Pattern for Spats 1935 - 1942

Curator: This is a fascinating study: Emery Herrett's "Pattern for Spats," likely created sometime between 1935 and 1942. It's rendered in pencil on paper. Editor: My first impression is a sense of delicate precision, almost architectural. The composition, the meticulous lines… it feels very structured and analytical. Not necessarily what one would expect from fashion. Curator: Absolutely. The formal arrangement of shapes – geometric forms really - takes precedence over the functionality of the final object, wouldn't you say? Notice how the negative space interacts with each delineated form, creating a sense of balance. Editor: I wonder, looking at it through the lens of design history, about the societal role these spats would have played. Spats as markers of class, formality... what statement were people making by wearing them during that period? Was Herrett commenting on that? Curator: That’s certainly an intriguing aspect to consider. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, the varying line weights give depth and suggest dimensionality. But these sartorial diagrams remind me that design, while visually appealing, always has practical, social, and political undertones. Editor: Exactly. This piece might reveal a dialogue between utility and artistry in design education at that time, hinting at an industrial impulse shaping artistic endeavors, with its methodical arrangement that prioritizes the efficiency and structure of garment production, it seems almost as important as artistic expression itself. Curator: Very insightful! And consider this as well: Even in something seemingly utilitarian, there's such elegant economy of line. Each mark contributes to the whole; nothing is superfluous. I do believe this invites the observer to contemplate the potential and intrinsic order underlying practical creation, as it bridges pure aesthetics with everyday existence. Editor: Seeing beyond just a guide for spat construction—thinking about socio-cultural nuances. It makes you consider how much fashion can speak. Fascinating!