Becoming Annie: When Film Costume and Fashion Converge

Abstract

The practice of adapting screen costumes has existed in various forms throughout film history, most recently manifesting itself as limited edition licensed clothing lines. In this paper, I examine the production and consumption of screen costumes adapted for the retail fashion market using the case study of Renée Ehrlich Kalfus’s Annie for Target collection, based on her costumes for Annie (2014). Kalfus learns to negotiate seemingly conflicting identities while acting as “costume” and “fashion” designer simultaneously. Although the collection was made for children, the marketing capitalized on parents’ nostalgic attachment to Annie. The clothes allowed young consumers to appropriate the visual identity of fictional characters for their own self-expression through everyday cosplay. I draw on a personal interview I conducted with Kalfus, advertising and marketing materials, and Annie for Target consumer reactions gathered from social media pages, YouTube videos, and blogs. Through a visual and discursive analysis of these materials, I explore the process of costume adaptation and how both producers and consumers engage with film through clothing.

Keywords:

• everyday cosplay
• film costume
• costume design
• identity
• fandom

Notes

1. The ecommerce page for the Star Wars by Her Universe BB-8 Dress can be viewed on the Hot Topic website: https://www.hottopic.com/product/star-wars-by-her-universe-bb-8-dress-plus-size/.

2. This information is based on an interview I conducted with media fashion designer Catherine Elhoffer on February 28, 2016. Having worked at fan fashion company WeLoveFine and freelanced for Her Universe, Elhoffer was able to offer insight into the process of adapting someone else’s costumes for the retail fashion market.

3. Geek fashion company Her Universe, among others, offers a range of Star Wars and Avengers-related merchandise. Alfred Angelo’s 2015 “Disney Fairy-Tale Weddings” bridal collection included a Frozen-inspired gown.

4. Natalie is one of several “Fangirls of the Day” chosen by Her Universe. Many others showed similar preferences for characters in their responses, which can be viewed on the Her Universe blog: https://blog.heruniverse.com/meet-fangirl-day-natalie-w/.

5. Trendhunter.com has also noted this shift from celebrity to character, particularly in relation to clothing style: https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/character-emulation.

6. James Castonguay (2016) wrote about this trend in his chapter on “The Modern Entertainment Marketplace: 2000–present” in Adrienne L. McLean, ed., Costume, Makeup, and Hair. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

7. The full text of the petition is available here: https://www.change.org/p/target-remove-the-target-annie-in-store-ads-if-you-cannot-show-better-diversity-in-all-of-your-stores.

8. The full letter is available here: https://www.change.org/p/target-remove-the-target-annie-in-store-ads-if-you-cannot-show-better-diversity-in-all-of-your-stores/u/9183666.

9. Sutherland’s post can be found on her blog: https://www.pooppeepuke.com/?pp=20993.

10. Clark’s post can be found on her blog: https://losangelesstory.blogspot.com/2014/11/friday-finds-annie-for-target-band.html.

11. Fan scholars have been acknowledging the mainstreaming of fandom since at least 2006, when it was the focus of the “Watching Television Off-Television” panel, organized by Henry Jenkins, at the Flow conference. Jenkins discusses the panel in a blog post from November 30, 2006: https://henryjenkins.org/2006/11/when_fandom_goes_mainstream.html.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lauren Boumaroun

Lauren Boumaroun is a PhD candidate in Cinema and Media Studies at the University of California-Los Angeles. Her research focuses on costume design and the relationship between clothing, culture, and identity. She is also interested in viewer psychology and cinema therapy. She is currently writing her dissertation on the cultures of production and fan cultures surrounding everyday cosplay.

[email protected]