Made in Patriarchy
Made in Patriarchy brings together two key texts by design historian Cheryl Buckley.
In 1986, Cheryl Buckley argued that design history is shaped by patriarchal biases that trivialize, marginalize, or erase women’s contributions. She advocated for a feminist critique that not only challenges these patriarchal frameworks but also shifts the focus away from individual achievements to recognize women’s roles as designers, consumers, and subjects of representation. Buckley revisited the evolution of the field in 2020, reflecting critically on both its progress and persisting challenges while also addressing gaps in her earlier thinking. As Bibiana Oliveira Serpa notes in her foreword, “questioning one’s own worldview is, in itself, a feminist act.” In her essay, Serpa examines the trajectory of the green pañuelo, a crucial feminist symbol, weaving Buckley’s insights into the broader context of Latin American struggles for justice and equality.
An essential read for anyone seeking to rethink design and its histories from the margins.
Bikini Books is a feminist design publisher based in Porto, founded in 2023. We publish critical, accessible, and finely crafted nonfiction at the intersection of cultural history, journalism, and creative writing. We also host regular workshops and events on design politics.
“Feminist” signals our politics to our authors and readers. More importantly, it is a commitment to how we view publishing: as a tool for critical thinking and a care practice supporting sidelined histories and marginalized voices.
“Design” is the field from which we start, but one that we hope to cross and trouble. For us, design is a political practice deeply woven into the material and spatial fabric of everyday life. Changing the present requires fabulating alternative endings and new beginnings. For this, we believe in the power of storytelling.
Written by Cheryl Buckley
Foreword by Bibiana Oliveira Serpa translated by Eloïse Winter
Graphic designer: Tereza Bettinardi
Printing: Gráfica Maiadouro, Porto
11 × 175 cm, 104 pages, softcover
ISBN: 978-989-35859-2-4
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