At 22:41 11/08/2005, you wrote:
I'm not snapping, simply trying to point out that film makers are not making films to educate people about historic costuming.
I am well aware of this - after all I do work for the industry here in England.
Your customers do need to either realize films are not primary sources.
But when films and TV are promoted as "authentic", and many of them are, how can they realize that what they are being shown is incorrect? They are not immersed in costume detail as we are. My private customers are often ordinary people who happen to like to wear the clothes that are appropriate for the period they are involved with. Many of them do historical dance, but do not research the clothing. For example, I was recently asked to copy a dress worn by Gwyneth Paltrow in "Shakespeare in Love" as it was what the lady liked and would be authentic, as it was in a film. She belongs to a dance group specialising in Elizabethan/Tudor dances. The rest of her group looked at portraits of the period and chose from them, but this charming lady didn't know. We solved her problem by finding a woodcut which she liked, and are working from that.
Or accept and enjoy having something they like that is not "authentic," which is also perfectly valid.
That is a different thing, and one I try not to get involved with, as it doesn't suit the way I work - purely a personal decision. I am really picky, and that is why incorrect clothing irritates me so much - it is so easy to get it right. There are books a-plenty - heaven knows I have worked on five with a well known costume maker, and written three myself, and you publish many for use by the general public and film/TV designers alike, Fran.
Anyway that's my hobby horse, and I'm getting saddle sore, so I'll climb down now.
Suzi
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