Denim: Textile Culture

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

The Global Design Project estimates that on any given day over half the world’s population is wearing jeans. This is a staggering statistic and raises the question: what is it about this one type of garment that resonates with so many wearers globally? This class will explore the history of jeans as a designed object and the materiality of denim as a textile. It will also examine the aesthetic, cultural, and social constructs that have made jeans the best selling garments of all time. Further topics covered will include the connection between jeans and myths of the American West, denim and sustainability, and denim and protest. The class will include hands-on textile workshops and museum visits.