Fashion - Fashion Studies

FFS 102 - Dress, The Body, and Identity
Course DescriptionThis course examines the historical and contemporary framing of the human form in Western culture, focusing specifically on the centrality of the body in the fashion systems of the past, present and future. Sociological approaches will examine the role and function of the body in a variety of contextsâ from the marketing and imaging of bodies in the fashion industry, to a consideration of dress as a material form of cultural meaning and communication that is reliant on social norms and ideologies. Identity politics, intersectionality, decolonization and an appraisal of current issues with regard to the representation of the body in contemporary fashion media will also be considered. Lecture/Lab format.
Weekly Contact:Lecture 2 hrs. Lab 1 hr.
GPA Weight:1.00
Billing Units:1
Count:1.00
Prerequisites:FSN 223
FFS 110 - Art and Historical Change
Course DescriptionAddressing Western art from the perspective of historical revivals, reformations and critiques, this course will span the Renaissance to the present, examining points in history where cultural ideas and artistic forms coalesce, converge and sometimes clash. Connective points in history may include the following themes: Classicism in the Renaissance and the 18th Century, the Gothic revival of the Victorian period, and the referencing of history and Empire, in both modern and post-modern contexts.
Weekly Contact:Lecture 2 hrs. Tutorial 1 hr.
GPA Weight:1.00
Billing Units:1
Count:1.00
Antirequisites:FSN 132
FFS 402 - Fashion and Modernity
Course DescriptionThis course develops and expands content originally contained in FSN 509 Topics in Fashion History and Theory. This foundation course in the history of modern fashion covers the period from the mid-Eighteenth Century to the present day. Through the use of primary and secondary literature, visual representations and in some cases, surviving objects, this lecture course will provide an in-depth knowledge of the period and familiarize the student with central debates, issues, resources and working methods in fashion studies. Selected themes from the period will cover both production and consumption and will include the origins of mass-production and the so-called democratization of fashion; its relation to the modern city and modern notions of identity; fashion dissemination such as developments in retailing and shopping and the emergence of mass circulation fashion magazines; the rise of the textile and fashion designer and the fashion photographer and the ethics of fashion. Throughout the course, the central importance of gender, class, modernity and tradition will be explored. Lecture format.
Weekly Contact:Lecture 3 hrs.
GPA Weight:1.00
Billing Units:1
Count:1.00
FFS 511 - Fashion and Material Culture
Course Description
This course introduces the concept of "material culture" - the investigation of anything that is made or modified by humans. We examine things as material expressions of values, social relationships, political ideologies, economic conditions and cultural change over time. Working from the premise that every object can reveal information about past and present societies, we study a range of objects, bodies, and sites, as well as processes of production, consumption, collection and disposal. Through lectures, assignments, visiting speakers, and a field trip, students will engage in unique learning and research opportunities that will change how they experience the world. The course is designed to allow for both collaborative and individual research, and is also specifically focused on developing writing and critical thinking skills. Lecture format.

Weekly Contact:Lecture 3 hrs.
GPA Weight:1.00
Billing Units:1
Count:1.00
FFS 610 - Topics in Fashion Studies
Course DescriptionThis seminar course provides students with a unique opportunity to experience Fashion Studies research in action and to engage in their own original research. Taught by a faculty member who is actively engaged in an innovative, interdisciplinary research project, the seminar content and approach change each time it is offered. Topics include historical and/or theoretical approaches to the study of fashion. Please contact the instructor for further information about the seminar theme in any given year.
Weekly Contact:Lab 3 hrs.
GPA Weight:1.00
Billing Units:1
Count:1.00
Prerequisites:FSN 203
FFS 702 - Fashion and the Abject Body
Course DescriptionThis course examines representations of difference and embodiment in and through the lens of fashion. Drawing on feminist-informed gender, fat, disability, and critical race studies, the course introduces phenomenological, poststructuralist and new materialist perspectives on the body and explores the implications of diverse embodiments for human subjectivity, visual culture and social life. Normative discourses and hegemonic structures surrounding themes of diversity, disability, aging, racialized bodies, body management practices, gender and sexuality are examined. Students explore positive interventions and strategies for combatting marginalization and discriminatory practices in fashion through integrated creative and written projects. Lab format.
Weekly Contact:Lecture 3 hrs.
GPA Weight:1.00
Billing Units:1
Count:1.00
Prerequisites:FFS 102 or CRI 200
FFS 710 - Post-Colonial Perspectives
Course DescriptionCovering colonial, neo-colonial and post-colonial contexts, this foundation course offers students a global perspective on issues surrounding the cultural flow of dress, clothing and fashion in a range of geographic and diasporic formations. Post-colonial theories will inform the investigation of themes such as identity politics, issues of appropriation and cultural exchange, diasporic expressions, and race-relations in both historical and contemporary settings.
Weekly Contact:Lab 3 hrs.
GPA Weight:1.00
Billing Units:1
Count:1.00
Prerequisites:FFS 402