Semester & Location:	Fall 2021 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Communication, Fashion Studies, Sociology
Prerequisite(s):	None
Faculty Members:	Jeppe Juel
Program Coordinator:	Sanne Rasmussen, sra@dis.dk
Time & Place:	Mondays and Thursdays, 10.05-11.25 Nørregade N7-B13

Course Description

Humans have always worn garments to shelter us from the elements, and as history has progressed these garments have become loaded with meaning. Today, fashion is essential in the creation of identity.  We use dress to express our individuality or to fit in. Subcultures have specific looks, special occasions require a certain type of dress, and the media is always chasing the latest trend.

In the course we will explore how fashion and dress can be interpreted. We will study the cultural history of fashion in depth (c. 1500-present), and the place of fashion in today’s world, complemented by field studies. So join us on this journey through the ever-changing world of fashion.

Course Objectives

• To develop a critical understanding of fashion and its intersections with identities, histories, narratives, and cultures in the contemporary world
• To equip students to analyze and interpret style
• To introduce students to the cultural history of fashion, and the existing research, research methods and theories.

Office and Office Hours

You are welcome to see me after class or set up an appointment at DIS. You may also communicate by e-mail or through the course site on Canvas. I will normally respond within 24 hours.

Readings

Arnold, Rebecca, Fashion. A very short Introduction, Oxford University Press 2009. ch. 2: Art.

Barnard, Malcolm, Fashion as Communication, Routledge 2001. ch.1: Etymologies and Definitions of Fashion and Clothing.

Barnard, Malcolm, Fashion as Communication, Routledge 2001. ch.4: Fashion, Clothing, and Meaning.

Barthes, Roland, Image, Music, Text, Fontana Press 1972. Rhetoric of the Image.

Bennet, Andrew & Royle, Nicholas, An introduction to litterature, criticism and theory, Routledge 1995. ch.28: Mutant.

Codero, Robert, Business of Fashion December 5, 2016, Li Edelcort: Fashion is Old Fashioned.

DeLong, Marily et. al., Fashion Theory vol. 9. Issue 1, Hooked on Vintage (optional).

Emerling, Jae, Theory for Art History, Routledge 2005, Ferdinand de Saussure.

Joanne Entwistle, Fashion and the Fleshy Body: Dress as Embodied Practice, "Fashion Theory", 4:3, 323-347

Emerling, Jae, Theory for Art History, Routledge 2005, Roland Barthes.

Goodrum, Alison, The National Fabric, Berg Publishers 2005. Banal Nationalism: Reproducing the nation daily.

Hebdige, Dick, Subculture. The Meaning of Style, Routledge 1979. Subculture: The Unnatural Break. Two forms of incorporation.

Jeat, Matthew, The Fashion Handbook, Routledge 2006. The future for fashion.

McRobbie, Angela, Fashion as a Cultural Industry, Fashion Cultures: Theories, Explorations and Analysis, Routledge 2000.

Melchior, Marie Riegels, Catwalking the Nation: Challenges and Possibilities in the Case of the Danish Fashion Industry, Linköping University Press 2011.

Rhodes, Zandra & Rawsthorne, The Observer 23 July 2013, Is fashion a true art form?

Rocamora, Agnes, Fashioning the city. Paris, Fashion and the media, I.B. Tauris 2009. ch. 4: Paris. Capitale de la mode.

Sommerlund, Julie, Danish Fashion. Research, education, application, The Danish Design School Press 2011. Ideological Design (optional).

Urbach, Henry, Closets, Clothes and Disclosure, MIT Press 1996.

Veblen, Thorstein, The Theory of the Leisure Class, Oxford University Press (1899) 2007, Dress as an Expression of Pecuniary Culture.

Vincent, Susan J., The Anatomy of Fashion. Dressing the Body from the Renaissance to Today, Berg Publishers 2009. ch. 1: Head and Neck.

Vincent, Susan J., The Anatomy of Fashion. Dressing the Body from the Renaissance to Today, Berg Publishers 2009. ch.3: Hips and Bottoms (optional).

Vinken, Barbara, Fashion. Art of Dying. Art of Living , JRP Ringier 2007. Double-face. The story about fashion and art. From Mohammed to Warhol.

Field Studies

1. OCEANISTA (MARITIME MUSEUM OF DENMARK) 

Sailor collars, stripes and uniforms. Ships, waves and sexy sailors. The sea and seafearing have always been one of fashion’s greatest sources of inspiration. This special chapter in history is the focal point of our next exhibition ‘OCEANISTA’.

Through clothing, films, photos and interviews, the exhibition sheds light on how fashion to this day has hailed, borrowed and stolen from the maritime style and culture. Fashion has been used to express patriotism, rebellion and sexuality – and put themes such as gender, identity, climate and sustainability on the political agenda. In the exhibition, we follow the sea and seafaring’s path into highstreet fashion and all the way to the international fashion scene. This is done through a unique collection of both (humble) and unique garments and works of art.

The exhibition features a selection of young designers as well as a large number of the biggest names on the international fashion scene – including Iris van Herpen, Jean Paul Gaultier, Craig Green, Thom Browne, Balmain, Chanel, Maison Margiela, Off-White and Balanciaga.

The exhibition is curated by The Maritime Museum of Denmark in collaboration with fashion researcher Maria Mackinney-Valentin. The exhibition scenography was created by award-winning scenographer Julian Juhlin, who has established his name as one of the most innovative artists in the Danish theater world.

 

2. Copenhagen Off the Rack

The Field study is set up as a scavenger hunt that takes you to a series of Danish fashion brands. along the way you are aske to use methods from visual anthropology and related fields, as well as reflect on how your observations related to theories covered in class. The observations are to be turned into a paper. 

 

Guest Lectures

ANDERS LARSEN 

introduction to fashion studies & the body in the history of Fashion. 

 

TO BE ANNOUNCED 

Approach to teaching

Classes are conducted as a combination of lectures, group discussions and interactive excercises. Student participation is expected. Class sessions will be complimented by field studies. 

Expectations of the Students

Students are expected to show up for class prepared and participate actively. 

Computers and tablets are allowed in class PURELY for note taking purposes. In case of other uses such as Facebook, emails or internet surfing, it will have a negative impact on your participation grade. Cell phones are to be shut off or silenced during class and texting etc. during class will have a negative impact on your participation grade.

Grading

Students will be graded on the following parameters:

• Level of preparation and willingness to answer questions in class.
• Involvement in class and group discussions.
• Complexity of ideas presented in class discussions and in written assignments (according to Bloom's taxonomy)

Participation Grade Policy

Active class participation throughout the semester: A=96 / Occasional participation: B=86 / Little or no participation: C=76. Fine-tuning of percentage points may occur, reflecting student performance.

Note that attendance at all classes and field studies is required and expected and is not credited as participation. Failure to attend will have a negative influence on the participation grade, however.

How to Get a Good Grade

• Involve yourself! Allow yourself the luxury of taking a genuine interest in the course, i.e. in ‘fashion’. It may not be your core field or interest, but why not join the many students who have been surprised at how interesting it actually is to suddenly understand the cultural and historic phenomenon of wearing clothes.
• Get organized! Enter all due dates in a semester calendar and set aside time to work on assignments and prepare for tests. 
• Prepare for class! Every class! 
• Take good notes! You will graded on your analytical thinking. 
• Participate! Sharing your thoughts and ideas in class is not just important for the participation grade, it is one of the best tools for developing your analytical skills.

 

Assignment	Percent
Paper 1: The Body in the History of Fashion	20%
Paper 2: Reading of Fashion Story	20%
Paper 3: Copenhagen off the Rack	30%
Class Participation	10%
Participation in Fish Bowl	10%
Reflection Notes	10%

General Notes Regarding Assignments

• All assignments must be double spaced with one-inch margins
• You are expected to use correct citing formats (please consult the DIS academic handbook or ask Anders Larsen). Failing to use a correct citing format will result in a grade deduction.
• Late assignments will be accepted, but only agreement with the instructor prior to the due date. All late assignments will be deducted half a letter grade for each 24 hours they are late (an A paper will receive an A- if turned in one day late).

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

• Course Enrollment and Grading  
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code 

 

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