For a Thousand Blouses a Day

Serena Ballista & Sonia Maria Luce Possentini

In 1911, the Triangle Waist Company occupies the top three floors of the Asch Building in New York. The company produces blouses and employs around 500 workers, mostly young immigrant women. On March 25th a fire breaks out. The owners save themselves and leave the trapped women and men to die. The fire claimed 146 victims, including 129 young Italian and Jewish women from Eastern Europe. 62 of them died by jumping from windows.

The story of the most disastrous industrial accident in the history of New York, through the voice of one of those blouses who, displayed in a shop window in front of the skyscraper, sees everything and knows everything. Her words shed light on the conditions of exploitation of female workers, but also on the struggles for women’s emancipation.

Awards

Winner of the Bologna Ragazzi Award 2025 (Non-Fiction)

Deeply emotional and personal historical account of New York’s worst ever industrial accident. Evocative storytelling using the garment as a narrative voice to guide the reader through themes of migration, workers’ rights, the oppression of women and the exploitation of human capital. The highly emotive cover image, combined with a poignant title draws the reader in, the artwork combines witness statements, archive references and exploits a graphic novel/picture book format. The expressive, black and white imagery articulates the tragic and painful subject matter, evolving into a beautiful dedication to our heroine Rose.

Special mention at the “Il paese delle donne” award, in the Visual Arts section.

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