Annette Kellerman, the Modern Swimsuit, and an Australian Contribution to Global Fashion
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Second Skin: Annette Kellerman, the modern swimsuit, and an Australian contribution to global fashion by Christine Schmidt M. Des (Fashion & Textiles) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Creative Industries Faculty Queensland University of Technology 2008 Copyright© Christine Schmidt 2008 ii Statement of Original Authorship The work contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted to meet requirements for an award at this or any other higher education institution. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made. Signed: …………………….……………………………. October 6 2008 iii iv Acknowledgements Thanks are due to the many people who generously contributed their knowledge and expertise during the writing of this thesis. Most importantly, I would like to thank John Hartley for his encouragement, insights, and input into shaping both the topic and research design. As the first fashion PhD candidate at QUT, I would like to thank Suzi Vaughan, Portfolio Director of fashion, for her support and advice. The historical component of this thesis is reliant on primary resources, and the library staff at QUT, the Powerhouse Museum Sydney, and the Mitchell Library deserve a special mention. Further archival material was sourced with the assistance of curators and archivists at the Australian National Maritime Museum, the Powerhouse Museum, the Manly Art Gallery and Museum, and the David Jones Archives. Especial thanks to all interviewees who contributed valuable time and memories. My sincere thanks to Fiona Crawford and Arthur Schmidt for their editorial work. And finally, thanks to my family and friends for their love and encouragement. v Abstract The aim of this thesis is to explore the evolution and global dissemination of fashion values, both aesthetic and commercial, in the interfaces between fashion, media, celebrity, sport, and the cultivation of the modern body. In particular, it traces the career of the modern swimsuit, showing how an inventive individual, Annette Kellerman, and a peripheral nation, Australia, influenced the design direction of the swimsuit in the 20th century and beyond to create a distinctly Australian niche in global fashion. Annette Kellerman, an Australian long-distance swimmer, diver, vaudeville performer and silent movie star, was a modern woman shaped for speed. She achieved success across a number of related fields – in fashion, film, sport, and as a role-model for women, encouraging self-motivation and self-development. Kellerman achieved global fame and recognition for popularising the one-piece swimsuit, and for her innovations as an aquatic performer, entertainer, and fitness writer. As a prototypical Hollywood star she prefigured the celebrity culture focused on the body that has predominated since then. Australia has continued to be associated with the values championed by Kellerman. It is also a launching pad for a number of international swimwear and surfwear companies, from iconic brands like Speedo, Quiksilver, and Billabong through to a new breed of contemporary swimsuit designers who tap into fashion trends while maintaining an Australian handwriting. This is exemplified by the Zimmermann and Tigerlily fashion labels. vi This study demonstrates the fluidity of fashion as a result of geographic and cultural influences, and the convergence and cross-pollination between individuals and global currents. Using a combination of historical and archival research, interviews, textual analysis, and the author’s own experience as a fashion designer, this thesis explores the shaping of the modern swimsuit and its eventual incorporation into global high fashion. It shows how a garment and a nation have migrated from the periphery to the centre of international attention by combining popular culture and high fashion to embody the values of modernity for women. vii STATEMENT OF ORIGINAL AUTHORSHIP ................................................................................................ III ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................................... V ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................................. VI TABLE OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................. X 1 OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY .................................................................................................... 19 1.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................. 19 1.2 AGAINST THE GRAIN: AUSTRALIA AND THE SWIMSUIT .............................................................. 21 1.3 VENN DIAGRAM ANALYSIS ......................................................................................................... 26 1.4 THEORIES INTERFACING FASHION ............................................................................................... 35 1.5 A PRACTITIONER’S APPROACH TO ENQUIRY ............................................................................... 38 1.6 RESEARCH DESIGN ...................................................................................................................... 39 1.7 PATTERNMAKING FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES .............................................................................. 40 1.8 FASHION MODEL .......................................................................................................................... 47 2 THE STUDY IN CONTEXT ........................................................................................................ 59 2.1 DESIGN PATTERN ......................................................................................................................... 59 2.2 CUTTING LAYOUT ........................................................................................................................ 60 2.3 EARLY SWIMSUIT HISTORY ......................................................................................................... 61 2.4 THE DYNAMIC INDIVIDUAL ......................................................................................................... 65 2.5 AUSTRALIA AND THE MODERN SWIMSUIT .................................................................................. 73 2.5.1 Individuals: More than One .............................................................................................. 73 2.5.2 Australian Beach Culture: Early Days ............................................................................. 76 2.5.3 Surf Lifesavers ................................................................................................................... 81 2.5.4 Venus de Milo: Beauty and its Measure ........................................................................... 83 2.5.5 The Swimsuit as Fashionable ............................................................................................ 86 2.5.6 Challenge, Racer, Sprinter, Rocket, Champion ................................................................ 90 2.5.7 Castaways and Survivors .................................................................................................. 95 2.5.8 Surfers Paradise: The Bikini Capital of Australia ........................................................... 96 2.5.9 Surf Culture ..................................................................................................................... 101 2.6 SWIMWEAR RESEARCH 2007 ..................................................................................................... 102 2.7 LOCATING THE RESEARCH POSITION ......................................................................................... 104 2.7.1 Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 105 3 METHODOLOGY ....................................................................................................................... 106 3.1 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................... 106 3.2 METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK .............................................................................................. 107 3.3 COMPLETING THE PATTERN PIECES ........................................................................................... 109 3.4 METHOD ..................................................................................................................................... 112 3.4.1 Studio Practice ................................................................................................................ 112 3.4.2 Timeline ........................................................................................................................... 115 3.4.3 Archive Study ................................................................................................................... 118 3.4.3.1 Artefact Research ...................................................................................................................... 118 3.4.3.2 Archival Study – Visual and Literary Sources.......................................................................... 127 3.4.3.3 Oral History and Interviews .....................................................................................................