Farewell to Emanuel Ungaro, one of the great couturiers to emerge from the twentieth century.
Read his Vogue obituary.
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In memoriam: Emanuel Ungaro
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A Good Day for Tartan
In honour of Tartan Day, a Sixties Vogue Special Design for coordinates, shown in what looks to be the Munro tartan.
Alba gu bràth!
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Free Designer Pattern: Mary Quant Georgie Dress
As part of its recent Mary Quant exhibit, the V&A shared a pattern for an early Quant design. The Georgie dress dates to the Bazaar days, before Quant’s deal with Butterick.
The V&A’s Georgie dress— purchased new in Truro, Cornwall — is striped cotton lined with cotton batiste.
As Quant’s archive shows, the dress was also available in taffeta-lined chiffon as the Rosie, in black, pink, or jade.
The Georgie pattern was developed from Quant’s original by London’s Alice & Co Patterns, a mother and daughter team with a connection to the museum: the younger generation, Lilia Prier Tisdall, works there as a costume display specialist.
The dress has a surplice bodice, three-quarter sleeves, pleated skirt, and sash belt. For the original’s lively, reverse stripe effect, cut the skirt on a different grain than the sleeves and bodice.
The pattern gives detailed instructions, including for the pleated trim.
Download the Georgie dress pattern. (Instructions here.) The pattern has 7 pieces, arranged in 3 formats: A0, A4, and US Letter. Test square included to check scale.
Size: Two size ranges, UK 6–16 and 18–22
Yardage: 4m (4.5 yds) of 45″ fabric, 1m (1 1/8 yds) lining
Recommended fabrics: Soft cotton, cotton blends, or glazed cotton.
Seam allowance: 1cm (3/8″)
Notions: 56 cm (22″) flat zipper, interfacing for belt.
Notes: Skirt, frill, and belt pieces are to be drafted.
Click here for more instalments in my Free Designer Patterns series.
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In memoriam: Kenzo Takada
Farewell to the singular Kenzo Takada, pioneer of the prêt-à-porter.
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In memoriam: Stella Tennant
In memory of Stella Tennant, 1970–2020.
Read her British Vogue obituary.
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In memoriam: Pierre Cardin
Farewell to Pierre Cardin, the great futurist, couture iconoclast, and lifestyle brand pioneer.
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Vogue Pattern Book Centenary
Did you know? The first issue of Vogue Pattern Book was published in 1920, making 2020 the hundredth anniversary of Vogue Patterns Magazine. Bonus points if you know that the original title was Vogue Pattern Quarterly.
Happy new year, everyone! All the best for 2021.
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Libération at 50
Yves Saint Laurent’s landmark Spring 1971 haute couture collection, Libération, is 50. For more on the designer’s Libération collection, see my 2015 post here.
Saint Laurent unveiled the collection in Paris on January 29, 1971. Licensed Libération patterns were available from Vogue the next season, photographed by the late Frank Horvat.
The Libération dress pattern was also seen in this textiles ad:
But the most popular of the two designs was the signature suit. Gianni Penati photographed the pantsuit, made up in black velvet, at the Richard Feigen Gallery in New York.
Saint Laurent’s smoking, reenvisioned as as an embroidered evening jacket, even made the cover of Vogue.
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In memoriam: Alber Elbaz
Farewell to Alber Elbaz, the beloved designer for Guy Laroche, Saint Laurent, and Lanvin.
Read his New York Times obituary.
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PatternVault 10th anniversary!
The PatternVault blog is ten! That’s a whole decade of writing about fashion, fine sewing, and the venerable tradition of paper patterns. If you’re curious about where it all began, check out my 2011 series on Alexander McQueen sewing patterns.
Yes, I’m still busy with the campaign to save the beautiful, historic St. Giles church here in Hamilton, Ontario. If you’re like me and you value historic buildings — or are concerned about the climate impact of demolition — you can sign the petition HERE.
As we leave the worst of COVID behind us, there is talk of a postpandemic boom, a new prosperity along the lines of the Roaring Twenties. (See Peter Coy, “The 1920s Roared After a Pandemic, and the 2020s Will Try,” and Dhara Ranasinghe, “Back to the future: 2020s to echo roaring 20s or inflationary 70s?“)
Will fashion follow suit? Sarah Burton’s Fall ’21 collection for McQueen features a new robe de style, reminiscent of Lanvin’s Colombine. (See top of post; on the Lanvin gown see my Selvedge article).
As savvy collectors and long-standing readers of this blog will know, the craft of home-sewn couture flourished in the 1920s. The decade saw the first issues of Vogue Pattern Book and the launch of McCall’s earliest couture patterns.
What do you think? Is it time for a couture sewing renaissance?
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Paco Peralta 60
Paco Peralta would have been 60 today. Peralta died in 2019, just after his 57th birthday.
On his birthday, I’m reflecting on the legacy of the late, great Barcelona couturier who gave so much to the sewing community.
Happy birthday, Paco — you’re in our thoughts today.
Paco Peralta: Vogue Patterns | In memoriam: Paco Peralta, 1962–2019 | VISIBLE feat. Paco Peralta
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Dracula 125
Happy World Dracula Day! Today is the 125th anniversary of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Here’s a roundup for #Dracula125.
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My posts on gothic or vampire-inspired sewing:
- ’90s OMG! (Oh My Goth)
- Anna Sui: Vogue Patterns, Part 1 – including Fall 1997 “goth” collection
- Season of the Witch: Gothic Patterns
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In memoriam: Issey Miyake (1938 – 2022)
Farewell to the brilliant Issey Miyake, who brought many a sewing adventure to dressmakers.
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Fire and Blood: A House of the Dragon pattern
The Saturnalia begins today. Since ancient Rome was one of George R.R. Martin’s inspirations for Old Valyria, the Targaryen homeland, here’s a costume pattern inspired by House of the Dragon.
Costumes for HBO’s big-budget Game of Thrones spinoff were designed by French costume designer Jany Temime. An early collaborator of Alfonso Cuarón’s, Temime is best known for her work on the Harry Potter and James Bond films.
McCall’s dragon appliqué is a hint that its 2022 cape costume pattern is inspired by Rhaenyra Targaryen (ancestor of Daenerys).
Temime’s Targaryen costumes include several stunning dragon-embellished pieces:
Embellishment bonus: Did you know that Game of Thrones embroiderer Michele Carragher has a book out? Read more at her website.
Read all my posts on GRRM-inspired sewing:
- Daenerys Targaryen Costume
- Quaithe of Asshai – Vogue 2014 by Givenchy
- Preview: Lyanna Stark Costume – McCall’s 6940
- Lyanna Stark Costume – McCall’s 6940
- Game of Thrones Costume Patterns
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Neo-Egyptomania
The tomb of Tutankhamun was rediscovered in November, 1922, making 2022 the centennial of all things King Tut. Yet as an early McCall transfer pattern shows, Neo-Egyptomania was already underway:
“Egyptian Design for Dress Trimming” (McCall 1039) dates to spring 1920, but was still being advertised three years later, explicitly referencing the King Tut trend.
In summer 1923, Anne Rittenhouse wrote, “Ancient Rome as well as ancient India supplies inspiration for the figurations you should put on your clothes. The famous mosaic design found on marble tables and on floors in Italy has crept upward to our gowns. Straight bands of it are used in what is known as spinal decoration, also for skirt hems and sleeves. If you do not like to omit Egyptian embroidery, which appears to be the Twentieth Amendment to the Fashion Constitution, use the lotus flower rather than Tut’s guardians of the tomb…” (“Embroidery Everywhere,” McCall News, Aug. 1923)
Contemporary fans of Egyptian embellishment can find a reproduction of the 1920s transfer on Etsy. Happy New Year!
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In memoriam: Mary Quant (1930 – 2023)
Farewell to the legendary Mary Quant, a true fashion revolutionary. The influential British designer and lifestyle brand pioneer died earlier this month, at the age of 93.
Read the designer’s Vogue obituary. (New York Times obituary)
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Year of the Dragon
This McCall’s leaflet illustrating “the Chinese influence” on fashion is 100 years old. The copy shown here originates from the E.W. Edwards & Son department store in New York.
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