This course from Institut Français de la Mode tackles theories of fashion, its development through history, and the fashion industry's complex role within global capitalism.

Fashion is art.

So many of us have spent countless hours building our personal wardrobes because we intuitively grasp how fashion can powerfully send messages to those around us.

Fashion has evolved from serving the base function of clothing to becoming a global industry that functions as a thoughtful reflection of our current moment.

Benjamin Simmenauer is a professor at Institut Français de la Mode who focuses on teaching fashion theory and fashion brand strategy.

In this course, Simmenauer explains fashion by dissecting it from three viewpoints: its relationship to society, its functioning as a language, and its role as a global industry.

With a historically minded, meticulously researched curriculum, this course will help any fashion lover understand their passion on a deeper level.