Call for Papers explores the history of fashion education in German-speaking countries

The Kunstbibliothek (Art Library) of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin has issued a call for papers for an international symposium examining the development of fashion education in German-speaking countries during the 20th century.

Titled "Fashion as a Profession: The Establishment of Academic Fashion Courses in German-Speaking Region from c. 1910 until the 1970s," the symposium will take place on 18–19 February 2027 at the Kulturforum in Berlin. The event is being organised in collaboration with Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg) and Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK).

Researchers are invited to submit proposals by 31 August 2026 for 20-minute presentations exploring the emergence of academic and vocational fashion education between approximately 1910 and the 1970s. Organisers plan to publish the conference proceedings following the event.

The symposium will investigate how fashion education evolved alongside broader social and cultural developments, including the Arts and Crafts movement and the expansion of educational opportunities for women. According to the organisers, these developments contributed to the establishment of formal programmes in areas such as fashion and clothing design, accessory design, fashion illustration, textile decoration, manufacturing techniques, fashion photography and fashion journalism.

A particular emphasis will be placed on the role of women, who formed the majority of both students and educators in many of these programmes, despite their contributions remaining relatively under-researched. The organisers also encourage research examining the experiences of men and queer individuals within what has historically been regarded as a predominantly female field.

Suggested topics include the institutional development of fashion education, curriculum design, the historical origins of fashion training programmes, career opportunities created through these courses, and the influence of wider political, social and economic factors on their development. Organisers also hope to encourage new research into the networks that connected vocational schools, art academies and universities across German-speaking Europe.

For fashion educators and researchers, the symposium represents an opportunity to contribute to an emerging field of scholarship focused on the history of fashion education. By bringing together historical research, institutional case studies and interdisciplinary perspectives, the event aims to expand understanding of how formal fashion education evolved and how its legacy continues to shape contemporary teaching and professional practice.