For a genealogy of the craft of “costume designer” in Portugal. An ongoing gender discussion

Abstract

Talking about cinema and citing only the work of direction, it turns out to be the methodology more chosen by the majority of researchers of Film studies. This method of analysis, of course, is so accepted in the academy that we accept with absolute normality that the majority of the artists who work and have worked in cinema have been and are men (Chaplin, Rossellini, Fellini, Hitchcock, De Oliveira among others). The cinema “Big History”, as we studied it, is based on the great directors who created, materialized and ordered the images in motion that became the great works of the seventh art that we know and analyse. However, there is a whole range of professions, arts and crafts that, in spite of enduring absolute contempt, deal with an overwhelming majority of workers and artists women. For example, in the beginning of cinema, the editing work was relegated to the simple technique of cutting and picking and, in 2020 (Schultz en Cordero-Hoyo et al.) we are sure that the cinema department in Spain and Portugal there are the largest number of women, today, is the costume design (or wardrobe). In particular, in Portugal this art is reduced to a mere technical function with wage consequences and discredit also in terms of its terminology. The negative way that fashion continues to be considered as this universe where only women can dedicate themselves, results in devaluation, absence of emancipating practices and of active participation that has its beginning in the “univocal” way as it has always considered itself the cinema through its “Big History”. Through some study-cases that were covered during the postdoctoral project (in course) financed by FCT, we will focus our attention on gender and feminist surveys that in their stories, costume designers, wardrobe assistants and tailors in Portuguese cinema, covered in interviews conducted in 2017. These stories can change and must change the way we see, study and analyse the great history of cinema.

However, there is a whole range of professions, arts and crafts that, in spite of enduring absolute contempt, deal with an overwhelming majority of workers and artists women.

For example, in the beginning of cinema, the editing work was relegated to the simple technique of cutting and picking and, in 2020 (Schultz en Cordero-Hoyo et al.) we are sure that the cinema department in Spain and Portugal there are the largest number of women, today, is the costume design (or wardrobe).

In particular, in Portugal this art is reduced to a mere technical function with wage consequences and discredit also in terms of its terminology.

The negative way that fashion continues to be considered as this universe where only women can dedicate themselves, results in devaluation, absence of emancipating practices and of active participation that has its beginning in the “univocal” way as it has always considered itself the cinema through its “Big History”.

Through some study-cases that were covered during the postdoctoral project (in course) financed by FCT, we will focus our attention on gender and feminist surveys that in their "little stories", costume designers, wardrobe assistants and tailors in Portuguese cinema, covered in interviews conducted between 2017 and 2018.

These little stories can change and must change the way we see, study and analyse the great history of cinema.