Costume Studies (ARCS-GE)

An introduction to foundation literature and research methodologies in costume studies. Includes sessions on academic writing, interpretation of material culture, the use of visual and literary sources, theories of fashion, and the role of museum and gallery exhibitions in furthering scholarship in this field. The course requires written work in diverse formats as well as presentations that prepare students for subsequent coursework.

This course provides guidance on process and methodology in preparation for the thesis. Students define the subject of their thesis research, share their work in progress, and participate in discussions, working sessions, and critiques. By the end of the semester, students will have completed several crucial steps in the thesis process including bibliography, proposal, and outline.

This class explores the critical tasks set to librarians, archivists, curators, and collection managers to collect fashion information and to make it accessible to researchers. It looks at the multiple materialities of fashion beyond the dress object, and it considers museum, library, corporate, and personal collections. It asks students to consider: how, when, and by whom fashion information is collected; the institutional and socio-political frameworks that shape collecting; and the historical record of fashion as an object of constant and necessary revision.

Traces the evolution of dress from early body practices to the rise of consumer culture during the 18th century through topics including clothing as signifier of status and morality; the mechanics of the clothing trades and the impact of technology; trends and personalities; the politicization of dress during the French Revolution. The class considers the materiality of clothing and accessories and the relationship between dress and the body. Through lectures, discussions, and projects students are encouraged to seek their individual concentration in the field.

Beginning with the establishment of the Consulate of 1799 and ending with the 1900 Paris Exposition, the course examines the striking political, economic, and social change of the 19th century. Topics include luxury dress as part of Napoleon's imperial agenda, the dandy in England and France, the rise of the middle class and the proliferation of fashion periodicals and etiquette manuals, the establishment of the couture and the department store, dress reform and aesthetic dress in England and America.

Examines the evolution of fashionable dress and practices from 1900 to the 1980s, investigating high style as well as mainstream fashion, changing materials and silhouette, and the interplay between fashion and the arts. Original research via primary materials including museum objects, periodicals, designer archives, and film is emphasized, as the class explores the dynamics of dress in the international culture of the 20th century through lectures, readings and discussions.

This course explores relevant issues in contemporary dress, with a different focus each semester; details on the topic to be examined are found in the Notes section. Each iteration will involve student research in a variety of media and methods. This class is a seminar with significant participation expected of all participants.

With a focus on preparing students for professional experience. Costume Conservation offers a consideration of the place of costume in the museum environment. Special attention is devoted to the handling and display of costume, textile and related objects. The course provides an introduction to the materials and methods of conservation, storage, and interpretation, and addresses appropriate actions in the museum context.

Tracks evolutions in style, technology, function, and historic developments of textiles from antiquity through the 18th century. Includes close study of important fiber and fabric typologies, including pattern-woven silks, tapestry, embroidery, lace, and printed/painted fabrics. Topics include textiles as indicators of status and wealth, design affinities to other arts, and the impact of cultural exchange among Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

Investigates textiles in terms of design, creation, marketing, and use from the 19th century to present. With particular attention to the rapid technological advances of the past two centuries, visual and structural analysis of objects is combined with consideration of historical developments to situate textiles in the context of the surrounding culture. Includes object examination sessions at the Ratti Textile Center at the Metropolitan Museum as well as other New York collections.

The second course in the thesis sequence (following ARCS-GE 2022), this class is conducted through a series of individual meetings. Beginning with a review of structural requirements, research plans and scheduling, students complete their required thesis papers.

Internships can take place in a variety of settings including museums, galleries, publishers, foundations, fashion houses, libraries, archives and other institutions. Students work closely with the internship coordinator to assess their progress and define goals. Internships should be arranged during the term before interning.

This project-based course explores contemporary curatorial practice and its application to the display and interpretation of fashion. Through the development of an original and timely topic, students co-curate an exhibition, participating in all aspects of mounting and staging the exhibition along with producing the related research, text, and supporting programming.

Traces the development of fashion photography in relation to contemporary fashion, aesthetic influence, photographic styles and techniques, cultural customs and commercial needs. Fashion photography is more than a medium dedicated to commerce: it is a record of artistic movements, ideals of beauty, and social trends. The course begins in the early 20th century with the growth of periodicals devoted to fashion and continues through the work of the present day.

From furniture to digital devices, virtually everything that exists is designed. Why and how does design play such an important role in society? This seminar examines its expanding impact beginning with the post World War II era, with an emphasis on how design shapes consumer culture and how consumer culture conversely influences design. The course analyzes contemporary design in the context of architecture, interiors and the decorative arts, products, graphics, fashion, and interactive media.

Examines dress and textiles as signifiers of cultural identity and expression, transmitters of design and tradition, and their centrality to the social and economic structure of a selection of cultures worldwide. Addresses the impact on dress of factors including religious/symbolic beliefs, ideas of gender, trade, and technology, with emphasis on the traditions of Asia, the Americas, and Africa and their global intersections.