Dressing up the contemporary scene: fashion and patterns in Brazil in the 16th and 17th centuries

Abstract

This research project is the third part of a larger project, which has been developed since 2011 at the University of São Paulo: it is Dressing up the contemporary scene, that at this point receives the subtitle of Patterns and fashion in Brazil in the 16th and 17th centuries. It deals with the identification, creation, modeling and manufacture of Brazilian costumes and fills an important gap in studies on Brazilian costumes - or costumes used here in the different periods between 1500 and 1900 (the phases of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries have already been completed and published). The project is dedicated to the work of the performing arts-notably the creation of theatrical costumes - from more realistic to the most experimental and artistic recreations, including all the variations of performance. In this phase, beyond pattern creation, recreation and sewing of social, military and religious costumes, an important ethnographic approach will be made concerning the costumes of black people (who arrived here from the 16th century on) and Amerindians, who contributed to the Brazilian dressing habits. In addition to the planned publications, such as books and articles, the work ends with an exhibition of costumes opened to the public - physically and virtually - and a new proposal of extroversion of the results is part of the project: the visitor can manipulate internet cameras to approach the costumes of the exhibition and see, at the same time, a detailed work of the costumes on the website of the Núcleo de Traje de Cena, Indumentária e Tecnologia da Universidade de São Paulo. (AU)