Constraint and desire for elegance are the contradictory meanings inherent in the apparel of the 1940s in Northern America and Great Britain, where wartime severity was balanced with a renewed feminine independence and an urban pursuit of self-refinement. In that decade sizes were invented, pairing style with industrial needs. A similar confluence of luxuries and restraints appears in contemporary Hollywood productions, perpetuating a well-established practice of integration of media and consumer culture. This is the case of Robert Zemekis’ film Allied, which recomposes a tension not only between voluptuousness and stern rigidity but also between exclusiveness and popularity. The film’s imaginary of the 1940s nostalgically resolves these conflicting motives drawing on a collective memory of the historical Hollywood star that amalgamates the narrative with purchasers’ behaviours reflecting the vintage mood. This allows a domestication of the star’s exuberance and seals Hollywood stars’ preeminence in the face of the inflation of celebrities and the multiplication of celebrity meaning.
Celebrity and Vintage. The 1940s Seen Through Size and Style in "Allied"
Sara Pesce
2019
Abstract
Constraint and desire for elegance are the contradictory meanings inherent in the apparel of the 1940s in Northern America and Great Britain, where wartime severity was balanced with a renewed feminine independence and an urban pursuit of self-refinement. In that decade sizes were invented, pairing style with industrial needs. A similar confluence of luxuries and restraints appears in contemporary Hollywood productions, perpetuating a well-established practice of integration of media and consumer culture. This is the case of Robert Zemekis’ film Allied, which recomposes a tension not only between voluptuousness and stern rigidity but also between exclusiveness and popularity. The film’s imaginary of the 1940s nostalgically resolves these conflicting motives drawing on a collective memory of the historical Hollywood star that amalgamates the narrative with purchasers’ behaviours reflecting the vintage mood. This allows a domestication of the star’s exuberance and seals Hollywood stars’ preeminence in the face of the inflation of celebrities and the multiplication of celebrity meaning.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
