Beauty Regimes: A History of Power and Modern Empire in the Philippines, 1898-1941

This talk will draw from Genevieve Clutario's new book, Beauty Regimes, which traces how beauty and fashion in the Philippines shaped the intertwined projects of imperial expansion and modern nation building during the turbulent transition between Spanish, US, and Japanese empires. Clutario's work moves through vivid scenes of beauty’s collision with empire: from sartorial confrontations between white women and Filipinas about beauty and power, the spectacular Manila Carnival Queen pageants, and the global industry of Philippine embroidery and lingerie to Manila’s high fashion designers and the exploitation of unfree labor in colonial prisons and schools.