Unfolding Gianfranco Ferré
Unfolding Gianfranco Ferré
This MOOC offers a 360° view of the world of Gianfranco Ferré. In three different sections, the course traces Ferré's cultural and technical heritage, enhancing archival materials with digital techniques and tools as well as expert insights.
Course description
The MOOC “Unfolding Gianfranco Ferré”, curated by the Gianfranco Ferré Research Center of Politecnico di Milano, aims to retrace the cultural legacy of one of the undisputed leading figures in the history of Italian and international fashion, through the activation of the tangible and intangible heritage kept in the Ferré archives, recognized in 2014 as heritage “of particularly important historical interest” by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and the Archival and Bibliographic Superintendence of Lombardy.
The uniqueness of the archive lies not only in the tangible and historicized dimension of the designer's work, reflected in the artifacts preserved, but above all in the educational, symbolic, and cultural value that this heritage is still able to transmit to the fashion system today. Not a legacy crystallized in the past, but a dynamic set of practices, techniques, languages, and traditions capable of transforming, evolving, and inspiring new generations of designers.
Through the recontextualization, recombination and reinterpretation of the materials preserved, the archive is configured as a living cultural heritage, whose existence is rooted in the extraordinary legacy of Gianfranco Ferré. In this perspective, “Unfolding Gianfranco Ferré” stems from the desire to enhance the impressive archival fund, promoting the dissemination of the material and immaterial culture contained therein, through actions of dissemination, augmented fruition and “spectacularization” supported by the use of new technologies. Through a multidisciplinary approach and the variety of multimedia supports, reorganized to support the MOOC, students will be able to deepen and actualize Gianfranco Ferré's legacy within their own personal and professional design development for the creation of new visions, ensuring creative and productive continuity to the master's legacy.
Total course workload: 10 hours
This MOOC is offered by Politecnico di Milano in collaboration with the Gianfranco Ferré Research Centre.
Intended Learning Outcomes
By actively participating in this MOOC, you will have the opportunity to:
- Acquire tools to critically analyze a fundamental chapter in the history of Italian fashion, with particular attention to the figure and work of Gianfranco Ferré.
ESCO: think critically ESCO: history of fashion - Understand the value of the tangible and intangible heritage held in the Ferré Historical Archives and explore new ways of archival use with digital technologies.
ESCO: digital curation ESCO: digital media - Understand the value of the tangible and intangible heritage held in the Ferré Historical Archives and explore new ways of archival use with digital technologies.
ESCO: digital curation ESCO: digital media - Delve into Gianfranco Ferré's design approach and working methodology through the direct study of archival artifacts and oral and written sources produced by the designer throughout his career.
ESCO: research design ESCO: design principles - Develop critical thinking and new insights into the contemporary fashion system through interaction with multimedia content and digital innovation tools.
ESCO: source criticism - Increase knowledge of the historical, industrial, and socio-cultural context that determined the birth of Made in Italy and continues to influence the dynamics of the fashion system.
ESCO: search historical sources in archives
Prerequisites
No formal knowledge is required.
Activities
The course is also available in English by clicking on the flag in the top left corner. In addition to engaging with the course content, consisting of video lectures (also subtitled in English), podcasts, and other types of online resources such as infographics, 360-degree images, and in-depth features, you will have the opportunity to test the knowledge gained during the course through a final quiz assessed for Open Badge purposes.
Section outline
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The first week delves into the figure of Gianfranco Ferré from a biographical perspective. It also introduces the mission and goals of the Gianfranco Ferré Research Center of Politecnico di Milano and presents the Ferré historical archive, accompanied by a video dedicated to the construction, management, and valorization of a fashion archive.
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The second week is divided into thematic lectures, each dedicated to a key concept drawn from Ferré's thought, still relevant today in the theoretical and critical landscape of contemporary fashion. In addition, thanks to an animated reconstruction of original slides, it will be possible to relive the last lecture given by the designer on June 14th, 2007, at the School of Design of Politecnico di Milano.
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The third week will delve into the six design principles of Gianfranco Ferré: the body, the matter, the color, the detail, the volume, and the movement. It will be possible to analyze selected archival garments through 360° interactive images and delve into technical documentation and related worksheets.
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Additional bibliography Page
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Video transcripts Folder
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Assessment
Your final grade for the course will be based on the results of your answers to the assessed quizzes. You have an unlimited number of attempts at each quiz. You will have successfully completed the course if you score a total of 60% (or higher) in all assessed quizzes.
The maximum score possible for each quiz is given at the beginning of the quiz. You can view your score in the quiz on your last attempt or on the 'Grades' page.
Certificate
You can achieve a certificate in the form of an Open Badge for this course, if you obtain, at least, 60% of the total score in the graded quizzes and by filling in the final survey.
Once you have completed the required tasks, you will be able to access ‘Get the Open Badge’ and start issuing the badge. Instructions on how to access the badge will be sent to your e-mail address.
The Badge does not confer any academic credit, grade or degree.
Information about fees and access to materials
The course is delivered in online mode and is available free of charge.
Course faculty
Rita Airaghi
Teacher
She worked alongside Gianfranco Ferré throughout his entire career, serving as the Head of Communications for the brand and taking on cross-functional responsibilities. She was involved in all the designer's strategic, design, and communication activities. After Ferré's passing, she conceived and directed the Gianfranco Ferré Foundation (2008-2021), aiming to preserve, enhance, and share the cultural, artistic, and aesthetic heritage created by the fashion designer, with special focus on educating new generations. She is currently a Steering Advisor for the Gianfranco Ferré Research Center, established in 2021 by the Politecnico di Milano following the Ferré family's donation of the foundation’s archives and headquarters.
Emanuela Di Stefano
Teacher
Member of the Technical-Administrative Staff at the Department of Design of Politecnico di Milano, she works within the Staff Members. Since 2012, she has been involved in the activities of the Gianfranco Ferré Foundation, where she gained solid experience in the preservation and management of the historical archive, also contributing to the digitization processes of the collection. Since 2021, following the establishment of the Gianfranco Ferré Research Center at Politecnico di Milano, she continues her activity in the management and enhancement of the archive, actively contributing to the development of scientific, cultural, and educational initiatives. She carries out administrative management and organizational support functions, with particular attention to the logistical coordination of the educational and exhibition activities promoted by the Center.
Ilaria Trame
Teacher
Research Fellow at the Department of Design of Politecnico di Milano, she carries out research, curatorial, and conservation activities within the Gianfranco Ferré Research Center, contributing to the enhancement of the Ferré Historical Archive. Her activities focus on the dissemination and augmented use of archival materials, with particular attention to the use of digital technologies. She regularly lectures on the figure of Gianfranco Ferré and his design method, addressed to academic groups and delegations visiting the Research Center's headquarters. After a Master's Degree in Fashion Studies at Parsons Paris –The New School and a background in Fashion Design at IUAV University of Venice, she gained experience in several international fashion archives. Her research interests focus on the history and culture of fashion, with an emphasis on archival and curatorial practices.
Federica Vacca
Teacher
Ph.D. in Design, she is Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano and co-founder of the Fashion in Process research lab. Member of the School of Design, she is scientific coordinator of the higher education course Out of Fashion (POLI.design – Connecting Cultures). Since 2021, she has been Deputy Director of the Gianfranco Ferré Research Center, which promotes an interdisciplinary approach to cultural heritage, combining innovation and digital technologies. She has done international research and teaching at FIT New York (2008) and Philadelphia University (2016) and was selected for the XXII ADI - Young Design. Her research interests focus on the enhancement of material culture and innovation in cultural industries, with a focus on the fashion sector. A specialist in fashion cultural heritage, she studies the role of design in the processes of preservation, valorization, and augmented use of fashion archives through the implementation of digital technologies.
Angelica Vandi
Teacher
Ph.D. in Design and Post-Doc Research Fellow at the Department of Design is part of the faculty of the School of Design, Politecnico di Milano. Since 2019, she has been part of the Fashion in Process research lab of the Department of Design, Politecnico di Milano and, since 2021, of the Gianfranco Ferré Research Center. In 2018 she took part in the joint program in Fashion Design Management between the School of Design of Politecnico di Milano and Jefferson University, Philadelphia and in 2023 she was a Visiting Researcher at the metaLAB of Harvard University, Boston.
Her research interests focus on the relationship between Fashion Design, Cultural Heritage, and the integration of digital technologies. In particular, she delves into the topic of digital curation and the development of design scenarios geared toward the enhancement of fashion cultural capital through new modes of interaction.
"Unfolding Gianfranco Ferré"
è un progetto a cura del Centro di Ricerca Gianfranco Ferré, Politecnico di Milano nell’ambito del progetto di ricerca Heritech4Fashion.Tecnologie e processi per la divulgazione e fruizione aumentata del patrimonio tecnico nel settore tessile-moda e finanziato dal Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca nell'ambito delle iniziative legate alla diffusione della cultura scientifica (PANN20 – ACPR20).
Responsabile scientifico: Federica Vacca
Comitato curatoriale: Federica Vacca, Paola Bertola e Rita Airaghi
Coordinamento di progetto: Ilaria Trame
Ricerca iconografica e d’archivio: Emanuela Di Stefano, Bruna Rigato, Lucia Scaffardi, Ilaria Trame, Angelica Vandi, Giovanni Vidotto
Produzione e motion graphic design dei Video del MOOC a cura di Alberto Barone di GialloBarone
Produzione del Video “Gianfranco Ferré. Biografia” a cura di Utopia
Immagini interattive a 360° a cura di Open Care Art Advisory
Coding a cura di 4Sigma
Voice-over a cura di Yellow Hub
Disegni, fotografie, interviste, video di sfilata d’archivio del Centro di Ricerca Gianfranco Ferré, Dipartimento di Design del Politecnico di Milano
Sviluppo MOOC a cura del METID, Politecnico di Milano
Contact details
If you have any enquiries about the course or if you need technical assistance please contact pok@polimi.it. For further information, see FAQ page.