American Style — Season 1
This is what we're made of.
About this season
An examination of how America’s changing style through the decades has mirrored the political, social, and economic climate of the time. Using archival footage and interviews with fashion experts and cultural figures, the series highlights the most iconic moments from fashion and pop culture, giving audiences a front row seat to the runway of American history.
Episodes (4)
1. War Boots to Work Suits (1940s-1950s)
Aired 13 January 2019 • 43 min
Exploring style in the 1940s and 50s, how World War II and Hollywood helped create America’s own fashion identity, and the introduction of new trends including the bikini and zoot suit.
2. Born to Be Wild (1960s-1970s)
Aired 13 January 2019 • 43 min
Exploring the style of the ‘60s and ‘70s as the youth culture comes into its own, and fashion, like politics, goes to extremes.
3. Material World (1980s)
Aired 20 January 2019 • 43 min
The Reagan presidency ushers in a new era of optimism which leads to extravagance, excess and eventual greed. Brands capitalize on the spending while Wall Street capitalizes on the public. In the urban centers, marginalized communities are finding new ways to express themselves that will forever change American identity.
4. 21st Century Vogue (1990s-2010s)
Aired 20 January 2019 • 43 min
As the millennium draws to a close, fashion pushes back against the excess of the 80s and women make strides in the workplace and the media. In the 2000s, a new decade brings a brave new world in the form of the internet and social media, drastically changing almost every aspect of American life and identity.