Shirt c. 1937

Virginia Berge made this shirt drawing with graphite on paper. The work offers a glimpse into the processes of design and garment construction. Berge’s lines carefully outline a dress shirt, complete with a meticulously rendered placket and buttoned cuffs. The flat, frontal presentation and the inclusion of a rear view suggest this is less a portrait of a particular shirt and more a technical study, perhaps for a pattern or catalog. Consider the labor involved in producing such a garment, from the cultivation of cotton to the spinning of thread, the weaving of fabric, and the careful cutting and sewing required to assemble the final product. Berge's drawing reduces this complex chain of production to its essential form, inviting us to consider the social and economic forces that shape our material world.