Eleganz und Revolution. Das Wechselspiel zwischen technischen Neuerungen und Strumpfmode im Deutschland des 20. Jahrhunderts

Abstract

Stockings often receive attention from research only at a late stage when examining the materiality of fashion. However, the study of these objects presents various avenues for exploration: the material and technical processing define the product as such, while consumption aspects refer to advertising promises and the use of stockings in fashion (and everyday wear). The interplay of technical and fashion-historical aspects renders stockings a compelling subject for clothing research. The State Textile and Industrial Museum in Augsburg houses an extensive collection from the legacy of the German fine hosiery industry of the 20^th century. This object-focused investigation presents historical stocking artifacts from various decades, exemplifying the development of stocking fashion and its interplay with clothing trends. The starting point is the specific material and the technical production of the stockings, along with their implications for the appearance and marketing of the product. Key objects of the study include a natural silk stocking and a synthetic silk stocking from the early decades of the 20^th century, a heavily repaired stocking from the 1940s, one of the first nylon stockings from the experimental production of the Elbeo company, a pair of stockings made from Chinchilla fabric, and a luxury pantyhose by Yves Saint Laurent.