1940s – PatternVault

1940s, 1980s, 1990s, Current trends

Blade Runner, Fashion, and Sewing Patterns

October 6, 2017September 1, 2018by Sarah Sheehan4 Comments

Blade Runner-inspired Vogue Italia cover photographed by Steven Meisel, March 1998 — Eugenia Silva wears Prada on the cover of *Vogue Italia*, March 1998. Photo: Steven Meisel. Editor: Bill Mullen. Image: The Fashion Spot.

Blade Runner 2049, Denis Villeneuve’s much-anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, opens today. Here’s a look at the fashion references and influence of the 1982 cult classic. (For Blade Runner’s influence on current fashion and an interview with costume designer Renée April, see Booth Moore, “‘Blade Runner 2049’ Already a Hit on the Fashion Runways.”)

Ryan Gosling in Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 (2017) — Ryan Gosling in *Blade Runner 2049* (2017) Image: Stephen Vaughan/Warner Bros.

Mugler Angel perfume ad, 2003 — Thierry Mugler “Angel” fragrance advertisement, 2003. Image: eBay.

Blade Runner’s BAFTA-winning costume designers, Charles Knode and Michael Kaplan, cite 1940s film noir, with its iconic characters like Humphrey Bogart’s Sam Spade and Rita Hayworth’s Gilda, as their main inspiration. For the replicant Rachael, they also looked to the 1930s and ’40s tailoring of Hollywood costume designer-turned-couturier Adrian. (Kaplan is still in the genre-film spotlight with the new Star Wars trilogy, while the Adrian label—the subject of a recent exhibit—is being revived as Adrian Original.)

Rachael's fur coat and pieced suit - Blade Runner sketches by Michael Kaplan — Rachael costume sketches by Michael Kaplan for *Blade Runner* (1982). In *Dressed: A Century of Hollywood Costume Design* (Collins, 2007).

Kaplan used vintage fabrics for Rachael’s Adrian-inspired outfits: “I liked the idea of combining different shades of suiting fabrics to create patterns—something Adrian did. In this case I used amazing vintage suiting woollens in shades of grey and beige, with metallic threads that I was lucky enough to find, which created a subtle luminous quality.” (Source: AnOther mag.) This circa 1944 Butterick suit features Adrian-style piecing:

1940s colour-blocked suit pattern Retro Butterick 6286 — Butterick 6286 from 1944 (2015)

In the 1980s, Claude Montana was the go-to designer for the decade’s updated triangular silhouette. (Ridley Scott has acknowledged the decade’s ’40s revival as an important factor in the film’s aesthetic.) This Vogue Individualist design plays up the ’40s influence:

1980s Claude Montana dress pattern - Vogue Individualist 1927 — Vogue 1927 by Montana (1987)

In spring, 1997, Blade Runner: The Director’s Cut was one of the first movies to be released on DVD. The following spring, working with stylist Bill Mullen and set designer Jack Flanagan, Steven Meisel photographed a Blade Runner-homage cover and editorial for Vogue Italia’s March 1998 prêt-à-porter issue. Michael Kaplan recalls mistaking the cover for a film still. The editorial features text from Roy’s climactic monologue (“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe…”) with clothes from Prada’s Spring 1998 collection, which paired natural materials with synthetics like latex and plexiglass.

Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion... Prada in Vogue Italia, March 1998 — Prada Spring ’98 in *Vogue Italia*, March 1998. Photo: Steven Meisel. Editor: Bill Mullen. Image: Vogue Italia Archive.

Meanwhile, in Paris, Alexander McQueen referenced Blade Runner in his Fall/Winter 1998 ready-to-wear collection for Givenchy. Visionaire’s Alexander McQueen memorial issue includes an image from Steven Meisel’s fall advertising campaign. (For more on this collection, see my McQueen series post.)

Two looks from Alexander McQueen's for Givenchy Fall 1998 prêt-à-porter — Two looks from Alexander McQueen’s Fall 1998 prêt-à-porter collection for Givenchy. Images: firstVIEW, Corbis.

V2228 and V2248 on the runway - Alexander McQueen for Givenchy, Fall 1998 prêt-à-porter — V2228 and V2248 (under jacket) on the runway – Alexander McQueen for Givenchy, Fall 1998 prêt-à-porter. Images: Corbis.

Givenchy FW 1998 photographed by Steven Meisel in Visionaire 58: Spirit (2010) — Givenchy Fall 1998 by Alexander McQueen in *Visionaire* 58: Spirit (2010). Photo: Steven Meisel. Image: 1stdibs.

Sewists and Blade Runner devotees are fortunate to have two licensed patterns from this collection:

FW 1998 rtw fur-trimmed suit pattern by Alexander McQueen for Givenchy, Vogue 2228 — Vogue 2228 by Alexander McQueen for Givenchy (1998) Image: PatternVault shop.

FW 1998 rtw cowl-neck dress by Alexander McQueen for Givenchy, Vogue 2248 — Vogue 2248 by Alexander McQueen for Givenchy (1999) Image: PatternVault shop.

The sleeveless version of the dress seems to have been shown with a jacket on the runway. (Click the image to read about my version, which I wore to TIFF’s Cronenberg exhibit.)

In V2248 by Alexander McQueen for Givenchy at BMC Labs / David Cronenberg: Evolution — In V2248 by Alexander McQueen for Givenchy at *David Cronenberg: Evolution*, 2014.

Rachael’s chevron-quilted synthetic fur coat gets the most screen time, but it’s her blue brocade coat with standing fur collar that appears to have been McQueen’s main reference for the fur-trimmed coats and jackets. As the pattern reveals, the collar stands with the help of boning.

Rachael (Sean Young) in her quilted faux-fur coat in Blade Runner (1982) — Rachael (Sean Young) in her quilted faux-fur coat. Image: Vogue Italia.

Rachael's fur-trimmed blue brocade coat in Blade Runner (1982) — Rachael’s blue brocade coat. Images: Pinterest, Christies/BladeZone.

Charles Knode fur-trimmed coat sketches for Blade Runner — Charles Knode fur-trimmed coat sketches for *Blade Runner*. Image: BladeZone.

Blue leather coat with standing fur collar, Alexander McQueen for Givenchy, Fall 1998 rtw — Blue leather coat with standing fur collar, Alexander McQueen for Givenchy, Fall 1998 prêt-à-porter collection. Images: eBay.

(Wool version available here.)

The weathered tones and textures of Mayan Revival—prominently seen in Deckard’s apartment, as played by Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ennis House—form a thread linking the first film, Meisel’s Givenchy campaign, and Villeneuve’s sequel. It was Kaplan’s vision of a dirty retrofuture, rather than glossy futurism, that won him the Blade Runner gig. It will be interesting to see what role revivals play in the new film.

Rachael (Sean Young) visits Deckard's apartment in Blade Runner (1982) — Rachael (Sean Young) in *Blade Runner* (1982) Image: Restless Things.

Meisel campaign images for Alexander McQueen's Blade Runner collection for Givenchy, FW 1998 — Givenchy Fall 1998 ad campaign featuring Alexander McQueen’s *Blade Runner* collection. Photos: Steven Meisel. Models: Erin O’Connor and Jade Parfitt.

K (Ryan Gosling) in Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 — K (Ryan Gosling) in *Blade Runner 2049* (2017) Image: Vogue Italia.

For more production images for the new film, see the Vogue Italia gallery.

1940s

What to Wear in an Emergency

November 9, 2016September 4, 2018by Sarah Sheehan3 Comments

Weldons So-Easy 20 hooded wrap housecoat detail — Detail, Weldons So-Easy 20 (ca. 1940).

From Weldons’ 1940s So-Easy line, this “Ten-Second” Siren Wrap features a cozy hood and chic contrast binding:

Ten-second siren wrap dressing gown pattern - Weldons So-Easy 20, circa 1940. A Weldon Production. — Weldons So-Easy 20 (ca. 1940) Siren wrap.

Other So-Easy air raid patterns included a women’s two-way siren suit (no. 19), child’s hooded siren suit (no. 17), and girl’s hooded siren suit (no. 18).

Back of Weldons So-Easy 20, showing other 1940s designs in the So-Easy pattern range — Back of Weldons So-Easy 20, showing other designs in the So-Easy pattern range.

The pattern tissue is printed with an advertisement for Dewhurst’s Sylko machine twist.

Weldons So-Easy 20 pattern tissue advertising Dewhurst's Sylko machine twist — Weldons So-Easy 20 pattern tissue advertising Dewhurst’s Sylko machine twist.

For knitters, Weldons also had a special knitting book called Quick-Change Siren Woollies (click to view an Etsy download):

Weldon Knitting no. 29 1940: Quick-Change Siren Woollies - 14 garments including jackets, pullovers, children's siren suits, mittens, shawls, socks, etc. — *Quick-Change Siren Woollies* – Weldon Knitting no. 29 (Nov. 1940) Image: Etsy.

For more on Weldons’ wartime So-Easy patterns, see There’s a War On.

1940s, 1950s, 1980s, 1990s

Carmen Dell’Orefice

June 3, 2016June 3, 2016by Sarah Sheehan6 Comments

Carmen Dell’Orefice turns eighty-five today.

Carmen Dell'Orefice photographed by Erwin Blumenfeld for Vogue, October 1947 (British Vogue, Feb. 1948) — *Vogue*, October 15, 1947. Photo: Erwin Blumenfeld. Image via Pinterest.

Often called the world’s oldest working model, Carmen Dell’Orefice (b. 1931) was discovered at thirteen on a New York City bus; at sixteen she had her first Vogue cover. In 2011, the London College of Fashion devoted an exhibition to her modelling work, Carmen: A Life In Fashion.

*Vogue*, May 1, 1951. Photo: Norman Parkinson. Via Pinterest

Carmen Dell'Orefice photographed by John Rawlings for Vogue, spring 1955 — *Vogue*, May 1955. Photo: John Rawlings. Image via Pinterest.

Carmen Dell'Orefice in a bathing cap, photographed by Gleb Derujinsky for Harper's Bazaar, May 1958 — *Harper’s Bazaar*, May 1958. Photo: Gleb Derujinsky. Image via Pinterest.

Dell’Orefice’s work with New York pattern companies may be seen in postwar publications from Vogue, McCall’s, and Simplicity, as well as more recent Vogue patterns.

A Richard Rutledge editorial for Vogue Pattern Book features the young Dell’Orefice in new patterns for spring, 1949 (jacket Vogue 6716 and blouses Vogue 6065 and Vogue 6707, all with skirt Vogue 6708):

VPB AprMay1949 p28top — Vogue 6716 and 6708 in *Vogue Pattern Book*, April/May 1949. Photo: Richard Rutledge.

VPB AprMay 1949 p28 — Vogue 6065 and 6708 in Vogue Pattern Book, April/May 1949. Photo: Richard Rutledge.

VPB AprMay 1949 p28a — Vogue 6707 and 6708 in *Vogue Pattern Book*, April/May 1949. Photo: Richard Rutledge.

On this McCall Pattern Book cover from Summer, 1957, she models McCall’s 4095 and 4097:

McCalls PB Summer 1957 — *McCall’s Pattern Book*, Summer 1957. Image: eBay.

Here, Dell’Orefice poses in an all-red ensemble for the cover of Simplicity magazine, Fall 1958:

Carmen Dell'Orefice on the cover of Simplicity magazine, fall 1958 — *Simplicity* magazine, Fall-Winter 1958. Image: eBay.

Here she wears gown Vogue 9827 on the cover of Vogue Pattern Book’s holiday issue:

Carmen Dell'Orefice wears Vogue 9827 - Vogue Pattern Book, December/January 1959-1960 — Vogue 9827 on the cover of *Vogue Pattern Book*, December/January 1959-1960. Image via Make Mine Vogue.

1980s

After a break, Dell’Orefice returned to modelling in the late 1970s. On these two patterns from the ’80s, she wears Vogue 8195, a caftan-style dress, and Arlene Dahl gown Vogue 8521 in gold lamé:

1980s Arlene Dahl dress pattern featuring Carmen Dell'Orefice, Vogue 8521 — Vogue 8521 by Arlene Dahl (ca. 1980s) Image via Etsy.

1990s

In the later 1990s, Dell’Orefice posed for many patterns in The Vogue Woman line. Vogue 1972 is a seasonless wardrobe pattern, while Vogue 9821 is a dress and tunic suitable for petites:

Carmen Dell'Orefice models 1990s Vogue 9821 — Vogue 9821 (1998) Image via eBay.

Happy birthday, Ms. Dell’Orefice!

Carmen Dell'Orefice on the runway, Florence 2011 — Alberta Ferretti fashion show, Florence, 2011. Image: Getty / Vogue Italia.

1940s, 1950s

Jean Patchett

February 16, 2016October 6, 2018by Sarah Sheehan4 Comments

Today is the 90th anniversary of Jean Patchett’s birth.

Jean Patchett (1926-2002) moved to New York City from her home in Preston, Maryland to pursue a career in modelling. She signed with Ford Models in the spring of 1948, and soon became one of the new agency’s top models. Patchett appears on some of Vogue’s most iconic covers. She retired in 1963. (See Cathy Horyn’s obituary for The New York Times, “Jean Patchett, 75, a Model Who Helped Define the 50’s.”)

Jean Patchett photographed by Irving Penn for the cover of Vogue magazine, April 1950 — *Vogue*, April 1, 1950. (Dress by Larry Aldrich; Lilly Daché hat.) Photo: Irving Penn. Image: jeanpatchett.com.

(Read more about this cover at the Art Institute of Chicago, or see the UK version here.)

Jean Patchett photographed by Clifford Coffin on the cover of British Vogue, July 1951 — British Vogue, July 1951. Photo: Clifford Coffin. Image: Vogue UK.

(Prints available from the Condé Nast shop.)

According to a short profile in Glamour, in her off hours, Patchett enjoyed making her own clothes (Glamour, Oct. 1948). She can be seen in pattern editorials for Vogue, Simplicity, McCall’s, and Butterick from the late 1940s on.

Soon after her first Vogue cover in September, 1948 (October for British Vogue), Serge Balkin photographed the young Patchett in tone-on-tone grey flannel for the cover of Vogue Pattern Book. The patterns are Vogue 6620 (dress) and Vogue 6629 (coat):

Jean Patchett photographed in Vogue 6620 and 6629 for Vogue Pattern Book (Chanda hat) — *Vogue Pattern Book*, December-January 1948-49. Photo: Serge Balkin. Image: eBay.

Irving Penn’s famous Vogue editorial, “Flying down to Lima,” showing Patchett on location in Lima, Peru, is in fact a pattern editorial. In this café scene, she chews her pearls wearing Vogue S-4967, a dress and jacket ensemble (click the image for a gallery note, or see Devorah MacDonald’s blog for the full editorial):

"Flying down to Lima" Jean Patchett in Vogue S-4967 photographed by Irving Penn — Jean Patchett in Vogue S-4967; John-Frederics hat. *Vogue*, February 1949. Photo: Irving Penn. Image: the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Patchett poses in dress and jacket Vogue S-4008 on this fall 1949 cover of Vogue Pattern Book:

Jean Patchett on the cover of Vogue Pattern Book, Aug/Sept 1949 — *Vogue Pattern Book*, August-September 1949. Image: flickr.

Wearing the New Look dress and camisole Vogue S-4088:

Jean Patchett wears Vogue S-4088 dress + cami on the cover of Vogue Pattern Book — *Vogue Pattern Book*, Summer 1950. Image: eBay.

Richard Avedon’s travel-themed photo was used for both Simplicity’s counter catalogue and the company’s Fall-Winter magazine (where Patchett can be seen holding a copy of André Gide’s Les faux-monnayeurs). The patterns are Simplicity 3327 (topper), Simplicity 3298 (weskit), and Simplicity 3027 (skirt):

Fall-Winter 1950 Simplicity Pattern magazine. Green topper coat, Simplicity 3327. Red vest, Simplicity 3298. Plaid skirt, Simplicity 3027 — Simplicity catalogue, ca. autumn 1950. Photo: Richard Avedon. Image: Etsy.

Here she poses in a veiled hat and elegant silk shortcoat; the text contains a typo—the pattern is Vogue 7258:

Jean Patchett in Vogue 7258 (not 7528) in Vogue Pattern Book — Vogue 7258 in *Vogue Pattern Book*, Early Summer 1951. Image: flickr.

This Holiday issue of Butterick Pattern Book features Patchett in Butterick 5941, a shirtdress with cuffed sleeves:

Jean Patchett wears Butterick 5941 on the cover of Butterick Pattern Book — *Butterick Pattern Book*, Winter 1951. Image: jeanpatchett.com.

For the fortieth anniversary issue of McCall’s Pattern Book, Patchett posed in McCall’s 9080 alongside illustrations from past decades:

Jean Patchett wears McCall's 9080 on the 40th anniversary issue of McCall's Pattern Book, 1952 — *McCall’s Pattern Book*, Back-to-School and Fall 1952. Image: jeanpatchett.com.

Lillian Bassman photographed Patchett in this striped summer dress from Simplicity:

Jean Patchett photographed in Simplicity 4291 halter dress for Simplicity Pattern Book — Simplicity 4291 in Simplicity Pattern Book, Summer 1953. Photo: Lillian Bassman. Image: myvintagevogue.

Posing for the cover of Burda Moden magazine:

Jean Patchett on the cover of Burda Moden, Oktober 1954 — *Burda Moden*, October 1954. Image: flickr.

This strapless playsuit must be Simplicity 4715, shown in bias tartan with matching parasol:

Jean Patchett on the cover of Simplicity Pattern Book</em>, Summer 1954 — *Simplicity Pattern Book*, Summer 1954. Photo: Paul Radkai. Image: myvintagevogue.

Roger Prigent photographed Patchett in Vogue S-4550, made up in Onondaga acetate brocade:

Jean Patchett photographed by Roger Prigent in Vogue S-4550, Vogue Pattern Book, December-January 1954-55 — Vogue S-4550 in *Vogue Pattern Book*, December-January 1954-55. Photo: Roger Prigent.

Finally, Patchett appears with her own double in this resort-themed McCall’s advertisement featuring McCall’s 3635 (see my earlier post on this campaign here):

Jean Patchett wears McCall's 3635 in a McCall’s Printed Patterns ad — “Make the clothes that make the woman” – advertisement for McCall’s Printed Patterns, 1956.

For more of Jean Patchett’s work, see jeanpatchett.com, myvintagevogue, or skorver on flickr.

1920s, 1930s, 1940s, The pattern business

New Year, Vintage You

January 11, 2016October 15, 2018by Sarah Sheehan5 Comments

Vogue 2321 illustrated by Lamont O'Neal on the back cover of Vogue Patterns catalogue, Sept/Oct 1999 — *Timeless Style… Vintage Vogue.* Vogue Patterns catalogue, September/October 1999. Illustration: Lamont O’Neal. Image: eBay.

Happy New Year! Vintage reissues give a taste of the pleasures of sewing vintage, without the bidding wars and grading. Here is an overview—with rarely seen archival images—of the contemporary vintage pattern lines from Vogue, Butterick, and McCall’s. (Simplicity responded to requests for comment with promotional copy.)

Simplicity 1777 on the cover of the Simplicity catalogue, Early Autumn 2012. Image: eBay.

Vintage Vogue

Launched in time for Holiday 1998, Vogue Patterns’ Vintage Vogue line provides true reproductions of vintage patterns borrowed from private collectors. (See my earlier post and discussion, How Do You Take Your Vintage Vogue? or get the details on the Vintage Vogue Search.) Alas, the terms of the old licensing agreements mean that Vogue can’t reissue designer patterns.

Deco evening dress pattern Vogue 2241 remains a favourite; I recently came across a version at Toronto’s Spadina Museum. I found an illustration of the original, Vogue S-3543, in a Vogue Patterns news leaflet from December, 1931. The description reads, “Here is a frock that expresses the newest movement of the mode, its originality and charm. It has a slender moulded look from the décolletage to the circular panels that trail slightly on the ground”:

1930s Vogue Patterns1Dec1931 — Vogue S-3543 and Vogue 5849 in *Vogue Patterns*, December 1, 1931.

Butterick donated the original to the Commercial Pattern Archive:

At CoPA; donated by Butterick Archives. Original B36, hip 41, 1931. — Vogue S-3543 (1931) Image: Commercial Pattern Archive, URI collection. *For research purposes only.*

Retro Butterick and McCall’s Archive Collection

Both Retro Butterick and McCall’s Archive Collection patterns are recreated and sometimes adapted from archival materials, not the original patterns. With archival images, sticklers for accuracy can restore these adaptations to the original vintage design.

Early Retro Butterick pattern B6408 is based on Butterick 4391, a “Quick and Easy” late 1940s design for an evening gown with hooded scarf:

Quick and Easy 1940s evening dress and hooded scarf pattern - Butterick 4391 — Butterick 4391 (1948) Image: Vintage Pattern Wiki.

McCall’s introduced The Archive Collection for Early Fall, 2014. The recent 1920s coat pattern, M7259, is based on McCall 5057, a 1927 design by Agnès:

1920s coat pattern illustration - McCall 5057 (M7259) — McCall 5057 by Agnès (1927)

1920s Agnès coat pattern illustration - McCall 5057 — McCall 5057 by Agnès in *McCall Quarterly*, Winter 1927-28.

The Archive Collection’s Deco evening dress, M7154, is based on a design from spring, 1930: McCall 6057. An original copy sold on eBay in June, 2014 for over $800 US.

1930 evening gown pattern illustration - McCall 6057 (M5154) — Catalogue illustration of McCall 6057 after Patou, 1930. Image: PatternVault on Etsy.

The McCall 6057 gown is a couture adaptation: the design is after Patou. Here is the description from McCall’s magazine: “The Patou silhouette is beautifully exemplified in a formal evening gown which has curved bands at the neckline and hipline, a short bolero and inserted panels lengthening the skirt”:

No. 6057. The Patou silhouette is beautifully exemplified in a formal evening gown which has curved bands at the neckline and hipline, a short bolero and inserted panels lengthening the skirt. — No. 6057 after Patou, *McCall’s*, April 1930. Illustration: Lebrun.

For more on the McCall Pattern Company’s vintage lines, see We Sew Retro’s interview.

1940s, 1950s

Paris, je t’aime

November 16, 2015September 5, 2018by Sarah Sheehan3 Comments

1950s Paquin dress pattern Vogue 1101 photographed in Paris by Norman Parkinson — Vogue 1101 by Paquin, *Vogue*, May 1950. Model: Maxime de la Falaise. Photo: Norman Parkinson.

In honour of Paris, a selection of postwar fashion photography shot on location in the city.

Vogue’s earliest Paris Originals were photographed in Paris, by Vogue editorial photographers including Clifford Coffin and Norman Parkinson.

In this issue, a new pattern service: Paris Original Models chosen from the collections - Vogue Pattern Book, April/May 1949 — *Vogue Pattern Book*, April/May 1949. Photos: Clifford Coffin.

The eight colour photos were first seen in the March 1st, 1949 issue of Vogue magazine, to announce the new couturier patterns.

1940s Robert Piguet pattern Vogue 1053 photographed in Paris by Clifford Coffin — Vogue 1053 by Robert Piguet, *Vogue*, March 1949. Photo: Clifford Coffin.

1940s Robert Fath dress pattern Vogue 1055 photographed in Paris by Clifford Coffin — Vogue 1055 by Jacques Fath, *Vogue*, March 1949. Photo: Clifford Coffin.

1940s Paquin pattern Vogue 1057 photographed in Paris by Clifford Coffin — Vogue 1057 by Paquin, *Vogue*, March 1949. Photo: Clifford Coffin.

1940s Lanvin dress pattern Vogue 1052 photographed in a Paris museum by Clifford Coffin — Vogue 1052 by Lanvin, *Vogue*, March 1949. Photo: Clifford Coffin.

1940s Schiaparelli suit pattern Vogue 1051 photographed at les puces by Clifford Coffin — Vogue 1051 by Schiaparelli, *Vogue*, March 1949. Photo: Clifford Coffin.

Molyneux suit and coat pattern Vogue 1050 photographed by Clifford Coffin at Place St. André des arts — Vogue 1050 by Molyneux, *Vogue*, March 1949. Photo: Clifford Coffin.

1940s Jacques Heim dress pattern Vogue 1056 photographed in Paris by Clifford Coffin. — Vogue 1056 by Jacques Heim, *Vogue*, March 1949. Photo: Clifford Coffin.

1940s Pierre Balmain suit pattern Vogue 1054 photographed by Clifford Coffin — Vogue 1054 by Pierre Balmain, *Vogue*, March 1949. Photo: Clifford Coffin.

(Available as a print from Condé Nast.)

1930s, 1940s, 1970s, Surveys

Pan Am Games 2015 – Vintage Pattern Edition

July 20, 2015by Sarah Sheehan6 Comments

This week the Pan Am Games continue in Toronto. In honour of the Games, here’s a look at vintage patterns and illustrations showing women’s sports.

First up: Pan Am sports that have already concluded for 2015.

Archery. From a 1933 issue of McCall’s magazine, this archery scene was illustrated by Jean des Vignes:

Jean des Vignes archery illustration in a 1930s McCall's magazine — “Taking Aim,” *McCall’s* magazine, March 1933. Illustration: Jean des Vignes.

Golf. Ben-Hur Baz (later known for his pin-ups) illustrated this golf scene for McCall’s magazine, circa 1930:

Ben Hur Baz ladies' golf illustration in McCall's magazine, spring 1930 — McCall 6078 and 6074 in *McCall’s* magazine, April 1930. Illustration: Ben Hur Baz.

Donna Karan designed these mid-1970s golf separates, hat included, when she was at Anne Klein. You can buy it for your own golfing needs from the PatternVault shop.