module specification

Addressing pivotal moments and movements in the emergence and development of a ‘fashion system’, this module provides students embarking on the BA Fashion Marketing & Business Management programme with a thorough grounding in the history of fashionable dress. Specifically, it aims to raise student awareness and understandings of how dress styles and practices have informed/been informed by (i) geo-political relationships, (ii) the impacts of technology, (iii) changes in social mores and (iv) interactions with other domains of creative endeavour. As learners on this module, you will develop abilities in academic reading and writing, analytical thinking, problem-solving, visual/textual communication and self-directed research, mobilising these key, transferable skills in assignments predicated on demonstrating the achievement of constructively aligned learning outcomes. The assessment process features both individual and group-work tasks and involves an element of creativity. Overall, the module provides a motivational context for the co-creation of knowledge through your communication and collaboration with both peers and members of the teaching team. The learning experience on offer is aimed at complementing that provided in the other subject-specific modules and is designed to engage learners across the Level 4 cohort together with international Study Abroad students.

None.
Available for Study Abroad? YES

The syllabus is organised chronologically, with each topic addressed from the perspective of a particular thematic trajectory. Thus, the sartorial culture of the Victorian period is discussed in terms of a discipling of the body; that of the Edwardian period as introducing a democracy in design; the ‘30s as an era of freedom facilitated by invention of synthetic fibres; the austerity of war-time as manifested in ‘ration fashion’, followed by a golden age of couture extending in the ‘50s; a paradigm shift of focus onto youth-fashions in the ‘60s continues in the valorisation of sub-cultural styles in the ‘70s features, before being recuperated in the differentiated styles extant during the ‘80s; a period leading up to the millennium is seen as punctuated by external challenges to traditional centres of fashion and the C21st characterised as an era typified by collaborations between high-street and high-fashion labels (LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4).

The scheduled teaching activity is delivered over a 12-week block, using a combination of workshops, lecture/seminars or other activities, totalling three hours of face-to-face contact time per week. Presentations are generally followed by seminar sessions that feature debates on topics negotiated with the cohort, or in-depth analysis of selected texts made available in advance. The method of delivery method may include the pedagogical tactic of ‘flip-learning’ in order to stimulate debate and provide variety. The majority of the learning journey involves independent learning, with students encouraged to engage with external resources relevant to their course/career ambitions, and to take advantage of learning opportunities that may arise through inter-action peers, or through participation in events organised by other members of the teaching team. An ‘enhancement week’ in the schedule provides opportunities to invite guest speakers to give master classes, or to discuss various job opportunities available in the industry. Employability is embedded throughout the module, with consideration given as to how the skills/knowledge acquired meet the sector’s expectations of graduate jobseekers.

A blended learning strategy is underpinned by the virtual environment created on WebLearn, which enables students to access lecture recordings, articles featuring added comprehension questions and other recommended texts. In addition, advance sight of upcoming presentations allows those students who require extra support to prepare for particular sessions. The site features coursework briefs, assessment guidelines, examples of good practice in assignments and links to internal sources of academic support. ‘Feed-forward’ commentary regarding the extent to which the module’s learning outcomes have been achieved in assessment tasks is available, with positive suggestions that would enable improvement in future performance. A reflective approach to learning is encouraged, with students advised to keep a record of their experiences in the form of a journal or personal development plan that may be particularly helpful when choosing optional modules or deciding on dissertation topics as they progress through the programme.

On completing the module, students displaying full engagement will be able to:

LO1. Present visual material evidencing the embodiment of personal style preferences.     

LO2. Recognise historically, geographically and/or culturally informed elements of specific items of contemporary apparel

LO3. Describe the dress practices extant during a self-selected period of sartorial culture.

LO4. Articulate how the discipline’s creative outputs resonate with the macro-environments within which they appear.

https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/C3D86D97-3662-8643-80C4-756480A38274.html
Websites: www.allwalks.org; www.fashion-era.com; www.just-style.com;
www.londonfashionweek.com; www.trendunion.com; www.trendzine.co.uk; www.vogue.com; www.wgsn.com

Core Text:
Breward, C. (2003), Fashion, Oxford: Oxford University Press

Additional Readings:
Black, S. (2008), Eco-chic: The Fashion Paradox, London: Black Dog Publishing
Breward, C. & Gilbert, D. (2011), Fashion’s World Cities, Oxford: Berg Publishers
Fletcher, K. (2014), Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys, London: Routledge
Gibson, P.C. (2012), Fashion and Celebrity Culture, London, Berg Knox, K. (2011), Culture to Catwalk: How world cultures influence fashion, London: AC Black
Mendes, V. (2021), Fashion Since 1900, London: Thames & Hudson
Steele, V. (2010), The Berg Companion to Fashion, Oxford: Berg

Journals:
Fashion Practice: The Journal of Design, Creative Process and the Fashion Industry

Websites:
www.allwalks.org; www.fashion-era.com; www.just-style.com; www.londonfashionweek.com; www.trendunion.com; www.trendzine.co.uk; www.vogue.com; www.wgsn.com

Reading List link: https://rl.talis.com/3/londonmet/lists/5A57D501-67AD-927D-9E45-925DBF4D186C.html