History of Men's Fashion Short Course
Course description
Course overview
This short course at Central Saint Martins provides an overview of the development of men's fashion through a British lens, with a particular focus on London as one of the sites of fashion's beginnings.
Through a combination of talks, practical exercises and discussions, students explore how important men's fashion was to the development of modernity and interrogate some of the taken-for-granted notions we have about men's dress.
The course considers the relationship between the emerging metropolitan centre of London and the rural areas of Britain and global trade routes which gave access to the raw materials of fashion, using specific examples of historical men's dress to explore this fascinating topic.
During the course, students gain an insight into the history of men's fashion, exploring what this means and why it is so important. The course aims to help students develop an understanding of the complex meanings of men's fashion and its history.
The course encourages a questioning and discursive approach, and the ideas introduced in class should lead to further enquiry and a desire to learn more.
This course is available in multiple formats: a 5-week evening course or a 2-day course. If a certain format isn't listed please check back for future dates.
Who this course is for
This course is aimed at anyone with an interest in the history of men's fashion. It would also be an excellent fit for specialists in similar or connected fields who require a general overview of the development and meaning of men's fashion, and the role of London as a fashion centre. No previous experience is required.
Key information
Topics covered
- Fashion's beginnings: what is men's 'fashion' and when did it start? (c. 1600 - 1800)
- Suits, shirts and ties: Savile Row tailoring; Beau Brummell's influence (c.1800 - 1901)
- Early twentieth-century developments and subcultural men's styling (c. 1900 - 1960s)
- Mods, rockers, hippies, punks and grunge: late twentieth-century subcultural style (c. 1960 - 2000)
- Future fashion and retro/vintage styles: what's next for men's fashion? (2000 - 2025)
Learning outcomes
- Begun to develop an understanding of the history of men's fashion and the historical role of London as a global fashion centre
- Engaged with and thought about some specific examples of men's dress from a range of historical, social and political contexts
- Critically engaged with specific examples of historic men's fashion, using the ideas introduced in the course to develop understanding
- Thought about why fashion is such an important concept in helping us to understand the world we live in
- Digital badge and certificate of attendance
Materials
- Laptop or notebook and pen
Tutor
Melanie Davies
Melanie Gale Davies is Senior Lecturer at Central Saint Martins where she co-ordinates Academic Support for the Jewellery, Textiles and Materials Programme and Cultural Studies for Fashion. She has over twenty years experience teaching Fashion History and Theory at University of the Arts London. Her research into Beau Brummell explores the role of fashion in the development of new masculinities and the relevance of this in a global, post-human world.
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