Migration and Fashion: Lithuanian Emigrant Women and Their Daughters in France, 1940s–1970s

Acta Academiae Artium Vilnensis

Abstract

The article, “Migration and Fashion: Lithuanian Emigrant Women and Their Daughters in France, 1940s–1970s,” is part of a larger research project based on the art dissertation titled “Secrets of the (Un)Collected Collection: Reflection, Interpretation, and Contexts of Daily Life in the Clothing of Lithuanian Women from the 1940s to the 1970s.” It serves as a comparative study alongside narratives of Lithuanian women’s clothing from the same period described in the thesis. The article offers insights into the lives and everyday clothing of six Lithuanian women who resided in France during the mid-20th century: Ugnė Karvelis (1935–2002), Živilė Bačkis (1938–2022), Elena Jankauskienė (1887–1979), Angela Masiulienė (1912–1974), Elena Turauskienė (1906–1986), and Caroline Nendrė Paliulis (born 1949). Its aim is to explore the evolution and cultural significance of the clothing of Lithuanian women who lived in France in from the 1940s to 1970s in the context of shifting political, economic, and cultural landscapes, to present the biographies of the above-mentioned women, as well as to compare the cultural situation of clothing in Lithuania and Paris in the given period. Drawing upon social culture theory, which posits that clothing reflects historical realities and social contexts, moral convictions and aesthetic tastes, the research compares the experiences and attire of six women from different generations with those of Lithuanian women residing in their homeland during the same period, as well as with the broader culture of clothing. The study is rooted in oral history and extends beyond the 1940s-1970s timeframe. The article is structured chronologically, with each section dedicated to one of the featured individuals, starting with the eldest, Elena Jankauskienė, and concluding with the youngest, Caroline Nendrė Paliulis.