, Vogue India, on the Sari
- Reading: Malika V. Kashyap, Border&Fall, on the Sari
- Reading: A Close Look at the MarsBoot Prototype
- Video: On Site in London: Designing a MarsBoot with Liz Ciokajlo
- Discussion Prompt: Propose an Item
- Discussion Prompt: What Do Your Heroes Wear?
- Reading: Additional Readings & Resources
Graded: Heroes
WEEK 3
Silhouettes
When we put on clothes, we change the shape and outline of our bodies—sometimes profoundly. The silhouettes we adopt are determined by everything from shifting trends in fashion to what looks and feels good. This week, we explore how clothes shape the body and how cultural constructions of the body shape clothes.
7 videos, 7 readings
- Video: How do clothes shape the body?
- Video: On Site at MoMA: Designing Mannequins with Tae Smith
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Shape
- Video: Curator Valerie Steele, Abecedarium Presentation on the Little Black Dress
- Video: Fashion Historian Francesca Granata on Body Meets Dress, Dress Meets Body—and Become One
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Conform
- Video: Linda Loppa on the Tabi Boot
- Video: Designer Janie Bryant on the Pencil Skirt
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Augment
- Reading: Designer Norma Kamali on the Sleeping Bag Coat
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Free
- Video: Mickey Boardman, PAPER magazine, Abecedarium Presentation on the Muumuu and Caftan
- Reading: Fashion Historian Lauren Downing Peters and Co-founder of Universal Standard Alexandra Waldman on Non-Sample Size Clothing
- Discussion Prompt: Propose an Item
- Discussion Prompt: Innovating Silhouettes
- Reading: Additional Readings & Resources
Graded: Silhouettes
WEEK 4
Coutures
The French word couture means "dressmaking" or "sewing,” and often refers to one-of-a-kind, primarily handmade garments intended for a specific individual. This module approaches couture from a broader perspective, exploring the complex processes—from traditional handcrafting to the use of new technologies—that go into the making of high-end and everyday garments.
6 videos, 6 readings
- Video: What goes into making what we wear?
- Video: On Site in London: Making a Bespoke Savile Row Suit with Anderson & Sheppard, Part I
- Video: On Site in London: Making a Bespoke Savile Row Suit with Anderson & Sheppard, Part II
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Crafting
- Video: Designer Carlo Brandelli on the Suit
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Producing
- Reading: Jason Schott, Schott NYC, on the Biker Jacket
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Growing
- Video: Designers Jessica Rosenkrantz and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg on the Kinematics Dress
- Reading: A Close Look at Design Collective threeASFOUR
- Video: On Site in New Jersey: Designing 3D-Printed Dresses with threeASFOUR
- Discussion Prompt: Propose an Item
- Discussion Prompt: What Goes Into Making What You Wear?
- Reading: Additional Readings & Resources
Graded: Coutures
WEEK 5
Lifecycle
This module examines the lifecycle of garments, an often overlooked aspect of fashion that many individuals and companies are addressing with growing urgency. How do garments begin, how do they end, and how does the cycle of production, consumption, and disposal impact the world?
9 videos, 7 readings
- Video: What is the lifecycle of our clothes?
- Video: On Site in San Francisco: Levi's Wellthread Design Team Meeting
- Video: On Site in San Francisco: Historical Jeans in the Levi's Archive with Tracey Panek
- Video: On Site in San Francisco: The Future of Denim Case Study with Paul Dillinger
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Jeans and White T-Shirt
- Video: Curator Emma McClendon, Abecedarium Presentation on Jeans
- Video: Designers Carmen Artigas and Mary Ping, Abecedarium Presentation on Rana Plaza
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Anew
- Reading: Cheng Kang, Woolrich, on the Plaid Flannel Shirt
- Video: Curator Michelle Millar Fisher and Historian Francesca Granata on Premaman
- Reading: Designer Wei Hung Chen on the Modular Dress for Pregnant Women Prototype
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Forever
- Video: Maxine Bédat, Zady, Abecedarium Presentation on E-Commerce
- Reading: A Close Look at the Little Black Death Dress Prototype
- Video: Conversation with Designer Pia Interlandi on the Little Black Death Dress
- Discussion Prompt: Propose an Item
- Discussion Prompt: Garments that Endure
- Discussion Prompt: Practicing Sustainability
- Reading: Additional Readings & Resources
Graded: Lifecycle
WEEK 6
Modesty
Modesty has many varied expressions that can be informed by social, religious, or political identifications, as well as by personal choice. But whether covered up or exposed, our bodies are often battlegrounds for continually shifting societal claims around morality, agency, and etiquette.
4 videos, 8 readings
- Video: How do we use clothes to cover and reveal?
- Video: Designer Hana Tajima on the Turtleneck and Hijab
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Head and Neck
- Video: Grace Ali, OF NOTE Magazine, Abecedarium Presentation on the Veil
- Video: Historian Leila Ahmed on the Hijab
- Reading: Rabbis Jodie Siff, Charles Savenor, and Melissa Buyer-Witman on the Kippah
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Swimwear
- Reading: Curator Glynis Jones on Speedo
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Legs
- Reading: Designer Miguel Mesa Posada on the Harem Pants Prototype
- Reading: Designer Zhijun Wang on the Sneaker Mask
- Discussion Prompt: Propose an Item
- Discussion Prompt: What Informs Modesty?
- Reading: Additional Readings & Resources
Graded: Modesty
WEEK 7
Expression
What we wear and how we wear it can communicate messages, create group identification, borrow and remake existing styles, or subvert a garment’s traditional associations. While choosing and wearing clothes is an act of personal expression, it is also a response to many of the topics addressed in the preceding weeks of this course. In this final week, we look at the ways in which clothing allows us to feel connected to others and to stand out.
8 videos, 10 readings
- Video: What do we say with what we wear?
- Video: Conversation with Artist Amanda Lopez and Designer Tanya Melendez on Door-Knocker Hoops
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Appropriate
- Video: Photographer Tom Gould on the Lo-Life Crew
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Subvert
- Video: Curator Stephanie Kramer on the Slip Dress
- Reading: Jessica Barber, CALVIN KLEIN, on the Slip Dress
- Video: Model Hari Nef, Abecedarium Presentation on Unisex Fashion
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Message
- Reading: Designer Peter Saville on the Graphic T-Shirt
- Reading: A Close Look at the Items: Identify
- Video: Photographer David Godlis, Abecedarium Presentation on Dr. Martens
- Reading: Valarie Benning on New Breed's Dashiki Fashions
- Video: Historian Christopher Richards on Kente Cloth
- Reading: A Close Look at the Biker Jacket Prototype
- Video: On Site in New York: Designing a 21st-Century Biker Jacket with Asher Levine
- Discussion Prompt: Propose an Item
- Reading: Additional Readings & Resources
- Reading: Funding & Credits
Graded: Expression
Graded: Reflect on Your Own Wardrobe
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The Museum of Modern Art
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Ratings and Reviews
I really enjoyed this course. I love the facts and new things I have learned about garments and items that I use in my every day life but also other objects from other cultures.
LOVED IT!
Wish it would have been a longer course!
Definitely a MUST if you are a fashion lover.
Very insightful course about Fashion and style.
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ML
The history of the fashions touched on was phenomenal. I loved the chapters on Sustainability, and they’ve made me a much more conscious buyer.