Fashion (often) reflects historical developments. How important do you think clothes are to social change?
We can use them to read social developments very clearly. They reflect their time. This is especially visible in the case of women’s fashion. With the new governance structures in the 19th century, for example, women began to join the labour force. They combined items of clothing because the custom-made, coordinated outfits were too expensive and impractical. With the white blouse, they adopted the white shirts worn by men. The development of the middle class was also a turning point for men as the emphasis on superficial fashion details became less important. They saw themselves as breadwinners for their families, concentrated on their careers and put less thought into their fashion, moving to suits.
Clothes often have a communicative function. How do they communicate?
Essentially, I have to consider fashion in the cultural context and the time period in question. I am always part of a social group and have the choice: am I conforming? Do I also present myself as belonging to this group, including externally? Or am I breaking with the norm? Moving away from the standard is and has always been a statement. In the past, it has often been women who have done so, for example by wearing trousers. Adopting this male item of clothing and the attack on their position of power that this entailed was a cry for change.
“Practical clothing that is easy to change always represents a new sense of independence and body image.”
Dr Maren Härtel, Frankfurt Historical Museum
How can materials help us understand technical progress?
Very clearly! Cotton is a prime example here. At the start of the 19th century, as textile processing moved from manual to machine production, it became THE most important material. Machine processing increased production, which in turn democratised fashion. Clothing became cheaper, and everyone could afford to change their outfits. This changed purchasing habits and led to the emergence of department stores and demand for clothing sizes. Another turning point came at the start of the 20th century with the invention of synthetic fibre, which was available in greater quantities and so was cheaper. The end result of this development is fast fashion.
What is the historical significance of Frankfurt as a fashion location?
Frankfurt has a long and special tradition in education for the textile and fashion sector. The German Clothing Academy was established in the 19th century. In addition, many top positions in workshops at the time were held by women, which is where Frankfurt differed from other cities such as Berlin. Women can be identified in important positions in the industry at an early stage, sometimes as part of a married couple or with their siblings, but nonetheless their names are clearly linked to textile and fashion production.
What makes the Historical Museum’s textile collection stand out?
With over 16,000 individual objects, it is a large collection and very demanding in terms of storage. It means that we can excellently trace the historical development of clothing habits in Frankfurt and the region with items from each decade, starting in the Middle Ages. We also have an unusual focus: underwear. The museum established a considerable collection with studies on underwear long before this was the norm, and it is benefiting from this now.
What fascinates you about your work as a textile curator?
We house many objects from history. But no object is as close to people as clothes. You can feel that there was life in them, that the person changed. In a sense, you can feel the traces of life in clothes, that is really special and what fascinates me.
Thank you for the interview!
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