Mid-century Modern
First Class “Duck” Suite, Courtesy of the Conservancy’s Mark B. Perry Collection.
After World War II, the United States was a nation set to embrace modernism. While the world at-large was rebuilding after a devastating war, America was settling into a new normal that included a unique outlook on economy, technology, and the future of globalism. Where the economies of many countries abroad suffered greatly, the United States saw an economic upturn, leading to more people identifying as middle-class than ever before. Amidst this change a design style appeared that echoed the American ache for cool modernism. With clean lines and simple, yet futuristic, designs, the Mid-Century Modern style encompassed the American outlook of stepping into a new and prosperous era.
War called for enhanced production of materials and often had factories working 24/7 to meet necessary demands. World War II not only led to increased industrial production, but it also saw the invention and use of newer materials and technologies such as nylon, polyethylene, the radar, and fiberglass. With the post-war need for materials slowing down, manufacturers saw an opportunity to reinvent production to serve a new, improved, and most importantly modern market. Thus, the materials invented to make wartime efforts quickly transitioned into serving a new American consumer market. Modernism was not a new design concept in post-war America, but its popularity and public consumption skyrocketed when it became clear that it was synonymous with a new direction for American economic growth. With the pliability of these materials came sleek lines and organic designs; with new technologies like the radarange (what we know now as the microwave) came a faster and almost futuristic approach to old chores. From art and technology to interior design, a relatively new practice, Mid-Century Modern style was ubiquitous, especially among the growing middle class. Women in particular gained traction in the arts and design in this mid-century period, as consumers as well as designers.
Women and Mid-Century Modern
Cabin Class Smoking Room, featuring Dorothy Liebes Harlequin Curtains. Image Courtesy of the Conservancy’s Mark B. Perry Collection.
During World War II, women were called upon to step into new, professional roles in order to maintain production. This led to women securing a new purchasing power and made them a crucial driver of the American economy. With the end of the war, middle-class women largely found themselves relegated back into the role of homemaker, a change reflected in the market. Advertisements of the 1950s and 1960s linked home appliances to progress, such as the sleek KitchenAid or efficient Microwave, and these pitches targeted women in particular. Ads suggested that these items gave “power” back to the housewife by saving her time while cooking for her family. By targeting ads to women and not invoking women in ads geared toward men it is suggested that the middle-class housewife had a sense of agency when it came to the specifications of her home.
During this time period, the field of Interior Design was solidified. Design, specifically Mid-Century Modern design, was important to the visual identity of a prosperous nation and who better to spearhead the industry than homemakers themselves? In her article, “Pathmakers: women in craft, art, and design mid-century and today,” curator Jennifer Scanlan writes that “men might have been the architects, but celebrated weavers such as Dorothy Liebes clothed the interiors; their work provided the focal points and was not simply relegated to the background.” While this new direction in design made way for many women, specifically those who could afford specialized training, the world of interior design also catered to a specific socio-economic status: the middle class.