AShift
During the 1970s, films shifted toward gritty realism. Glamorous, expensive, period pieces were a thing of the past. Their extensive uniform stock kept Western relevant during this time, making them indispensible, even for contemporary productions. They also outfitted the many variety shows that were popular during this time, like The Julie Andrews Show. Several of the studios sold off their costume departments, and as they did, Western bought them up, storing overflow in annexes around Hollywood. Fortunately, while many studios sold off their production libraries or raised the price of access, Western maintained theirs—albeit with a staff of one as opposed to five, as in the past—as a low-cost resource for designers and costumers. Made-to-order departments also faced issues of understaffing because of an increasing scarcity of talented artisans. Golden looked to Europe and South America to find qualified technicians like seamstresses, tailors, and milliners. After the wigmaker retired, the position went unfilled; the leather shop closed for years because there was no one qualified to fill the position.
