Fashioning Socialism by Judd Stitziel
Fashioning Socialism is the first history of communist fashion in East Germany. Using clothing as a lens to read society, the author unveils wider tensions between the regime and the population and within the regime itself.In telling the surprising - and often bizarre - story of communist haute couture, fashion shows, seasonal clearance sales, the textile and garment industries, and everyday consumer practices, this book explores the paradoxical causes, forms, and consequences of East Germany's attempt to create a communist consumer culture during the Cold War. In attempting to compete with capitalism on the West's terms, East Germany unwittingly bred disgruntled consumers - consumers who ultimately tore down the Wall. Topics covered include gender and consumption, Americanization and Sovietization, women as consumer-citizens, and much more.A rare glimpse into consumerism under state socialism, this book offers unique insights into the Cold War, the dynamics and collapse of communism, and modern consumption.
'A fascinating and highly original study touching on two of the central goals of the East German socialist project: to improve the material living standard of working people, and to nurture a new and distinctive 'socialist culture'This is a major contribution to the study of everyday life under state socialism that shows in compelling detail how the economic and political structures of the East German command society both shaped and were shaped by the desires of ordinary people.' Corey Ross, University of Birmingham and author of The East German Dictatorship: Problems and Perspectives in the Interpretation of the GDR'Stitziel's great accomplishment in this well-researched book is to offer a multi-dimensional analysis that treats fashion as both a cultural phenomenon and a productive concern. He intertwines this cultural and political history with a fascinating discussion of what the textile-and-garment industry produced and which wares did (and did not) sell. A most impress
Judd Stitziel received his Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins University and has taught at Cornell and Wesleyan Universities. He is currently an independent scholar based in Washington, DC.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781845202828 |
| ISBN 10 | 1845202821 |
| Title | Fashioning Socialism |
| Author | Judd Stitziel |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |
| Year published | 2005-08-01 |
| Number of pages | 272 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |