Suit 1894 - 1896

Curator: This textile work is a "Suit," crafted sometime between 1894 and 1896 by James McCreary and Co., N.Y., now residing here at The Met. Editor: What strikes me immediately is the verticality of its design. The use of lines, shapes, and how the colour highlights that linearity – a certain... austerity, even? Curator: I find the severe vertical lines fascinating when considered against the social backdrop of the late 19th century. This silhouette reflects the rigid social expectations placed upon women, where appearance and demeanor were tightly controlled. The high neck, the cinched waist – all speaking to societal constraints. Editor: Absolutely. If we focus on form, the sharp contrast between the deep velvet of the sleeves and bodice, contrasted by these more subtle textural shifts created in the skirt through changes in direction of the fibers draws the eye to a certain compositional drama between luxury and constraint. Curator: Precisely! The opulent velvet juxtaposed with the simpler skirt creates a fascinating dichotomy. Is this a symbol of access but also inaccessibility for those who could not afford such lavishness in dress but were dictated to by these changing fashionable aesthetics? Is there something to be said, perhaps, for this tension representing the constraints and expectations placed upon a woman of that time, class divisions, social stratification? Editor: A possibility. Semiotically, the skirt, while plainer, adds this undeniable element of groundness. Its soft folds catch the light just so. Almost echoing light rippling water; that can either offer refuge and reflect, or is capable of drowning? But maybe I’m searching too hard! Curator: Perhaps. But isn't that the joy of engaging with objects like this? The textile holds a history beyond just its aesthetic appeal, speaking volumes about its wearer, their place in the world, and the structures they operated within, while leaving so much unknown. Editor: True. By exploring materiality and formal composition, we can access subjective narratives in a very objective and visceral sense. Curator: Exactly. Objects like this serve as potent reminders of fashion as both a reflection of and a participant in the shaping of society.