In the Orchard
March 1, 2018 § 4 Comments
Vogue 8103 in Vogue Pattern Book, 1971. Photo: Arthur Elgort.
Arthur Elgort photographed this Miss Vogue design, Vogue 8103, ca. 1971. Shown in Abraham sheer wool challis, and apparently cut on the bias to play with the check. Note the covered button detail.
Glow, Holiday 1979
December 21, 2017 § 3 Comments
Tara Shannon wears Yves Saint Laurent’s V2337 in Vogue Patterns, November/December 1979, “Glow” editorial. Photo: Albert Watson.
Perfume: Opium, of course!
Yves Saint Laurent’s Chinese tunic got a lot of exposure during the 1979-80 holiday season. The cover of Vogue’s January 1980 retail catalogue also shows a version of this shot. (See Make Mine Vogue.) The pattern is Vogue 2337.
Happy holidays, everyone.
Patterns in Vogue: Gia in Versace, 1979
December 7, 2017 § Leave a comment
Detail, Gia Carangi in Vogue, July 1979. Photo: Alex Chatelain.
2017 is officially the year of Versace. To mark the 20th anniversary of her brother’s death, Donatella Versace has been returning to the house’s heritage, most notably with a surprise finale to her spring runway show. But if it’s that ’90s supermodel moment—glamazons lip-synching George Michael—that we remember best, let us not forget Versace’s equally glamorous beginnings.
Early in Gianni Versace’s career, Vogue magazine featured one of his Vogue patterns, as worn by the young Gia Carangi. The pleated blouse, pants, and cummerbund were shown in black and white silk taffeta.
Gia Carangi in Vogue 2025 by Gianni Versace. Vogue, July 1979. Photo: Alex Chatelain.
The pattern is a Genny design:
Vogue 2025 by Gianni Versace for Genny (1978) Model: Karen Bjornson.
For more on Versace’s licensed patterns from the late ’70s and early ’80s, see my 2-part series: 1. Versace for Genny and Complice and 2. Gianni Versace.
Horn/Griner, 1972 + Labour Day Sale
August 30, 2017 § 1 Comment
Vogue 8206 and 8204 in Vogue Pattern Book, 1972. Photo: Horn/Griner.
Horn/Griner photographed this military-inspired ensemble for an early ’70s issue of Vogue Pattern Book: the shirt, Vogue 8206, in camo voile and the pleated skirt, Vogue 8204, in khaki gabardine. The vest was available as a knitting pattern in the magazine. (Printed voile by Aquarius Fabrics; Rosewood Fabrics double woven polyester gabardine.) The scene captures the late-summer mood.
This Labour Day weekend, from Thursday, August 31st through Monday, September 4th, customers will receive 15% off everything in the PatternVault shop as part of Etsy’s first Labour Day sale. No coupon required—the new system will show the discounted price. And if you’re new to Etsy, you can use the new guest checkout.
Happy Labour Day, everyone. See you in September.
Betsey Johnson: Butterick Patterns
August 10, 2017 § Leave a comment
Betsey Johnson sketch for Paraphernalia, 1965. Image: CFDA / Pinterest.
Betsey Johnson turns 75 today. Four decades on, the designer’s 1970s Butterick patterns are still very popular. Here’s a look at Johnson’s early work, with an emphasis on more seldom seen archival images.
Betsey Johnson (b. 1942) has made a career of creating irreverent, youth-oriented clothes that stand a bit outside the mainstream. She learned sewing and pattern drafting while running a dance school as a teen, but got her official start in the business designing for Youthquake boutique Paraphernalia. By 1970 she was the designer for Alley Cat, a junior sportswear label. (For more see Vogue.com and Anne-Marie Schiro, “Betsey Johnson: Honor for a Life of Celebrating Youth.”)
Models wear Betsey Johnson neon satin dresses in Piper’s Alley, Chicago. Life magazine, November 11, 1966. Photo: Howell Conant. Image: LIFE archive.
Juggling in a Betsey Johnson mini dress in front of Steel Pier’s mystery ride, Atlantic City. Life magazine, May 24, 1968. Photo: Richard Davis. Image: LIFE archive.
In 1971, Johnson won a Coty Award for her work at Alley Cat (see the New York Times notice). The following year, Butterick launched its Betsey Johnson patterns in the Spring 1972 catalogue. The designs were also cross-promoted (along with Cyrus Clark cotton chintz) with a Barbara Bordnick editorial in Seventeen magazine.
Butterick 6530 by Betsey Johnson of Alley Cat, Butterick Home Catalog, Spring 1972. Model: Sunny Redmond.
Butterick 6533 by Betsey Johnson in “The Betsey Girl,” Seventeen, January 1972. Photo: Barbara Bordnick. Image: Gold Country Girls.
Butterick 6530 by Betsey Johnson in Seventeen, January 1972. Photo: Barbara Bordnick. Image: Gold Country Girls.
Butterick 6535 by Betsey Johnson in Seventeen, January 1972. Photo: Barbara Bordnick. Image: Gold Country Girls.
Butterick 6532 by Betsey Johnson in Seventeen, January 1972. Photo: Barbara Bordnick. Image: Gold Country Girls.
The earliest of Johnson’s Butterick Young Designer patterns refer to her as Betsey Johnson of Alley Cat, and most seem to predate the founding of her company in 1978. Here’s Butterick 6979 on the cover of the March 1973 issue of Butterick’s news leaflet:
Butterick 6979 by Betsey Johnson of Alley Cat, Butterick Fashion News, March 1973. Image: eBay.
The young Patti Hansen in Alley Cat:
Patti Hansen in Alley Cat by Betsey Johnson, Glamour, December 1973. Photo: Rico Puhlmann. Image: Getty.
One of the first items I sold on Etsy was this 1975 issue of Butterick Fashion News with a Betsey Johnson cover. (Click to see inside.) The same embroidered pinafore was featured on the home catalogue cover:
The Romantic Pinafore: Butterick 4090 by Betsey Johnson of Alley Cat, Butterick Fashion News, March 1975. Image: PatternVault on Etsy.
Butterick 4090 by Betsey Johnson of Alley Cat, Butterick Home Catalog, Spring 1975. Image: eBay.
The pinafore also appears in this cute advertisement with Butterick 4088:
Butterick Betsey Johnson ad in Seventeen, February 1975. Image: Carmen and Ginger.
This Butterick ad shows three Betsey Johnson designs that came with transfers for DIY embellishment (dress Butterick 4679, knit tops Butterick 4676, and skirt/pants Butterick 4678):
Butterick ad for Betsey Johnson patterns in Seventeen, 1976. Image: Gold County Girls.
The Spring 1976 catalogue used illustrated photographs to present this DIY series, which also included a hat and shoes (1st page, Butterick 4680; 3rd page Butterick 4681, with Joyce Walker on the right):
Butterick 4680 by Betsey Johnson, Butterick Home Catalog, Spring 1976.
Betsey Johnson patterns in the Butterick Home Catalog, Spring 1976.
Another 1976 Butterick ad shows a Betsey Johnson jumper (Butterick 4956) with deep ribbon trim—perfect for a late-summer Cape Cod getaway:
Butterick ad for Betsey Johnson patterns in Seventeen, August 1976. Image: Pinterest.
Happy birthday, Betsey Johnson!
Cotton ad featuring Alley Cat by Betsey Johnson in Seventeen, August 1973. Models: Sunny Redmond, Betsey Johnson. Image: FinnFemme.
With thanks to Heidi at Gold Country Girls.
You and Me and Rainbows
June 23, 2017 § 3 Comments
Simplicity 9376 (1971) Image: Etsy.
Happy Pride! This year you can celebrate all summer with 2017’s rainbow trend. (See Lauren Cochrane, “The rainbow’s not over – it’s the style symbol of the season.”) It’s a vintage motif with roots in the ’70s and ’80s.
The ’70s rainbow trend was well underway before Gilbert Baker created the rainbow flag in 1978. (Read MoMA’s interview.) The groovy teens’ pattern shown above came with rainbow appliqués. Maija Isola’s Sateenkaari (Rainbow) print for Marimekko appeared the same year as Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon:
Maija Isola Sateenkaari printed fabric for Marimekko, 1973. Image: Etsy.
As did this Time-Life sewing book entitled Shortcuts to Elegance:
Shortcuts to Elegance: The Art of Sewing (1973) Image: Etsy.
From McCall’s Carefree line, this iron-on alphabet transfer pattern lets you spell whatever you like in rainbow caps:
McCall’s 5567 (1977) Set of full colour iron-on transfers.
Meredith Gladstone’s circa 1980 children’s décor pattern, “Cloud Room,” includes a rainbow pillowcase and rainbow-lined sleeping bag:
Vogue 2360 by Meredith Gladstone (ca. 1980) Cloud Room. Image: Etsy.
With the right print, home dressmakers could sew everything from rainbow dresses to coverups:
Butterick 3767 (1981) Image: Etsy.
Butterick 3902 (1981) Image: Etsy.
For those making their own Cheer Bear Care Bear, Butterick’s envelope explained the rainbow’s significance as a “traditional symbol of hope,” as well as “a cheerful reminder that things are getting better and even bad times can bring something beautiful”:
Butterick 6230 (1983) Cheer Bear. Image: Etsy.
Envelope back, Butterick 6230 (1983). Image: Etsy.
Hallmark’s Rainbow Brite licensing with McCall’s included a children’s costume, Rainbow Brite and Twink toys, and a set of mobiles.
Rainbow Brite patterns on the cover of McCall’s Crafts catalogue, ca. 1984.
With a Rainbow Brite doll—share in the power of the rainbow. McCall’s 9238 (1984) Image: Etsy.
With a Twink doll—create some color of your own. McCall’s 9231 (1984) Image: Etsy.
McCall’s 9254 (1984) Rainbow Brite costume. Image: ecrater.
A rainbow for your own—McCall’s 9523 / 769 (1985) Image: Etsy.
Of course, there’s no need to find the perfect rainbow fabric. All it takes is the right array of colours…
Alexander McQueen dress (Irere, SS 2003), Vogue Italia supplement, February 2003. Photo: Steven Meisel. Model: Eugenia Volodina. Image: The Fashion Spot.
Our Man in Leather: Bobby Breslau for Vogue Patterns
June 18, 2017 § 1 Comment
Bobby Breslau in Vogue Patterns, May/June 1979. Photo: Charles Tracy.
“Our Man in Leather”: Vogue Patterns introduced Bobby Breslau, one of the company’s rare designers of accessories, with a winking acknowledgement of the gay community.
Bobby Breslau biographical note, Vogue 2184 (1979). Image: Etsy.
Bobby Breslau (ca. 1943-1987) was a friend of Halston, Stephen Burrows, and Keith Haring; photographer Charles Tracy, who took Breslau’s portrait, was a member of the same social circle. Breslau’s training was in the garment industry, but a toy commission from Halston set him on the path of accessory and furniture design. His tactile, unstructured style of bag showed a sculptor’s eye for colour and texture; the New York Times called it “the handbag of the 1970’s.” (See Robin Givhan’s The Battle of Versailles and Suzanne Slesin, “Beyond the Fringe: A Designer’s Zany World in Leather.”) Breslau was the manager of Keith Haring’s Pop Shop until his death from complications of AIDS in early 1987.
Breslau bag for Halston in Elaine Gross and Fred Rottman, Halston: An American Original (1999) Image: Behind the Seams.
In 1979, Breslau licensed two bag patterns with Vogue. Each design could be made in three sizes. Vogue 2153 is a “draw-stringer and scarf tie-up”:
Vogue 2153 by Bobby Breslau (1979) Image: Etsy.
Vogue 2184 is a saddlebag and roll pouch:
Vogue 2184 by Bobby Breslau (1979) Image: Etsy.
Just as Breslau’s unconstructed bag is back, so too are the brights of ’79. As Hannah Marriott writes, a trend for Lego colours is predicted for spring 2019…
Model with Breslau bag, Vogue Patterns, May/June 1979.
