Langholm Made artist Emma Dove has assembled a programme of short films, spanning 1945 to the present day, which observe and celebrate the roles played by women across the weaving and textile industries in the UK and worldwide - from mill workers to garment makers, ‘waulkers’ to home menders, hand weavers and textile recyclers.
‘infinite hands’ brings together films from the British Film Institute’s ‘Textiles on Film’ collection, paired with contemporary films from the UK, Myanmar and India. Together they explore themes of labour, industry and mechanisation, camaraderie and teamwork, shifting attitudes, gendered roles and worker’s rights, material culture, fast fashion, recycling, industrial decline and overseas labour.
Further information about the film programme available here
↓ Click the tabs on the right to read a description of each individual film below ↓
Although the 'infinite hands' film programme is no longer available, this film can also be watched here
In this 1960s newsreel piece , a woman models the iconic 1960s miniskirt around the city-centre streets of Plymouth. Differing attitudes towards this bold fashion statement of the time are caught on film. Opinions and prejudices are revealed, not only in the reactions of passers-by, but also in the making of the film itself - as tellingly, the miniskirt model herself is never given a voice. She is there only for the eyes of others. Male observers seem to mostly react according to their own opinions or in consideration of the practicalities, “it looks lovely, I should imagine it’s rather drafty though,” - whilst the women react according to their own modesty, or from a consideration of the male gaze, “My husband wouldn’t like it as short as that” - “Would you though?” - “No! I like to leave a little to the imagination.”
Popularised by Mary Quant, miniskirts took the fashion world by storm in the sixties and defined the era. In the 50s, short skirts were seen as items of dance or sports’ clothing or worn by film actresses. But by the 60s many women were expressing themselves politically and through new freedoms such as the way they dressed.
This film is also available via BFI Player's ‘Textiles on Film’ series
- Year1966
- Runtime4 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited Kingdom
- RatingPG
- NoteThemes: newsreel, public opinion, fashion, changing attitudes, popular culture, young people, women’s bodies, sexism
- DirectorArchive newsreel from the programme library of Westward Television / TSW (Television South West)
Langholm Made artist Emma Dove has assembled a programme of short films, spanning 1945 to the present day, which observe and celebrate the roles played by women across the weaving and textile industries in the UK and worldwide - from mill workers to garment makers, ‘waulkers’ to home menders, hand weavers and textile recyclers.
‘infinite hands’ brings together films from the British Film Institute’s ‘Textiles on Film’ collection, paired with contemporary films from the UK, Myanmar and India. Together they explore themes of labour, industry and mechanisation, camaraderie and teamwork, shifting attitudes, gendered roles and worker’s rights, material culture, fast fashion, recycling, industrial decline and overseas labour.
Further information about the film programme available here
↓ Click the tabs on the right to read a description of each individual film below ↓
Although the 'infinite hands' film programme is no longer available, this film can also be watched here
In this 1960s newsreel piece , a woman models the iconic 1960s miniskirt around the city-centre streets of Plymouth. Differing attitudes towards this bold fashion statement of the time are caught on film. Opinions and prejudices are revealed, not only in the reactions of passers-by, but also in the making of the film itself - as tellingly, the miniskirt model herself is never given a voice. She is there only for the eyes of others. Male observers seem to mostly react according to their own opinions or in consideration of the practicalities, “it looks lovely, I should imagine it’s rather drafty though,” - whilst the women react according to their own modesty, or from a consideration of the male gaze, “My husband wouldn’t like it as short as that” - “Would you though?” - “No! I like to leave a little to the imagination.”
Popularised by Mary Quant, miniskirts took the fashion world by storm in the sixties and defined the era. In the 50s, short skirts were seen as items of dance or sports’ clothing or worn by film actresses. But by the 60s many women were expressing themselves politically and through new freedoms such as the way they dressed.
This film is also available via BFI Player's ‘Textiles on Film’ series
- Year1966
- Runtime4 minutes
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited Kingdom
- RatingPG
- NoteThemes: newsreel, public opinion, fashion, changing attitudes, popular culture, young people, women’s bodies, sexism
- DirectorArchive newsreel from the programme library of Westward Television / TSW (Television South West)