Dress c. 1939

Editor: Here we have Jessie M. Benge's "Dress," created around 1939. It's a mixed-media piece incorporating drawing and textile, it appears. I am struck by how much it resembles a costume from a historical drama. What’s your take on this piece? Curator: Looking at the materiality of this "Dress," it's not just about aesthetics, but a document of labor. The visible layering and collage techniques highlight the process of design and construction. Consider the economic conditions of 1939. Do you think the materials used – the textiles and the paper – might speak to resourcefulness during a time of economic constraint, before mass textile productions took over? Editor: That’s a great point! The visible drawing aspect feels almost like a blueprint, highlighting a practical purpose more than pure artistry. The contrast with modern "fast fashion" is pretty stark, where the making of something isn't particularly evident in the final form. Curator: Precisely. By revealing the process, Benge confronts the traditional hierarchy of art and craft, asking us to value the labor and skill involved in producing even a garment design. The garment may allude to the "ethnic design." How might the dressmaking industry intersect with immigration and global trade routes? Editor: It almost makes the design into a celebration of those intersecting global influences through fabric production. Looking at it this way, it definitely seems like more than just a dress design! Curator: Exactly. Benge encourages us to look past the final product and consider the means of production, the cultural context, and the human effort embedded within this "Dress." Editor: Thank you. I’ll never see fashion design the same way again!