B4924 - DESIGNFUL FASHION

Learning outcomes

At the end of the Course the student will have acquired advanced knowledge of the relationship between fashion design and other forms of design, in particular in the exchange between fashion design and product design. They will also have acquired the ability to identify creative and cutting edge dynamics in fashion design, with the aim of developing an aptitude for recognising emerging creativity. The student will acquire the ability to apply their research to design and production processes in the fields of fashion, accessory, body and home product design.

Course contents

Italian Ways: the relationship between product design and fashion in Italy

Designful Fashion: the encounter between industrial design, fashion design and other design disciplines

Readings/Bibliography

The bibliography will be updated until the actual start of the course.

 

Dardi, D., Pasca, V, "Manuale di storia del design", Silvana Editoriale, 2019 (edizione italiana)

Dardi, D., Pasca, V, "Design History Handbook", Silvana Editoriale, 2019 (English edition)

Future Concept Lab, “Estetiche Italiane, Italian Ways”, Scheiwiller, 2003

Rawsthorn, A., “Hello World: Where Design Meets Life”, Hamish Hamilton, 2013

Rawsthorn, A., “Design as an attitude”, JRP Ringier Kunstverlag, 2018

 

Useful resources on essay writing:

University of York, "Academic writing: a practical guide” https://subjectguides.york.ac.uk/academic-writing/essays (last checked 22 July 2025)

University of Oxford, "Essay and dissertation writing skills” https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/academic/guidance/skills/essay (last checked 22 July 2025)

Teaching methods

IMPORTANT NOTE: To successfully complete the course, a basic knowledge of the history of design and the history of fashion is required. For this reason, before the course begins, all participants are recommended to study the book Manuale di storia del design by Dardi and Pasca (included in the bibliography) as well as a fashion history textbook of their choice.

 

Project review sessions will be scheduled, during which students will present their exam project ideas and discuss them with the professor.

 

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities

 Please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-studentshttps://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Assessment methods

Attending students

• Presentation of an original essay (the detailed brief will be provided during the lessons).

• Discussion of the lecture slides and materials (available for download at the end of the course), for which students must demonstrate in-depth and detailed knowledge.

• Discussion of one book from the bibliography, for which students must demonstrate in-depth knowledge.

 

Non-attending students

Presentation of an original essay focusing on one of the following topics:

• Fashion and industrial design: an analysis of the creative relationships between fashion and industrial design (collaborations, garments, accessories, objects, home collections, etc.)

• Beyond the runway: alternative methods for presenting fashion collections

 

Each research project must meet the following requirements:

• The topic must be agreed upon with the instructor (via email or during office hours) at least one month before the exam date.

• The outline and analytical structure must be approved by the instructor (via email or during office hours).

• Length: minimum 4,000 words, maximum 5,000 words.

• Images: 20–30 high-quality images.

• A cover page, table of contents, and bibliography are mandatory.

• The text must demonstrate knowledge of at least two books from the bibliography.

• The text must demonstrate knowledge of the course materials.

• The essay must include citations from at least two books from the bibliography or from the course materials.

• The essay must be in PDF format and must not exceed 10 MB in size.

• Submission must be made via email using only the official Unibo email address.

• The essay must be sent at least 7 days before the selected exam date.

 

In addition to the essay discussion, students will also:

• Discuss the lecture slides and materials (available for download at the end of the course), demonstrating in-depth knowledge.

• Discuss one book from the bibliography, demonstrating in-depth knowledge.

 

Assessment Criteria

• Students are required to produce essays of a professional standard, characterized by precision, clarity, effectiveness, and a layout that is visually consistent with the selected topic.

• They must also demonstrate the ability to logically and coherently organize and structure the content, ensuring a clear and well-articulated discussion.

• Each essay must reflect a critical evaluation of the chosen subject. Students are expected to clearly and accurately describe the relevant topics, analyzing them with the support of appropriate academic literature.

• It is essential to explicitly distinguish between referenced sources or case studies and personal opinions, while consistently employing accurate and appropriate academic vocabulary.

•  Citations are permitted and encouraged, provided they are correctly referenced; however, non-original work will be rejected, as plagiarism is both illegal and ethically unacceptable.

•  All essays will be subjected to checks for plagiarism and for the use of generative artificial intelligence. 

 

IMPORTANT NOTES

• Students are considered “attending” if they follow the entire course and take the exam in one of the two sessions immediately following the course.

• “In-depth knowledge” means that students must be able to recall and describe names, data, and case studies.

• The topic of the final essay must always, without exception, be agreed upon with the instructor.

Teaching tools

• All slides presented during the lessons (including video and other types of content) will be shared with the students.
• At the end of the course, a set of lecture notes will be provided, which will be an integral part of the exam for both attending and non-attending students.
• It is strongly recommended to take notes during the lessons.

Office hours

See the website of Paolo Ferrarini