Jókai and the national fashion

Dialogue of novel and film in Rudolf Láng’s costume designs

Abstract

In the first part of my study, I deal with the history and spread of national fashion in the 19^th century, paying special attention to Mór Jókai, who, as an acclaimed writer and popular public figure, played an important role in fashion throughout his life. As an influencer of the era, Jókai had a great impact with his appearance and his works. In his novels, we often learn about the attire of his characters through detailed descriptions, thus making the reader’s impressions more complete. I was very interested in how the clothing outlined in Jókai’s novels from the Reform Era, this politically and ideologically complex and culturally rich period, would appear in film adaptations. To what extent did the costume designers remain faithful to the text? To what extent does their work reflect a deep knowledge of the fashion and lifestyle history of the era? In my work, which ultimately focused on the novel A kőszívű ember fiai (The Baron’s Sons) and the film based on it, I was also able to gain insight into the impressive oeuvre of Rudolf Láng.