COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO600 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60605

FASHION JOURNALISM

Spring 2009 Syllabus

COURSE DESCRIPTIONThis course will introduce students to fashion journalism. The designers. The models. The stars. Fashion journalists report about that and more. But not all is glamorous. Tough interviewing, researching, and strong analytical skills enable writers to sift through the hype and relay the story to readers. This class will introduce you to the basics of this ever-growing profession. A final writing project will help bring everything into focus.

Title and Course NumberFashion Journalism AEMM Department 28-3939

Journalism Department 53-3540

Time: Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. to 9:20 p.m.Credit: 3 hoursRoom: 618 S. Michigan Ave., Room 905

Instructor: Lisa Lenoir (312) 369-6280 E-mail: llenoir@colum.edu Office hours: By appointment

Pre-requisites: English Composition I & II; Intro to Fashion Business; Intro to Writing and Reporting; Reporting for Print and Broadcast; and A Century of Design

COURSE RATIONALEReporting fashion news is an important part of the fashion business. Learning how to communicate the fashion art form to the ultimate consumer and/or trade customer is vital to the success of managing and promoting fashion products and talent. This class is a mid-level elective course for fashion/retail management majors. It is cross-listed with Journalism so students in each of the majors can learn from each other and blend their expertise into a common learning experience.

COURSE OBJECTIVES & INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMESUpon completion of this course, students will be able to do the following:

Define the purpose of fashion journalism. Explain the history of fashion writing and its evolution. Explore the various ways different media and retail outlets cover fashion. Identify and define the key elements of good writing. Master visual language cues and terminology associated with fashion writing and

apply principles learned through weekly quizzes, writing and reading assignments and a final exam.

Explore how to adapt fashion-related subjects to print, Web, radio and TV outlets. Spot trends, research concepts, interview sources and translate ideas into words. Write a 800-1,000-word fashion trend report, essay, designer or boutique profile,

business or trade story to demonstrate mastery of course’s key themes and concepts.

Read and critically analyze books filled with fashion-related themes.

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUESLecture, in-class activities that include reading and analyzing fashion reports, discussion, oral and written presentations.

ATTENDANCE POLICYStudents who miss three course meetings (3 of 15 = 20 percent) will automatically fail unless there are serious extenuating circumstances. Tardiness and leaving early are also unacceptable and will negatively affect your grade.

TEXTBOOKWriting for the Fashion Business by Kristen K. Swanson and Judith C. Everett

CONAWAY CENTER STATEMENT Students with disabilities are requested to present their Columbia accommodation letters to their instructor at the beginning of the semester so that accommodations can be arranged in a timely manner by the College, the department or the faculty member, as appropriate. Students with disabilities who do not have accommodation letters should visit the office of Services for Students with Disabilities in Suite 304 of the 623 S. Wabash building, or call (312-369-8134/V or 312-360-0767/TTY). It is incumbent upon the students to know their responsibilities in this regard.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY AND PLAGIARISM POLICY STATEMENT

Academic dishonesty

Any instance of academic dishonesty, such as plagiarism, cheating or submitting someone else’s work as your own, will not be tolerated. Unless you are told otherwise, all homework assignments, class exercises, quizzes, exams and papers should be completed by you and only you. No collaboration is permitted unless permission of the instructor is

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given. If you violate any of these policies, you will fail the class and be reported to the dean for further disciplinary action.

Definitions

Cheating: The conscious use of unauthorized, prohibited or unacknowledged materials in any academic exercise.

Fabricating: The conscious falsification or invention of information, interpretation or source materials.

Facilitating academic dishonesty: The conscious participation, in any manner, in another student’s commission of any academically dishonest act.

Plagiarizing: The conscious representation of words, ideas, figures or material from other sources as one’s own.

Elaboration and examples

Cheating: Unless told otherwise by the instructors, students should assume that examinations are to be completed without the use of books, notes or conversation with others. Students who intentionally use or attempt to use unauthorized information in any academic exercise, including exams, are cheating.

Fabricating: Fabrication is the unauthorized and conscious falsification of information in an academic exercise. For example, it is academically dishonest to "invent" information in a laboratory experiment. Also, students who, without notifying their instructor, attempt to submit academic work that has already been submitted for another course—whether that work was graded or not—have fabricated their assignment. This also includes quotation-source fabrication.

Facilitating academic dishonesty: Students who make their work available for another student to submit as his or her own, whether exactly as is or in an altered form, are facilitating academic dishonesty, as are students who allow others to copy their answers on examinations. Aiding and abetting other students’ dishonesty is a serious breach of the academic honesty policy and is itself punishable just as cheating, fabricating and plagiarizing are.

Plagiarizing: The Random House Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language defines plagiarism as the "unauthorized use of the language and the thought of another author and the representation of them as one’s own." Any conscious failures to accurately and completely document all uses of source materials in an academic exercise constitute academic dishonesty. Source materials may include, but are not limited to, printed books, electronic media, oral reports, speeches, statistical information or analyses, anecdotal comments, visual media, musical performances, theatrical performances or official and

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legal documents. Pursuant to the policy on plagiarism of the AEMM department, students are strictly advised not to engage in any acts of plagiarism. If students need clarification on the plagiarism policy of the department, they can obtain a copy of the statement from the department office. As an academic institution engaged in higher learning, Columbia College Chicago will not tolerate any activity by the student that can be interpreted or deemed as plagiarism.

FINAL PROJECTWrite a 800-1,000-word fashion trend report, essay, trade or business story or designer or boutique profile; the instructor will approve the topic. The project should include a source list, rough draft and final story with photographs and be organized neatly in a presentation folder.

GRADING CRITERIA

95-100=A90-94=A-87-89=B+84-86=B80-83=B-77-79=C+

74-76=C70-73=C-67-69=D+64-66=D60-63=D-Below 60=F

Attendance/class participation/writing assignments/quizzes 50%

Book report/writing portfolio of revised assignments 10%

Final Exam 10%

Final project 30%

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FASHION JOURNALISM

Course Outline & Topics

Jan. 29 Introductions and Overview of Fashion Journalism

In-class activity: Choose a fashion item from a box and write everything that comes into your mind. Complete and incomplete sentences are allowed. Discuss responses.

Assignment: Read Chapter 1, pgs. 3-26 and Chapter 2 of Writing for the Fashion Business. Read excerpts of Fashion Foundation: Early Writings on Fashion and Dress in binder. Writing Exercise: Use thoughts from in-class free write and organize into a 350-400-word piece. Prepare writing piece based on Portfolio Exercise on pg. 15 in Writing for the Fashion Business.

Feb. 5 How to read and critique fashion articles

In-class activity: 1. Answer questionnaire based on reading assignment.2. Read various fashion articles. Be prepared to critique the

writing and answer the following questions: who, what, where, when, why and how? And the answer the questions on pg. 5 in Writing for the Fashion Business. Each student will report to the class his/her findings.

Assignment: Read pgs. 71-178 in Writing for the Fashion Business Writing Exercise: Watch the Grammy Awards pre-show on E! Entertainment and the Awards show at 7 p.m./CST on CBS on Feb. 8. Complete Portfolio Exercise pg. 91: Using anecdotal structure, describe the Awards show. Put yourself in the scene you describe. Include your reaction. What is your point of view? Next, rewrite the description, changing the structure to inverted pyramid. Writing assignment due: Fashion item story & Portfolio Exercise on pg. 15.

Feb. 12 Explore various forms of fashion journalism

In-class activity:1. Answer questionnaire based on reading assignment.

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2. Read various forms of fashion writing. (Prior to class, students should have listened and watched fashion-related programs through OASIS.)

3. View old periodicals in the Fashion Columbia Study Collection. Pick an article and answer the questions on pg. 5 of Writing for the Fashion Business.

Assignment: Read pgs. 275-308 in Writing for the Fashion Business. Writing Exercise: Refer to handout: The Fashion Publication Landscape Then & NowWriting Assignment due: Grammy Awards piece

Feb. 19 How to create and identify and research a fashion topic

In-class activity:1. Discuss reading on New Media. 2. Begin identifying various research methods used to turn an

idea into a well-thought out story.3. Portfolio Exercise pg. 126.4. Refer to handout in binder on Academy Awards, which is 7

p.m. CST Feb. 22 on ABC. Check out www.oscar.com for your research.

Assignment: Read “Writing about People” by William Zinsser and “Steps to a Strong Interview” and “Getting the Most From Your Interviews” through links on OASIS.Writing Exercise: Refer to handout: The Write Way & Academy Award storyWriting assignment due: The Fashion Publication Landscape Then and Now and assessment of article from an old periodical from the Fashion Columbia Study Collection.

Feb. 26 How to interview

In-class activity:1. Discuss assigned handouts. 2. Recap Academy Awards. 3. Practice interviewing techniques on classmates.

Assignment: Read “Yarn” and listen to Nora Ephron’s NPR interview on OASIS. Writing Exercise: Refer to handout: Mini profile Writing assignment due: The Write Way & Academy Award ROUGH DRAFT pieces (traditional and new media.)

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March 5 Unleashing your inner voice

In-class activity:1. Do a free write on an article of your clothing or body part and

explain why you like or dislike it.2. Answer questionnaire from Open and Clothed.3. Perfecting writing skills: Organizing the story (Portfolio

Exercise pg. 43); Leads (Portfolio Exercise pg. 127); Revising Articles (Portfolio Exercise pg. 52.)

4. Discuss “Yarn” and other fashion-related articles.5. Choose book for presentation and topic for the final project.

Instructor must approve both topics. Instructions and expectations for book presentation and final project outlined in binder.

Writing Exercise: Refer to handout: Unleashing Your Inner Voice and Writing for the Fashion Business (Portfolio Exercise pg. 298.)Writing assignment due: Mini profile & Academy Award pieces

March 12 The designer profile

In-class activity: Watch “Lagerfeld Confidential” (2006): For the first time, Karl Lagerfeld, the innovative designer who has ruled the House of Chanel for more than two decades, agreed to trust a director to create an artwork based on his life. After three years of crisscrossing the globe filming the outspoken icon, Rudolphe Marconi unveils the inner workings of the influential and enigmatic star. – Amazon.com

Assignment: Read essays “Swann Song” by Judith Thurman and “I am Fashion” by Michael Specter. Read fashion business stories to be selected based on current events. Choose a retail or fashion business article and bring it to class for discussion.Writing assignment: Writing for the Fashion Business Portfolio Exercise pg. 157.

March 19 Writing for the business section and trade industry

In-class activity:1. Discuss various trade and business publication works brought

to class. Writing for the Fashion Business Portfolio Exercise pg. 127.

2. Writing tips for preparing a rough draft and pg. 129 in Writing for the Fashion Business.

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Writing Exercise: Refer to handout: Business piece. Writing assignment due: Unleashing Your Inner Voice essay

Spring Break March 23 to March 28

April 2 The Big Picture: The art and craft of fashion writing and visuals

In-class activity:1. Team project (Spring & Fall Fashion 2009)2. Watch DVD on New York Fashion Week3. Workshop4. Discuss writing plan for final piece

Assignment: Read Robin Givhan’s Pulitzer Prize winning fashion criticism on OASIS. Read Chapter 9 in Writing for the Fashion Business. Writing assignment due: Business piece

April 9 Developing a keen eye for style and places

In-class activity: 1. Analyze Susan Orlean’s piece, “Beautiful Girls” as well as

“Swann Song” and “I am Fashion.”2. Discuss writing process, rough drafts.3. Discuss Robin Givhan’s work.4. Write a scholarly piece about a garment in the Fashion

Columbia Study Collection. Investigate writings in the journal “Fashion Theory” edited by Valerie Steele located in the Columbia College Library online.

5. Watch Valerie Steele interview on OASIS about Fashion Writing.

Writing Exercise: Refer to handout: A Keen EyeAssignment due: Team visual project and rough draft of final paper.

April 16 Perfecting the masterpiece

In-class activity: 1. Review for final exam (Oscar and Grammy coverage, Elements

of Style, Writing for the Fashion Business, other readings, etc.)2. Workshop rough drafts.

Writing assignment due: Scholarly piece on an item from the Fashion Columbia Study Collection.

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April 23 Getting the word out through fashion public relations

1. Read Chapter 7 in Writing for the Fashion Business. 2. Work together in teams to do Portfolio Exercise pg. 225

*Workshop final project papers

April 30 “Behind the Seams: Fashion Writers, Stylists and Editors Share Business Insight”

May 7 Final Exam/Revision Packet Due

*Work in class on final project papers

BOOK REPORT PRESENTATIONS

May 14 FINAL PROJECT DUENote: Submit written 800-1,000-word story with source list, rough drafts and any illustrations, if applicable, in a well-organized presentation folder.

BOOK REPORT PRESENTATIONS

Disclaimer statementThis syllabus may be amended as the course proceeds. You will be notified of all changes.

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