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Fashion Values: Society

Examine the relationship between fashion and society, using fashion activism to challenge social injustice.

2,093 enrolled on this course

Alisa Ruzavina's Love Bomb collection at UAL’s Parade for Climate Justice, photographed by Ana Blumenkron.

Fashion Values: Society

2,093 enrolled on this course

  • 4 weeks

  • 3 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Open level

Find out more about how to join this course

  • Duration

    4 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours
  • 100% online

    How it works
  • Unlimited subscription

    $244.99 for one yearLearn more

Understand the links between fashion and society through a range of perspectives

Fashion and society are deeply intertwined through everyday actions, behaviours and business models, and can be both empowering and exploitative.

On this four-week course from London College of Fashion, you’ll explore how fashion can paradoxically be a force for societal good, creating agency, collaboration, dignity and distinction between people, or a cause and perpetuator of injustice.

Social injustice in and through fashion is experienced widely and can perpetuate inequality and exploitation. By the end of this course you’ll understand how activism can be used to challenge this and be inspired by intersectional perspectives from activists around the world, learning from historical and contemporary case studies and resources.

You’ll explore the process of change in relation to fashion and society, exploring various models that provide ways of thinking, feeling or working towards change. You’ll learn about where power lies to create change and to challenge social injustice in fashion. You’ll examine many approaches to and models of activism, as well as the importance of resilience.

Use design thinking to develop fashion activities and behaviours that contribute to social justice

You’ll be supported through the design thinking process to define a specific problem and generate ideas in response to the question: ‘How will we use fashion activism to challenge social injustice?’

Respond to sustainability challenges with London College of Fashion

This course is led by fashion and sustainability experts from Centre for Sustainable Fashion and shares knowledge from world-leading fashion practitioners and researchers.

With over 85,000 learners on our FutureLearn courses to date, you’ll gain valuable insights from fellow fashion and sustainability changemakers worldwide.

Skip to 0 minutes and 3 seconds Welcome to Fashion Values A new portfolio of courses brought to you by Centre for Sustainable Fashion. There’s never been a more important role for fashion than in our current times. It can be both joyful as an expression of who we are a contributor to livelihoods, cultures, societies and economies. It is also a destroyer of dignity lives cultures and the only true economy, nature’s wealth. Fashion is many different activities and businesses large and small doing different things so everyone who engages with this is an active part of the fashion system.

Skip to 0 minutes and 39 seconds Anyone who engages can make changes to that system and the more that we recognize and elevate our values in action both professionally and personally and the more that we call out destructive practices the closer that we can get to a world that we can really all thrive in. Time is short. The evidence is starkly apparent the climate emergency is recognized by governments and organizations around the world. Social injustice is also starkly apparent. Racism, gender and other social inequalities must be stopped. We need to develop skills and capabilities for deep change. This is what these courses seek to develop with you

Skip to 1 minute and 26 seconds They start with a provocation, a new lens through which you can re-imagine what a thriving system might look like. We are seeking to give you a thirst for knowledge about fashion in the context of our times. Not to give you answers to every question that you have. We are very keen to share with you what we know what we’ve learned but there’s no crystal ball for any of us to look into. It’s our ambition to give you a sense both of what is but also a sense of what isn’t yet, but could be.

What topics will you cover?

  • Fashion and Society
  • Social Justice, Power and Change
  • Activism and Fashion
  • How will we use fashion activism to challenge social injustice?

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Identify social injustice in fashion from intersectional perspectives
  • Explore ideas of power and change
  • Engage with historical and contemporary fashion activism that challenges social injustice in fashion
  • Practice design thinking to develop, prototype, evaluate and communicate fashion activism that can challenge social injustice

Who is the course for?

This course will empower learners with the tools to address challenges facing fashion today.

This includes students, sustainability professionals, fashion and business professionals, educators, designers, strategists, and communicators.

Who will you learn with?

Professor Dilys Williams FRSA is Director of Centre for Sustainable Fashion, a University of the Arts Research Centre based at London College of Fashion.

Head of Education (Sustainability) at Centre for Sustainable Fashion, London College of Fashion

Education Project Coordinator at Centre for Sustainable Fashion, London College of Fashion

Who developed the course?

London College of Fashion

London College of Fashion, UAL is a world leader in fashion design, media and business education. We have been nurturing creative talent for over a century, offering courses in all things fashion.

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$244.99 for one year

Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$134/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 26 Oct 2023

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 31 October 2023 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 31 October 2023 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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