The Costume Society Symposium in Cardiff, July 2008

What did it mean to me?

 Jane Hattrick (University of Brighton): Student Bursary Award Winner

‘Dress and Performance’ was the perfect forum to present my research on Norman Hartnell’s dress designs for the stage, a hitherto under-examined aspect of the couturier’s work. Being awarded the Student Bursary meant that I could attend the full range of papers over the course of the weekend.

I was impressed with the combination of extreme professionalism, the organisation of the event and the quality of the speakers. The atmosphere of friendliness, support, and the genuine interest delegates had both in each other’s work and in the work of the talented students was inspiring. As the weekend progressed and we shared meals and coffee breaks, conversations revealed a depth of knowledge and experience in so many of the delegate’s lives, which was quite extraordinary.

As the papers progressed on Saturday links between them developed, creating layers of context for my own paper. Sarah Woodcock discussed the complex factors that ‘govern dance costumes’ such as the effects of harsh lighting, sweat, and extreme movement on the garments and the need to omit beaded decoration at the waist on women’s costumes due to the practical problems of partnering. Did Hartnell consider these issues when he designed costumes for the West End revue in the 1940s? Sarah also showed us examples of sketches, making observations that could equally be applied to Hartnell’s sketched designs, addressing issues such as why designers rarely draw the back of the costume and how Oliver Messel reproduced his designs on similar figures posed in the same positions ‘endlessly’, producing his sketches as ‘blueprints for the designer’, not as works of art.

Rosemary Harden discussed the mutually beneficial relationship between Margot Fonteyn and Christian Dior, which could be usefully compared to similar relationships that Hartnell had with the famous actresses of his day, including Gertrude Lawrence. And Peter Farrer’s paper on the early history of the ADC and the undertaking of women’s roles by the young male students at Cambridge presented me with some historical context for Hartnell’s own female impersonation at Cambridge in the 1920s. The discovery that COSPROP holds some Hartnell gowns for Queen Mary in their collection as ‘important documents’ was also an exciting revelation.

Attending this conference enhanced my knowledge of all aspects of costume design for performance from the perspective of the maker, the academic and the curator. These links made between other speaker’s research and my own and the contacts made with so many knowledgeable and encouraging delegates only served to underline how important attending this symposium was for me.

I would like to thank every member who contributes funds to the Society for my Student Bursary, and also to thank Linda Richards as Symposium Co-ordinator and Liz Booty as Student Bursary Co-ordinator. Thanks also to the kind person who covered my travel expenses. Final thanks go to Valerie Cumming, whose recently received personal letter thanking me for my contribution to this year’s symposium underlines for me what a particular special and unique organisation the Costume Society is.