Unstitching the 1950s film à costumes

Given the popularity of the film à costumes with
1950s French
cinema audiences, it is surprising how little
attention has been
shown to this genre. Costumes were crucial to this
group of films,
which featured exquisite reproductions of historical
fashions. Yet
despite being a major visual component these
fantastic costumes
and the talented personnel responsible for their
design have
received scant recognition. This book aims to
re-dress this
oversight by showcasing the wardrobes of four costume
designers,
namely Georges Annenkov, Rosine Delamare, Marcel
Escoffier, and
Antoine Mayo. Each designer s costume is undressed
through the
identification of and subsequent methodological focus
on their
signature garment and/or design trademark. Thus, the
corset, the
crinoline, and accessories are explored in order to
determine an
ideological pattern from which the analytical fabric
of this book is
then cut. In so doing, the way in which film costume
speaks as an
independent producer of meaning is uncovered. This
research
should find resonance with anyone interested in film
costume,
historical fashion, and 1950s French cinema.

Autorentext

Dr Jennie Cousins studied Film and French at the University ofExeter. She is currently working as a costume designer and researcher.

Klappentext

Given the popularity of the film à costumes with1950s French cinema audiences, it is surprising how littleattention has been shown to this genre. Costumes were crucial to thisgroup of films, which featured exquisite reproductions of historicalfashions. Yet despite being a major visual component thesefantastic costumes and the talented personnel responsible for theirdesign have received scant recognition. This book aims tore-dress this oversight by showcasing the wardrobes of four costumedesigners, namely Georges Annenkov, Rosine Delamare, MarcelEscoffier, and Antoine Mayo. Each designer's costume is undressedthrough the identification of and subsequent methodological focuson their signature garment and/or design trademark. Thus, thecorset, the crinoline, and accessories are explored in order todetermine an ideological pattern from which the analytical fabricof this book is then cut. In so doing, the way in which film costumespeaks as an independent producer of meaning is uncovered. Thisresearch should find resonance with anyone interested in filmcostume, historical fashion, and 1950s French cinema.