Unit 8 Furnishings

Unit 6 Technology

Motifs in Fashion

Technological advances throughout the twentieth century allowed media to become more accessible to the masses. With the rise of the golden age of cinema, recognizable icons began to form within pop culture. Regularly referenced in fashion, pop culture relies on technology and its coverage. One example being the 1946 film Gilda, starring Rita Hayworth, remembered for its sex appeal and femme fatale. Within the movie, Hayworth performs a striptease where she removes a single glove. The intensity of the scene established that moment as an icon and forever associated Hayworth with the sexy black garment. The relationship with technology in the audiences’ lives allowed the film to be viewed and understood by crowds who collectively created the glove motif and its meaning. Appearing at the 2019 Met Gala, Violet Chachki wears only black gloves. The perception of the ensemble immediately recalls the sexy and sensual nature of Hayworth, a connection born by the expansion of technology.