Renate Stauss

Assistant Professor, Program Coordinator for Fashion Studies

  • Department: Communication, Media and Culture
  • Graduate Program(s): Global Communications
  • Office: 
    G-401
  • Office Hours: 
    By appointment

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Professor Stauss has been teaching fashion theory as well as cultural and critical studies in fashion at The American University of Paris since 2013. As a lecturer in fashion she has been working at a number of universities in London and Berlin since 2003, at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, Goldsmiths College, Esmod, and the Berlin University of the Arts, where she remains an associate lecturer. She was part of the faculty at the Royal College of Art in London in the Department of Critical Studies for ten years. Following her studies in Fashion Communication (BA) and Communication, Culture and Society (MA) Stauss completed her PhD on Dress as Therapy: Working with Dress on the Self in Therapeutic Settings (University of the Arts London). The focus of her teaching and scholarship lies on the sociology and politics of fashion and dress, including the following subjects: relationships between dress and identity, fashion under socialism, the emotional and sensory impact of dress, fashion for a sustainable world. Renate has published in the area of fashion studies, fashion theory and pedagogy.

Current research interests include:
• fashion and politics
• the perception and potential of fashion
• the emergence of fashion theory
• the role and impact of the mirror in the act of getting
dressed
• fashion education – how we learn and teach fashion

Research Areas and Areas of Expertise:
• fashion theory
• cultural history of fashion (1900–)
• sociology of dress and fashion
• fashion and politics
• sustainability in fashion
• dress as therapy
• fashion education



Education/Degrees

  • BA Fashion Communication, Central Saint Martins College ofArt & Design, London, UK
  • MA Communication, Culture & Society, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK
  • PhD, London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, UK

News

Publications

  •  (eds.) (2021) The Digital Multilogue on Fashion Education – The Proceedings. 25 September 2020, The American University of Paris, digital event, online publication. (with Franziska Schreiber)
  • (2020) ‘Mapping Fashion Education: Kontext, Dimensionen und Zukünfte’ in: Design & Bildung. Vol. 3, pp. 118–29. (with Franziska Schreiber)
  • (2020) ‘The Deceptive Mirror: The Dressed Body Beyond Reflection’ in: Fashion Theory. 29 May  (with Lucia Ruggerone) (doi.org/10.1080/1362704X.2020.1766228)
  • (2020) ‘Passing as Fashionable, Feminine and Sane: “Therapy of Fashion” and the Normalisation of Psychiatric Patients in 1960s US’ in: Fashion Theory. Vol. 24(4), pp. 601–637. (doi.org/10.1080/1362704X.2020.1746515)
  • (2019) ‘What Fashion is Not (Only)’ in: Vestoj: The Journal of Satorial Matters. Issue No. 9: On Capital, pp. 55–75. (vestoj.com/what-fashion-is-not-only)
  • (2018) Review of book proposal: Routledge Companion to Fashion Studies. London: Routledge, November 2018.
  • (2017) Dress as Therapy: Working with Dress on the Self in Therapeutic Settings. PhD Thesis, London: University of the Arts London.
  • (2015) ‘Fashion Cultures Revisited: Book review' in: Costume. Vol. 49(1), London: Maney Publishing.
  • (2014) ‘The wetsuit is not fashion: A Conversation with Heidi Julavits’ in: Heti & Julavits & Shapton (eds.) Women in Clothes. London: Penguin, pp. 405–406.
  • (2010) ‘Interview with Jöelle Chariau’ in: Chariau, Jöelle (ed.) Drawing Fashion: A Century of Fashion Illustration. Munich/London: Prestel, pp. 20–23.
  • (2009) ‘Mode’ in: Peretz, Pauline (ed.) New York: Histoire, Promenades, Anthologie & Dictionnaire. Paris: Robert Laffont, pp. 1164–1165.
  • (2008) ‘Symposium Review: The Death of Taste: Unpicking the Fashion Cycle’ in: Fashion Theory Vol.12(2), June, pp. 261–266. (with Ane Lynge)
  • (2008) 'Die zivile Uniform als symbolische Kommunikation: Book Review' in: Costume. Number 42 London: Maney Publishing, pp. 195–196.
  • (2008) 'She Shines' in: Fat. Issue A, pp. 98–103.
  • (2006) 'Erwin Wurm's 59 Positions' in: Fashion in Film Festival. (catalogue), London: FFF, p. 40.

 

Podcasts

Conferences & Lectures

  •  (2021) ‘The Digital Multilogue on Fashion Education 2021: A Conference on Learning and Teaching Fashion in Theory and Practice’ concept, organisation & host of conference, facilitated by The American University of Paris,France, online event, 1–2 October 2021 (with Prof Franziska Schreiber) https://www.aup.edu/conferences/fashion-education
  • (2021) ‘Dress as Therapy: Working with Dress in Psycho-medical Settings – Between Control, Cure, Care and Creative Play’ invited lecture, Central Saint Martins, London, online event, 17 February.
  • (2021) ‘Dress as Therapy: Working with Dress in Psycho-medical Settings – Between Control, Cure, Care and Creative Play’ conference paper, Curative Things: Medicine / Fashion / Art, facilitated by Leeds Arts University, online event, 12 February.
  • (2021) ‘Re-Defining Fashion Culture: From Fast Desires to True Pleasures and Beauty’ panelist, 202030 The Berlin Fashion Summit, 22 January, https://www.202030summit.com/.
  • (2021) ‘Fashion Culture – Think Tank’ invited participant, 202030 The Berlin Fashion Summit, 7 January.
  • (2021) ‘Sweatpants’ radio interview, WDR, Radio Cosmo, 4 January.
  • (2020/1) ‘I love it! Werte/n in der Designlehre’ (‘Values and Evaluation in Design Education’) concept, organisation & delivery of two-day professional development workshop, Berlin Center for Higher Education, Germany, 25 November 2020 & 22 January 2021 (with Franziska Schreiber).
  • (2020) The Digital Multilogue on Fashion Education. Conference, concept, organisation & host of conference, facilitated by The American University of Paris,France, online event, 25 September 2020 (with Prof Franziska Schreiber) https://www.aup.edu/conferences/digital-multilogue-fashion-education.
  • (2020) ‘Fashion Education: Dimensions, Contexts and Futures’ invited lecture, Annual Conference of the Network Fashion Textile, Germany, online event, 26 September 2020 (with Prof Franziska Schreiber).
  • (2020) ‘Fashion in Times of Covid-19: Chanel, Clinical, Creative: Three Face Masks Show the Complexities of Fashion’ AUP Learning Laboratory, Episode 9, 12 May, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiJyyLluJDA (12.5.2020)
  • (2020) organizer of conference: Fashion Education: Learning and Teaching Fashion in Theory and Practice. https://www.aup.edu/fashion-education, 2–3 October 2020, The American University of Paris. (with Prof Franziska Schreiber)

  • (2020) Jury member of the competition ‘Bielefelder Modepreis’ (fashion prize) University of Applied Science, Bielefeld, Germany, 25 January 2020

  • (2019) Hybridity of Method and Theory: Research and Work in the Margins – Fashion & Other Case Studies, co-convenor of research symposium (with Robert Earhart), The American University of Paris, France, 14 November 2019.

  • (2019) ‘Fashion Education Retreat’, professional development workshop & retreat for fashion educators, 30 September–1 October 2019, Gutshof Sauen, Berlin Center for Higher Education, Germany. (with Prof Franziska Schreiber)

  • (2019) Jury member of the competition ‘Transparenz in der Modebranche’ (Transparency in Fashion) Loveco, Berlin, Germany, 26 August 2019.

  • (2019) ‘Lost in Reflection: Clothes, Mirrors and the Self’ paper delivered at: The Annual Conference of the Association for Art History, Brighton, UK, 6 April 2019. (with Lucia Ruggerone)

  • (2019) ‘Fashion Education: Learning and Teaching Fashion in Theory and Practice’ professional development workshop for fashion educators, 1 April 2019, Berlin Center for Higher Education, Germany. (with Prof Franziska Schreiber)

  • (2018) ‘Mode & Diversität: Mehr als nur ein Marketingtrend?’ (Fashion & Diversity: More than a Marketing trend?) member of panel discussion, Ethical Fashion, Prepeek Powered by Fashion Changers, Kraftwerk, Berlin, Germany, 3 July 2018.

  • (2018) ‘Using Foucault’s Technologies of the Self to Analyse Fashion’ New York University, London, 15. November
    2018.

  • (2018) ‘Passing as Fashionable, Feminine and Sane: “Therapy of Fashion” and the Normalisation of Psychiatric Patients in 1960s US’ Passing: Fashion in American Cities, The Courtauld Institute of Art, London, 5. Mai 2018.

  • (2017) ‘In the Land of Mirrors: Vêtothérapie in France. On Forced Forms of Self-reflection and Image-based Notions of a Fashionable Self’ Revisiting the Gaze: Feminism, Fashion & the Female Body. Chelsea College of Arts, UAL, London, 28.–29. Juni 2017.

  • (2009) ‘La Vêtothèque: Dress Therapy in France’ Fashion and Food, Annual Symposium of the Research Centre for Fashion, the Body & Material Cultures. Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), London, 25. Juni 2009.

  • (2008/9) ‘Beyond Espionage: Fashion under Socialism’, Cold War Modern, Friday Late, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 31 October 2008 & British Film Institute Southbank, NFT, 8. Januar 2009 (co-Kuration with Marketa Uhlirova).

Affiliations

  • Member of The International Council of Museums, UK
  • Member of Network Fashion Textile, Germany
  • Member of Culture(s) de Mode, France

Research Areas

  • fashion theory
  • cultural history of fashion (1900–)
  • sociology of dress and fashion
  • fashion and politics
  • sustainability in fashion
  • dress as therapy 
  • fashion education

Awards, Fellowships and Grants

Einstein Foundation grant: € 29408,00 Einstein Circle / team bid

  • (2021–) ‘Fashioning Education’ concept, grant application, organisation of Einstein Circle, facilitated by Berlin University of the Arts, Germany, 1 January 2021 – 31 December 2023 (with Valeska Schmidt-Thomsen & Franziska Schreiber)

 

Civic Media Lab / Mellon Grant: € 4100 conference oragnisation funding

 

Network Fashion & Textiles grant: € 1000 conference organisation funding