Every garment tells a story of craftsmanship, labor, and environmental impact. This course offers an exclusive look into the hidden lifecycle of your wardrobe, moving from the rapid cycles of fast fashion toward a deeper understanding of quality and stewardship. By exploring the tension between global mass production and bespoke artistry, you will develop the analytical tools to navigate the future of the fashion industry.
The Museum of Modern Art will take you behind the scenes of world-renowned institutions—from the precision of a Savile Row suit shop in London to the historical archives of Levi’s in California. Through studio visits and insights from designers, activists, and historians, you will analyze how modern technologies are being used to reimagine the way garments are made. Whether you are a student of design or a professional seeking to lead ethical change, you will gain a new perspective on your closet, transforming a daily habit of getting dressed into an act of informed agency.
Gain insights into the processes that make the clothes in your closet, consider concerns for the fashion industry’s labor and sustainability practices, and explore methods for extending the lifecycle of your clothes.
This module explores the complex processes—from traditional handcrafting to the use of new technologies—that go into the making of high-end and everyday garments.
This module examines the lifecycle of garments—how cycles of production, consumption, and disposal impact the world, and discover ways to break those cycles both at the industrial and personal level.
The Museum of Modern Art is a place that fuels creativity, ignites minds, and provides inspiration. Join us in exploring the art, ideas, and issues of our time through the Modern and Contemporary Art and Design Specialization or through individual courses: Modern Art & Ideas, Seeing Through Photographs, What Is Contemporary Art?, Fashion as Design, and In the Studio: Postwar Abstract Painting. Learn about teaching with art in our three courses designed for K-12 educators: Art & Inquiry, Art & Activity, and Art & Ideas.
No prior knowledge of fashion, design, or art history is needed to complete this course.
Will I earn university credit for completing the course?
Coursera currently provides certificates of completion, but MoMA does not offer additional accreditation at this time.Â
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.