Cinema and the Consumer

1915 marked the birth of a nation. It also marked the beginning of narrative film and the classic hollywood film. Prior to the twenties, films were much shorter. Looking back in history, film originated in France and similarly the centre of fashion began in Paris as well. So how do two of America's biggest economies (fashion and film) share a relationship that reveals explicit links to consumerism?

Elsa Schiaparelli once said - "What Hollywood shows today, you will wear tomorrow". Hollywood created consumption as we know it today - creating desire, power and potency; gaining consumerism (Eckert). This is very important, especially since early signs of this date back to the twenties and thirties - and we still see the same thing today. It is fair to say that the vital roles of costume will stand the test of time for as long as film exists.

Costume creates a narrative; it tells a story describes a character, takes us on a journey with the character  and their rises and declines within the plot. Costume is also about spectacle; the pleasure of looking, being captivated. It is about desire, line, colour, mass, texture, repetition, silhouette, revealing and concealing. Finally, costume reflects socio economic factors of the time; it reflects shifts in social fabric; it denotes consumerism.

Classic hollywood film allowed bourgeois society to gain access to the latest Parisian fashions.  An interest in fashion was a motivation to go to the movies. Now we have magazines, internet, television and other social mediums to inform us about fashion. We are saturated by the media. Back then, Hollywood fashion was a consumer guide to new fashions (Berry). In the twenties and thirties, people caught on very quickly to the idea that Fashion could be used as a marketing tool in film to fuel new consumer economies - which would also create lead on effects to similar and also new fashions.

Women associated themselves with Hollywood stars by finding common personality traits within themselves. They were also taught (by Trade magazines and the likes) to immerse themselves in a character and perform the roles - dress the part, act the part - a total performativity.

Fashion Types were prescribed upon women in the world of consumption. Mrs. Consumer could be Cleopatra (the exotic), Theodora (the romantic) or Joan of Arc (the leader) (Story,1930). Hollywood stars were labelled as fashion types and consumers would then attain to the roles that described that personality. For example, Ginger Rogers (athletic), Katherine Hepburn (boyish), Kay Francis (sophisticated), Janet Gaynor (ingenue), Norma Shearer and Marlene Dietrich (romantic).

Some interesting Spin-Offs linked to film and the consumption of fashion:

1916 saw the explosion of the functional work outfit which became a staple in every New York Typists wardrobe after the film What happened to Mary 1912.

Our Dancing Daughters 1928 saw households copy aspects of built sets to aspire to the American Dream House - venetian blinds, ornaments, lighting, an art deco modern style as seen in the film.

Costume Designer ADRIAN's costume designs for Letty Lynton 1932 and Queen Christina 1933 were sent by MGM to New York manufacturers to copy.

I think what is interesting is that from looking at early patterns between fashion and film and the 'spin-off' effect, clothing was and has further become a catalyst for social behavior. Costume did and still does provide signals to assist in this idea of 'star emulation'. It is a vehicle for psychological identification to adopt a set of fashion and behavioral codes. (Berry)

Hollywood endorsed fashions encouraged women to role play - connected to both imaginative activities and conscious use of fashions social semiotics (Berry). Whilst in the early stages of film, the relationship between fashion and film was often prescribed onto women, nowadays some could argue that it provides  an outlet for self discovery rather than image management and the performativity of social status - monetarized and calculated personalities (George Simmel).

What I am interested in looking at is the working class character and desire for upward mobility in social circles. For example, in the 1937 film The Bride Wore Red, clothing is used as a masquerade; it is all about performance and acting like a lady; the desire for freedom. What social signals do these heroines reveal in classic hollywood films that have later had an effect on the consumption of fashion. What is their behaviour? What is their dress? What is their environment? What do they use to propel themselves forward in society and how?

This is what I plan to look at in my essay....stay tuned.

H O L L Y W O O D   &   P A T T E R N S 

O F   G L O B A L   C O N S U M P T I O N

EARLY FILM:

The Nickelodeon Theatres were of Europe and America, over 100 years ago. They showed short films about paris fashions and current modes.'

The only magazines at the time were Vogue and Harpers. Only the elite had access to these. Middle class women watched films. Cinema was a form of magazines.

What I found interesting from Pamela's lecture was that the early film moguls began their lives in the garment industry.

Early film was silent, until 1927. With silent film you needed spectacle! - To inform the characters and assist the narrative.

1920s/1930s:

- Growth of department stores, chain stores

- Women were starting to be seen as breadwinners

- Mass production

- Synthetic Fabrics

- Planned obsolescence - desire for change

- Democratisation of fashion through cinema

Film Fashionland 1930s: Magazine with patterns to copy the looks of the stars

Link: http://popelegantiarum.blogspot.com/2009_10_01_archive.html viewed 21 June 2011

SPECIFIC COSTUME PROBLEMS:

- Line

- Texture

- Lighting

THEORIES OF CONSUMPTION:

Jennifer Craik - the allusion of choice - Hollywood assists

Veblen - conspicuous consumption. The new rich of America

Featherstone - dreams, desires and the emotional pleasures

Sarah Berry - assists women in accessing various social worlds. Idealised self-invention. Carve out a career. Rags to riches. Emphasising the pleasures of consumerism and social performance.

1940s:

Practicality in clothing became essential because of the war. Utility wear. Femme Fatales.

Edith Head: the only female costume designer. Started in the 1920s. She was the head of costuming at Paramount. She won 8 oscars. Some key looks she produced: Dorothy Lamour in Jungle Princess (1936) in a sarong - 'orientalism'. Elizabeth Taylor in A place in the Sun (1951) in a white strapless gown. 1939 Chanel's gypsy collection.

AFTER THE WAR:

Dior said people wanted romanticism after the 2nd world war and utility.

CONTEMPORARY SYNERGY:

The Oscars ceremony is the most effective showcase of the fashion industry.

Fashion magazines and photographers regularly allude to the cinema

Celebrities/Film Stars sit in front rows of fashion shows and appear in high profile advertising campaigns, directed by leading film makers.
     - Baz Luhrmann, Wong Kar Wai, David Lynch

G O N E   W I T H   T H E   W I N D

Link: http://garethrussellpopular.blogspot.com/2011/04/gone-with-wind-1939.html accessed 21 June 2011

This wonderful epic is very much a story of survival. The main character Scarlett, although spoilt and slightly arrogant is really likable. She beholds a sense of harmless cluelessness in her character which is why you cannot help but want to help her.

What I found really interesting and quite worrying about this film was the attitude towards race. There is black slavery in the film.

However, what is nice is that Hattie McDaniel (Mammy) won an Oscar for her role. Her role could be considered as a very credible part for a black actor at the time.

The costume in this film is very much at the heart of assisting the classic hollywood narrative. I felt that in this film, this was more important than using the costume as spectacle. However, interestingly Vivien Leigh's beautiful dresses seemingly fueled bridalwear consumption etc at the time. This perhaps could have more-so been a direct cause from the 'spectacle' of the fashion.

Unfortunately, didn't get to see the end of this film, but it's definitely on the to do list! Amazing movie.