Charlotte Flemming

The main focus of the archive acquired from Charlotte Flemming in 1990 comprises around 1500 costume designs, carried out predominately in pen-and-ink and gouache. In these drawings, Flemming created more than just the garments. She sketched the protagonists’ characters with consideration of the actors’ personalities. Her designs often contain details that link the stylish present with the historical past, creating a sense of familiarity between the cast and the audience. Among the holdings are nine annotated work scripts, ranging from simple plastic folders containing felt pen sketches to bound examples with richly detailed coloured gouaches. Correspondence and drawings have been preserved from her productions with Ingmar Bergman (‘Das Schlangenei’/‘The Serpent’s Egg’, FRG/USA, 1977; ‘Aus dem Leben der Marionetten’, FRG, 1980), in which Flemming documented the work of the actors and the breaks between shoots. Alongside fashion and film magazines with texts about Flemming, costume records for continuity, calculations, and filming plans are part of the collection, as are around 200 black-and-white photos and some 50 colour photos of her work on the film set ,or taken during costume fittings, parties and at exhibition openings showcasing her work. (Text: Vera Thomas)