Dress c. 1940

This dress design was created by Nancy Crimi, who lived from 1855 to 1995. It's rendered simply with pen and ink on paper, common materials, yet it evokes a world of immense labor and textile production. Looking at the drawing, you can imagine the dress coming to life. The profusion of ruffles, the fitted bodice, the elaborate bustle—all suggest a garment requiring hours of skilled needlework. These details speak to the social context of the late 19th century, when fashionable dress demanded meticulous craftsmanship. Although it is only a design, we know that someone, or more likely several people, would have spent long hours to create the real thing. We might consider how clothing like this reflects the broader dynamics of labor, class, and consumption. Crimi’s design is a reminder that even seemingly frivolous objects are embedded in material processes and social relationships. By attending to these, we can deepen our understanding of design and its place in the world.