We start an exciting new project for March: designing costumes for William Shakespeare's famous tragedy: Romeo and Juliet, but will change the historical context to a different time.
Romeo and Juliet (film, 1996)
I chose the period of the American Civil War, which erupted from long-term tensions and disagreements over life and politics over a century. People and politicians of the northern and southern states clashed with each other over the issues that ultimately led to the war: economic benefits, cultural values, power of the federal government, and especially slavery in American society.
Some conflicts and differences in culture, politics, and lifestyle can be resolved peacefully through diplomacy, but slavery is the big issue that not among them. And the deep conflict between the two families will take place from here. The Romeo family belongs to the Union, and the Juliet family belongs to the confederate. The Union is located in the North - where the states have all abolished slavery - they demand and support the deprivation of slavery. A big reason for that is because the economy in the North has improved and developed, relying more on industry than on agriculture. Poor refugees can now work in factories with low wages, thus reducing the need to use slaves. Meanwhile, the southern economy was mostly dependent on agriculture due to favorable soil and weather conditions, so they needed slaves to work in white-owned plantations.