This course moves beyond a simple chronology of 'what was worn when' to explore fashion as a vital and dynamic language of social, political, and cultural change. We will investigate Western dress from the 18th century to the present day, examining how clothing reflects and shapes ideas about class, gender, race, identity, and the body. Through the study of garments, images, and texts, students will learn to 'read' clothing as primary evidence, understanding how the silk of a Rococo gown, the silhouette of a Victorian crinoline, or the deconstruction of a 1990s garment tells a powerful story about its time. This course provides the critical historical foundation essential for any informed practice or scholarship in fashion.
Course Information
'Fashion History' positions fashion not as a frivolous pursuit, but as a complex cultural barometer. The course is structured around the idea that clothing is both a personal expression and a social artifact, deeply embedded in the economic systems, technological innovations, and ideological struggles of its era.
We will begin by establishing key theoretical frameworks for understanding why fashion changes and what it signifies. The core of the course will then trace the evolution of Western fashion from the rise of the couturier in the 18th century to the globalized, digital industry of the 21st century. Each unit connects specific stylistic shifts to broader historical currents, such as the French Revolution and the demise of aristocratic dress, the Industrial Revolution and the rise of the department store, the World Wars and the emancipation of the female silhouette, and the postmodern collapse of a single 'fashion narrative.'
Students will engage with a variety of sources, including paintings, fashion plates, photographs, advertisements, and surviving garments in museum collections, to develop a critical eye and a nuanced understanding of fashion's powerful role in shaping human history.
Who this course is for
This course is designed for a wide range of students and professionals who seek a deeper, critical understanding of fashion's context.
Key Information
Topics covered
- Introduction - Why Fashion History Matters
- The 18th Century: Couture, Class, & Revolution
- The 19th Century: Industry, Empire, & Morality
- La Belle Époque & The Birth of the Designer (c. 1890-1914)
- Modernism & Upheaval (1914-1947)
- The Post-War World: Couture, Youth, & Subculture
- Postmodernism & The Fashion System (1980s-1990s)
- The Digital Age & The Future of Fashion (2000s-Present)
Learning outcomes
- Identify and accurately describe the key silhouettes, garments, and designers of Western fashion from the 18th century to the present.
- Analyze a garment or fashion image and situate it within its correct historical and cultural context.
- Critically evaluate and apply key fashion theories to historical and contemporary examples.
- Articulate the complex relationships between fashion and major historical forces, including revolutions, industrialization, wars, and social movements.
- Analyze how fashion has been used to construct, perform, and challenge identities related to gender, class, and race.
- Conduct primary and secondary source research using fashion-specific resources (museum collections, archives, scholarly journals).
- Formulate a sophisticated argument about fashion's cultural meaning and present it clearly, both in writing and orally.
- Trace the evolution of the modern fashion system, from haute couture to globalized fast fashion.
- Engage knowledgeably in contemporary debates about the fashion industry, including sustainability, cultural appropriation, and ethical production.