MODE OP DE BON
THE STORY.
When it comes to World War II, fashion is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, despite all the difficulties, many people tried to look fashionable. During the German occupation, there were even fashion shows of luxury clothing in the Netherlands. But the war caused a major shortage of textiles and clothing stores became increasingly empty. Yet fashion did not stand still. The scarcity even led to the development of a new style.
The exhibition Mode op de Bon (translated to Fashion on Coupons) in the Resistance Museum Amsterdam was about the textile shortage during World War II and how this led to a new fashion image. Dozens of garments show how fashion changed during the war and how women's ingenuity came in handy. Suits made from altered men's suits, sweaters made from dog hair and wedding dresses made from parachute material, nothing was too crazy. The exhibition was supported by films that were shown throughout the exhibition.
THE PRODUCTION.
The exhibition films required their own form and approach. In a studio, Studio IOIA created enormous set pieces that symbolized patterns of clothing. Part of them were green screen, so that archive films could be projected in the studio in a playful way. The films were shot in portrait mode (upright), so that they would fit better in frames between the objects in the exhibition space. By using a lot of archive material, the presentation texts and studio objects really came to life.
My role
Director, script writer and editor
Release
September 2019
Length
9 x 3 minutes
Film location
the Netherlands
Year of production
2019
Commissioner
Resistance Museum
Production house
Mals Media
More info on
verzetsmuseum.org
Those with little material have to be clever. During the war, there was a lot of improvisation. For example, you can make a beautiful dress from flour sacks. And because there was almost no sheep's wool left, sometimes they resorted to dog hair for sweaters and scarfs.
THE EXHIBITION.
