La madame de la maison du 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles: An exploration into the costuming of sex workers in film

<p dir="ltr">This thesis examines the tropes and stereotypes associated with the costuming of sex workers in film by analysing the costuming of a film that contradicts these archetypes. This is Chantal Akerman’s 1975 Belgian film, Jeanne Dielman 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles.</p><p dir="ltr">This analysis involved examining the costuming in Jeanne Dielman… (1975) as it was presented to the audience, comparing the film with two counterpart films in the sex work canon, and contrasting the film’s initial promotional materials in juxtaposition with sexual advertisements of the time. Additionally, I consulted with various texts and academic sources to further support my findings.</p><p dir="ltr">The culmination of this research exemplifies the incongruous nature of this film against accepted stereotypes, as established and maintained by other media contemporary to the film’s release. These findings indicate that despite instinctual, cultural, and societal restrictions placed on the portrayal of sex workers, a successful outlier can emerge that defies these expectations and becomes a cornerstone of the canon.</p>