How did fashion photography change during ww ii?

After World War II, fashion photography was transformed as a result of changing global contexts. For example, photographer Henry Clarke reflected in his work the changing role of women in society. His portraits showed independent women who controlled the course of their lives.

Fashion photography also highlighted different materials used in clothing. Taking into account that during the time of war there were shortages of raw materials, and some imported products were banned, artificial materials and fibers began to be popularized in fashion trends. The impact of the war was not only seen in the fabric options, but also in the style and silhouette of the clothes.

In the Warner Brothers Archives there is a report about the photographer Henry Waxman, which talks about the pictures taken of girls that were intended to please the men who were part of the military forces. According to studies that the soldiers did not like to see girls For the most part, the boys do not seem to want the girls to be extremely glamorous and make-up, but they preferred those with a natural look as it reminded them of their friends or girlfriends before go to the war.

That sentiment is an idea that Hollywood studio executives and many fashion photographers adopted due to pressures from the War Department and the pressure to make a profit.