Textile Designing for the Festival of Britain 1924-2020

When you hear the term ‘Mid-century design’ it may conjure images of Le Corbusier’s Brutalist architecture, Marcel Breuer’s ‘Wassily’ chair, or George Nelson’s clocks, but why do we often hear less about the women of this period?

In stark comparison to the eighteenth-century where women students and practitioners were not permitted entry into art and design institutions, post-war Britain saw a surge in the success of women artists with the emergence of well-respected creatives like Ray Eames and Lucienne Day.

Whilst access to the industry was improving, societal expectations and patriarchal prejudice continued to be obstacles to success. My grandmother’s story exemplifies this.