Girl's Dress 1935 - 1942

Curator: This delicate fashion sketch is entitled "Girl's Dress," attributed to Virginia Berge, created sometime between 1935 and 1942, rendered in pencil. What strikes you first about it? Editor: The colours! That bright red plaid pattern pops right off the page. It evokes… well, for me it’s Christmases past, tartans under the tree. But there's also a stiffness to the presentation. It’s not exactly playful. Curator: Indeed. Berge's handling of plaid is interesting. Beyond mere decoration, plaids, particularly in garments, are often used as identity markers, aren't they? They whisper of heritage and belonging. Editor: Absolutely. In the 1930s, there was a huge revival of interest in traditional dress, ethnic costumes, if you will. You see it reflected in design trends, particularly anything associated with ideas about childhood innocence. A girl dressed this way is positioned, idealized in relation to notions of idealized purity and belonging. Curator: The artist certainly took her time with the rendering of this particular textile. Each line seems deliberate. Does the fact that this is a drawing, a design concept and not a finished product, affect the impact of its symbolism, do you think? Editor: Yes and no. The sketch allows the artist to amplify elements that might get lost in the fabric. Look at the way she layers trim over trim along the shoulders and hips of the dress. The layering almost reads like armor! Is that playful defense, or is it protecting vulnerability? That’s what resonates most for me. Curator: Berge captures this dual nature brilliantly. I came thinking just little girls dresses in plaid; but after discussion I sense, there's so much to discover and connect here! Editor: Precisely. A humble pencil drawing can unlock doors to identity, to cultural heritage, to even more nuanced understanding around visual cues within textile culture and traditions of clothing itself. What's more inspiring than that?