Sewing and Smoking
May 31, 2018 § 3 Comments
Detail, Virginia Slims advertisement, 1975.
Today is World No Tobacco Day. Here’s a look at a Virginia Slims ad that ran in Vogue Patterns magazine.
The mid-’70s ad—with the famous You’ve come a long way, baby slogan—contrasts the fashionable, contemporary Cheryl Tiegs with the Edwardian “Mrs. Florine Knauff,” caught smoking during a fox hunt. Along the lower left-hand side, the caption reads, Fashions: Vogue Patterns.
Virginia Slims advertisement in Vogue Patterns, January/February 1975.
Doesn’t Tiegs’ green dress look a lot like Emanuel Ungaro’s goddess gown?
Vogue 1135 by Emanuel Ungaro (1974)
The popular design was reissued in 2001 (as V7521).
A handful of ’70s Virginia Slims ads credit Vogue Patterns, most notably this Yves Saint Laurent couture pyjama, as worn by Beverly Johnson:
Virginia Slims advertisement, 1973. Image: Stanford Research into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising (SRITA).
Vogue 2912 by Yves Saint Laurent (1973) Image: Paco Peralta.
There were even promotional Virginia Slims sewing kits. This one contains FDR-made upholstery needles:
Virginia Slims needle pack cover. Image: Etsy.
Virginia Slims needle pack. Image: Etsy.
Click the Beverly Johnson ad to learn more about SRITA, Stanford’s tobacco advertising project.
Gnyuki Torimaru (Yuki): Style Patterns
May 19, 2018 § Leave a comment
Diana, Princess of Wales, wears Yuki to a banquet hosted by Emperor Hirohito in May, 1986. Image: Pinterest.
Gnyuki Torimaru, or Yuki, is most famous for dressing Princess Diana on her 1986 state visit to Japan. But his licensed sewing patterns date to the year before.
Born in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, Gnyuki Torimaru (b. 1937) studied architecture in Chicago before settling in London, where he attended the London College of Fashion. He launched his own label, Yuki, in 1972, after stints at Norman Hartnell in London and Pierre Cardin in Paris. (For more, see Suzanne Kampner, “Out Goes Majolica, In Goes Nothing.”)
Image: Vintage Fashion Guild.
Visitors to the Boston Museum of Fine Art can see his blue, pleated gown and other designs in the museum’s extensive Yuki collection.
Gown by Gnyuki Torimaru. Image: Boston Museum of Fine Art.
Torimaru made his name in the 1970s with his draped jersey gowns. Jerry Hall’s cream Yuki gown, seen on the cover of British Vogue and in Barry Lategan’s editorial, “Dare the Ritz,” has a hem that doubles back as a hood. The Boston Museum of Fine Art has a silk version; model-turned-actor Gayle Hunnicutt donated her carnation version to the V&A.
Jerry Hall wears Yuki on the cover of British Vogue, July 1976. Photo: Barry Lategan. Image: Pinterest.
Hunnicutt wore two Yuki pieces in her 1973 British Vogue editorial. The second, low-backed gown is carnation jersey, cut in one piece. She later wore it to a ball at Windsor Castle.
Gayle Hunnicutt in Yuki, British Vogue, October 1973. Photo: Henry Clarke. Image: Pinterest.
Gayle Hunnicutt in Yuki, British Vogue, October 1973. Photo: Henry Clarke. Image: Youthquakers.
Yuki also designed the costumes for Frank D. Gilroy’s romantic comedy Once in Paris… (1978), which starred his client, Hunnicutt.
Embed from Getty ImagesStyle Patterns’ earliest designer series includes two Yuki designs. Both dresses, one a voluminous one size fits all, showcase his trademark draping.
Style 4489 by Yuki (1985)
Misses’ Dress in Two Lengths: Dress is gathered from yoke. Draped sleeves are raglan. Opening is button loops. All edges are topstitched. Suggested fabrics—Fine silk or synthetic jersey, lightweight silk types, lightweight crepe types, crepe de chine, georgette. One size.
Style 4490 by Yuki (1985)
Misses’ Dress in Two Lengths: Dress has fitted under-bodice with draped front and back, which is gathered on padded shoulder and forms fluted sleeve. Skirt is slim with centre back split on full length version. Suggested fabrics—Fine silk or synthetic jersey, lightweight silk types, crepe types, crepe de chine.
Click the Style Patterns tag for more British designer patterns.
Yuki gown featured in Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950 (V&A, 2012) Photo: David Hughes. Image: The Cut.
Pertegaz 1918-2018
May 18, 2018 § 3 Comments
Pertegaz (Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, 2004) Model: Laura Ponte. Photo: Antoni Bernad. Image: The Cary Collection.
Manuel Pertegaz was born on this day in 1918. Paco Peralta asked me to contribute to his post for the designer’s centenary; see it here.
Suzy Parker wearing a coat by Pertegaz, Vogue, March 15, 1954. Photo: Henry Clarke. Image: Condé Nast.
Rosa Real, made-to-measure Iberia flight uniform by Manuel Pertegaz, 1968. Image: Iberia.
Moyra Swan wears a Pertegaz caftan gown in the Alhambra, Vogue, October, 1968. Photo: Henry Clarke. Image: Condé Nast.
Patterns in Vogue: Where There’s Sun There’s Silk
May 13, 2018 § Leave a comment
Detail, British Vogue, May 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton. Image: Youthquakers.
A mid-1960s Helmut Newton editorial features a leopard and a Vogue pattern.
The model on the right wears Vogue 6468’s beach coverup in white guipure from Ilo Lace. (Left: blue mini dress by John Bates at Jean Varon; Paco Rabanne earrings.)
British Vogue, May 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton. Image: Youthquakers.
For the full editorial see Youthquakers.
Vogue 6468 (1965) Image: Etsy.
Summer 2018 Designer Pattern Highlights
April 15, 2018 § 11 Comments
A look from Guy Laroche Spring 2017. Image: vogue.com.
The new designer patterns for Summer 2018 play with texture and special fabrics. Lace, seersucker, matelassé, waffle georgette, even a laser-cut textile makes an appearance.
Vogue’s summer cover look is by Nicola Finetti.
Vogue 1587 by Nicola Finetti, Vogue Patterns lookbook, Summer 2018. Image: McCall’s.
The matelassé cocktail dress with shaped hemline and flounce sleeves is from Nicola Finetti Fall 2016.
Vogue 1587 by Nicola Finetti (2018) Image: McCall’s.
Finetti also showed a longer, front-zip version of V1587. Just trim down the A-line skirt and add a midriff panel:
Nicola Finetti Fall 2016. Images: Not Just A Label.
This season’s backless showpiece is by Adam Andrascik for Laroche: a long-sleeved dress with front bodice drape and slim, layered skirt. Use a semi-sheer fabric for the full effect.
Vogue 1589 by Adam Andrascik for Guy Laroche (2018) Image: McCall’s.
The original is textured silk georgette in a chartreuse-tinged shade of La La Land yellow.
Guy Laroche by Adam Andrascik, Spring 2017. Image: vogue.com.
Andrascik showed two takes on the backless V1589 dress. (A famously backless, ’70s Guy Laroche gown is a perennial inspiration for today’s Laroche designers. French actor Mireille Darc’s gown, worn in the 1972 comedy Le grand blond avec une chaussure noire, also informed Hilary Swank’s Oscar dress.) Here, the V1589 dress is seen backstage:
Backstage at Guy Laroche Spring 2017. Image: Guy Laroche/Instagram.
On a black, sleeveless version, bead chains dangled from silver appliques:
Guy Laroche by Adam Andrascik, Spring 2017. Image: vogue.com.
Judging from the pattern number, the second Laroche may have been delayed from Vogue’s spring release. From Marcel Marongiu, it’s a long-sleeved dress with contrast collar, cuffs, and curved contrast panels in front and back.
Vogue 1577 by Marcel Marongiu for Guy Laroche (2018) Image: McCall’s.
Revered American designer Claire McCardell was the inspiration for Marongiu’s last collection for Laroche. The V1577 dress was shown both long-sleeved and sleeveless:
Guy Laroche by Marcel Marongiu, Spring 2015. Image: Guy Laroche.
Guy Laroche by Marcel Marongiu, Spring 2015. Image: Guy Laroche.
As a grey and white coat dress, it swaps the button placket for jumbo exposed zippers:
Guy Laroche by Marcel Marongiu, Spring 2015. Image: Guy Laroche.
Marongiu’s shift dress version, with giant paillettes, was featured in the Laroche advertising campaign by Steve Hiett. Hiett also photographed the V1589 dress for Spring ’17:
Guy Laroche Spring 2015 by Marcel Marongiu. Images: Guy Laroche.
New from Rachel Comey: the Popcorn dress. The Comey staple is shown in Spring 2017’s seersucker.
Vogue 1585 by Rachel Comey (2018) Popcorn dress. Image: McCall’s.
The pullover dress works for both solids and prints—even print-mixing with contrast skirt inserts. The current version is black rayon.
Rachel Comey’s Popcorn dress, 2017. Image: Rachel Comey.
In her Spring 2007 collection, presented at the Altman building during New York Fashion Week, Comey showed the dress both loose and belted.
Rachel Comey Spring 2007. Images: ELLE.
Backstage at Rachel Comey Spring 2007. Photos: Randy Brooke/WireImage.
A closer look reveals the print-mixing. There are only two prints here, with one, reminiscent of Biba’s famous banana print, in three colourways:
Rachel Comey Spring 2007. Images: firstVIEW.
The Summer patterns include two lace looks from Rebecca Vallance: a cutout dress and the Dolce Vita jumpsuit. (There’s one dress left at the Outnet.) The Dolce Vita is a cropped, wide-leg jumpsuit tied with grosgrain ribbon:
Vogue 1591 by Rebecca Vallance (2018) Image: McCall’s.
The jumpsuit is from Rebecca Vallance Summer 2016.
Rebecca Vallance Summer 2016. Image: Rebecca Vallance/Instagram.
Simplicity’s latest from Cynthia Rowley is a flounce-sleeved lace dress with two neckline variations. Choose from off the shoulder or scoop neck.
Simplicity 8599 by Cynthia Rowley (2018) Image: Simplicity.
Rowley presented her Spring 2017 collection in a “feathered snow globe” at her West Village townhouse. (See WWD.) As photographed by frequent collaborator William Eadon, the S8599 dress is layered, maximalist-style, under an appliquéd satin smock:
Cynthia Rowley Spring 2017. Photo: William Eadon. Image: vogue.com.
The original dress had a contrast back bodice:
Seeing designers’ alternate looks for the Spring/Summer pattern designs, it’s striking how Vogue no longer provides variant views in their designer line, whereas for Simplicity, it’s built in to the business. But armed with reference photos, it’s easy to transform a design.
Nicola Finetti Fall 2016. Photo: Marissa Alden. Model: Morven MacSween. Image: Nicola Finetti/Instagram.
The Gathering of the Clans
April 6, 2018 § 1 Comment
The Gathering of the Clans, McCall’s Pattern Book, Fall 1956. Illustration: Sydelle Hall.
In honour of Tartan Day, a mid-century schoolgirl in the Royal Stewart tartan.
Pattern: McCall’s 2083.
