“Fashioning the Body, Shaping the Nation: Fashion through the lens of History, Culture, Gender, and Race” has been named the Spring 2024 Mosaic. The program consists of four classes and a three-week trip to Italy. Mosaics are a unique Dickinson experience in which students are able to immerse themselves in interdisciplinary study with a global component. 

This Mosaic touches the American Studies, History, Film Studies and Italian Studies departments. The four included courses are “Fashion and the Politics of the Body,” taught by Professor Amy Farrell; “Fashion-Backward: Clothed Bodies since the Renaissance, taught by Associate Professor Regina Sweeney; “Dickinson Wears Prada,” taught by Professor Nicoletta Marini-Maio; and an independent study based on individual topics of interest. 

In understanding fashion as a cultural interchange between the elite and mass consumption, this Mosaic tackles questions of gender, race, historic valuation, modeling, sustainability and labor. Using Italy as a case study allows students to recognize real, lived experiences under labor conditions in the fashion industry. 

Fashion makes concrete the abstract concepts of femininity and masculinity, dictating what society deems marketable and aesthetic, what is popularized in media and its consumerism, and where to place one’s economic and self value. 

During the three-week trip to Italy, participants will travel to Bologna, Milan, Perugia, Florence, Prato and Rome. Cities can be explored independently as part of the individual study, wherein students are field researchers and learn techniques helpful in future careers. 

When students return from the trip, they will analyze their findings and present research to the Dickinson community. 

The program cost is $3,200, which includes travel, rooming, admission fees and transportation. Financial aid and scholarships are available upon application. The application to this program takes place during the Spring 2024 course request period. 

Intellectual curiosity and adaptability are highly valued in this Mosaic, as travel and new experiences are crucial elements of the learning process. If these traits apply to you and you are interested in an in-depth understanding of fashion’s theoretical and practical impacts on Italian and international culture, consider applying to Dickinson’s Spring 2024 Mosaic. 

Additional information can be found on the Center for Global Study & Engagement website.