The imagined worlds of the cinematic mise-en-scene are rich with textiles: fabrics drape over sets, serve as props, and develop mood and character as dress and decor. A much-needed examination of the cultural and emotional impact of textiles as mediated through cinematic technology, Textiles on Film broadens our understanding of the dynamic relationship between fabric and film. Drawing on scholarship across multiple disciplines and exploring a wide range of films-from lesser-known avant-garde films to big-budget Hollywood productions-this book will inspire scholars and students of film, fashion, and textiles. Close readings of on-screen textiles redirect meaning to that which is often overlooked, including depictions of gender expression, behind-the-scenes labor, and architectural and bodily ornamentation. Attentive to the social nuances of fabrics from polyester to velvet, and to the physical qualities of the textiles themselves, Becky Peterson unearths new possibilities for reading media and textile cultures.

The first critical survey of the use and representation of textiles in film

About the Author
Becky Peterson is a writer and scholar who lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Her interdisciplinary work on textiles, dress, and material culture has appeared in various publications, including Textile: A Journal of Cloth and Culture and Habits of Being: Accessorizing the Body.


Book Information
ISBN 9781350026551
Author Becky Peterson
Format Hardback
Page Count 208
Imprint Bloomsbury Visual Arts
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC