Musealization of Fashion

Teachers in charge

Prof. Katarina Nina Simončič, Ph.D.

Study, Module

Textile and Fashion Design - graduate, Module Theory and Culture of Fashion
Textile Technology and Engineering - graduate, Module Textile Design for Industry

Course summary  ∑ (L+E+S):

3 (1+0+2)

ECTS

6

Knowledge verification

oral exam

Lecture type

lectures, seminars

Learning outcomes:

The student will be able to:
● Apply museology as a scientific discipline for the purpose of practical museum presentation of fashion items.
● Combine traditional museum practices for the specific presentation of clothing in different types of museums (historical, ethnographic, virtual, etc.).
● Analyze the reasons for the absence of clothing in museums of 20th century design until recently and correctly evaluate recent advances in this field: the establishment of an increasing number of fashion museums, more frequent museum exhibitions or retrospectives of fashion designers, clothing as part of the artistic orientation, etc.
● Apply different curatorial approaches to the history of clothing, contemporary fashion and streetwear, museum presentations of fashion designers or fashion photographers, etc. and write reviews and critiques of such exhibitions.
● Conceptualize a specific exhibition on textiles and clothing and develop it in all relevant aspects of curatorial and communicative practice.

Subject content

In the introductory part of the course, students will be introduced to the literature that raises the question of why the scientific study of fashion, including its musealization, has been neglected for a relatively long time. However, as the recent rapid development of fashion theory has coincided with the development of museology theory, this shortcoming also has its advantages. Unburdened by outdated theoretical models and already established museum practice, more recent museum fashion exhibitions show an enviable innovation and diversity of exhibition themes. The second part of the course is dedicated to a critical analysis of selected museum fashion collections as well as current fashion exhibitions and accompanying publications in order to highlight their influence and positive resonance with the cultural public, but also some potential problems and debates.

Aim of course

The aim of the course is to familiarize students with the recent redefinition of the academic discipline of museology in the field of information science. Students will then think critically about the display methods and selection of clothing and garments that have been and are part of permanent exhibitions in different types of museums, from ethnographic to historical to textile museums and so-called "living museums", etc. Students will also think critically about the fact that until recently, clothing (apart from some theatrical costumes) was not included in museums of modern design in the 20th century. Students will then learn about recent changes in museum practice and examples of exhibitions that use clothing as an important aspect of material culture in the historical processes of creating individual and group identities. In addition, they are introduced to exhibitions in which textiles and clothing are presented today as an important part of the history of crafts, modern (fashion) design and contemporary art (especially performing arts, 3D installations, etc.). Students then apply the acquired knowledge in planning their own exhibition on textiles and/or clothing, in which they propose with arguments WHAT they exhibit and WHY, WHERE, FOR WHOM and HOW they communicate with a potential audience.

Literature necessary for course

1. Steele, Valerie (1998). ' A Museum of Fashion Is More Than a Clothes-Bag'. U Fashion Theory. Vol 2, issue 4. Berg Pubishers
2. Steele, Valerie (2008).' Museum quality: The rise of the fashion exhibition'. U Fashion Theory. Vol 12. Issue 1, Berg Pubishers
3. Taylor, Lou (1998). 'Doing the Laundry? A Reassessment of Object-based Dress History'. U Fashion Theory. Vol 2, issue 4. Berg Pubishers
4. Evans, Caroline (1998). 'Dustman: A critical evaluation of the work of Martin Margiela and a review of Martin Margiela: Exhibition (9/4/1615)' U Fashion Theory. Vol 2, issue 1. Berg Pubishers
5. Quinn, Bradley (2002). ' Exhibition Review: “Radical” Fashion? A Critique of the Radical Fashion Exhibition, Victoria and Albert Museum, London'. U Fashion Theory. Vol 6, issue 4. Berg Pubishers
6. Martin, Richard (1998). ' A Note: Art & Fashion, Viktor & Rolf'. U Fashion Theory. Vol 3, issue 1. Berg Pubishers
7. Melchior, Marie Riegl i Birgitta Svensson (2014) . 'Fashion and Museums: Theory and Practice'. London: Bloomsbury

Supplement literature

Wilcox, Clair. (2001). Radical fashion. London: V&A Publications.
Maison Martin Margiela (1999). Street, Vol 1 & 2.
Yamamoto, Yohji. (2005). Correspondances. A Magazine.