The Revenge of the Bra. Seamstresses' Bodies in the Lingerie Industry (1968-2012)
Type de matériel :
45
The bodies of female lingerie workers in France between 1968 and 2012 offer a heuristic vantage point from which to address several levels of analysis and timescales. As producers as well as potential consumers, these women workers are at the intersection of a double movement: on the one hand, their bodies at work deconstruct the intimate nature of the bra; on the other hand, they are exposed on a daily level to the brand image, which they eventually incorporate. Indeed, company magazines may display the bodies of female workers, while company strategy is often to call on the assistance of workers in product design, as well as drawing on their feedback as potential consumers. The intimate nature of the object produced may explain the attention female workers pay to their bodies, some even turn to plastic surgery. Nevertheless, in the protests against industrial plant closures, women workers sought to reduce fetishism surrounding bras through actions that involved rendering visible the products of their work.
Réseaux sociaux