Dress c. 1936

Editor: So, this drawing from around 1936, simply titled "Dress" by Jean Peszel, is rendered in coloured pencil. The layered skirt gives it such a sense of volume! I'm curious about the context surrounding this design. How do you interpret this work? Curator: As a materialist, I find myself drawn to the implied labour involved in realizing this design. The colored pencil rendering simulates the look of delicate lace, demanding incredible skill. Consider the actual making of such a dress. What class of people would have been wearing this dress, and what level of domestic worker labor would be required? Editor: That's interesting, I hadn't considered the socio-economic implications. So, it's not just about aesthetics but also about class and labour? Curator: Precisely! We can analyze the shift dress's place in society during that time period and the means by which it was constructed. Even a "simple" dress has an embedded history of labor, materials sourcing, production methods and the material circumstances of its wearers. This drawing then becomes an entry point into considering these production realities. Who benefits from this creation? Editor: So, this colored pencil drawing, seemingly just a design sketch, actually opens up a window into broader social and economic structures. Thanks so much for offering a view that takes material circumstances as its analytical center! Curator: It's essential to challenge the hierarchy that often places "art" above "craft." This work, as a fashion design, disrupts that binary by forcing us to acknowledge the human element of the "means of making". I'm glad to have helped.