A 1940s Sears Catalog Comes to Life - with AI Video Animation

Get ready for a trip back to the 1940s! We've used an AI video generator ( powered locally on a single PC) to breathe new life into a vintage Sears catalog, animating the classic styles and history of the era.

Mum used to tell me about my Gran and her love of Sears catalogs. She'd say, "When I think of your Gran in the 1940s, she called it her 'big book of wishes."
Every season, a thick, glossy Sears catalog would arrive in the mail. Mum said that Gran lived for the dresses with their tailored waists, the blouses with their delicate pleats, and the smart, structured suits paired with boleros that promised a future of sophistication. Gran believed in a well-dressed life, and the catalog was her direct line to it.

During the war, there was a shortage of nylons. Gran, ever the strategist, saw it coming." The war was taking everything from civilian life, and nylon turned out to be a key material for parachutes and ropes. She heard whispers about it being rationed and wasn't going to be caught unprepared. Before the government could announce the shortage, she went through her catalog and ordered as many pairs of nylon stockings as she could afford. Several boxes arrived, a treasure trove that Gran stacked carefully away. While our neighbors were using liquid makeup for their legs and painting lines to simulate seams, Gran had her secret stash. Mum said she was a pragmatic patriot, but she wasn't going to let the war take away her sense of style. Those stockings were her one glamour item during the war years.
For most American women, my Gran too, it was a ‘Make Do and Mend‘ culture. Women recycled, repurposed, and continuously reinvented their existing wardrobe. It was a time of resourcefulness. We would do well to learn from our Grans.

Mum said that even after the war, Gran continued getting Sears catalogs. When she was a little girl, Mum would sit on Gran's lap, and they'd flip through them together. She’d show her the new dresses with their full, swirling skirts and tiny waists that required the right girdle underneath. They’d pore over pages of accessories like felt hats with small veils, smart spectator shoes, and sensible pumps. It was a shared world of wishes, a game they played together, planning out the life they wanted, page by page. While Gran dreamed of a new kitchen, my Mum would trace the pictures of the dolls, the bicycles, and the little girls' dresses.

Gran and Mum have passed on, but I still have some of those Sears catalogs. They're fragile, their pages yellowed and soft. When I open one, I'm not just looking at old clothes. I'm seeing Gran's personality reflected on every page she earmarked. This was her rebellion against hard times, her quiet way of dreaming of a better future. It’s a gift, a glimpse into her world, passed down through the pages.

Laura Rushmore

Using deep learning techniques, these old worn Sears photographs have come to life quite wonderfully. I'm still not 100$ with AI animation but I find it hard to to agree that image to video animation has its moments. If you're a fan of women's fashions of the 1940s, I hope this video is to your liking.