PatternVault

Françoise Rubartelli (née Schluter) in hooded jumpsuit pattern Vogue 6376 — Françoise Rubartelli in *Vogue*, January 1965. Photo: Franco Rubartelli. Image: Vogue Archive.

From Diana Vreeland’s Vogue, a mid-1960s Franco Rubartelli editorial featuring Françoise Rubartelli in two white jumpsuits made with Vogue patterns — or as Vogue puts it, “Two jumpsuit patterns with lean moon-shot lines, cut for action in pale moon-coloured jersey.”

I previously featured this Young Fashionables hooded jumpsuit in my Jill Kennington post, but American Vogue made it first, in Heller double-knit Celanese acetate:

Françoise Rubartelli photographed in an of-white jumpsuit by Franco Rubartelli, Vogue 1965 — Jumpsuit Vogue 6376 in *Vogue*, January 1965. (Jantzen sandals.) Model: Françoise Rubartelli. Photo: Franco Rubartelli. Image: Vogue Archive.

The Courrèges-inspired two-piece jumpsuit uses two patterns for a tunic and custom-fit pants, both made up in Wamsutta Orlon double-knit jersey.

Françoise Rubartelli photographed by Franco Rubartelli in Vogue 6438 tunic and Vogue 6427 pants — Françoise Rubartelli in Vogue 6438 tunic and Vogue 6427 pants. (Doro scarf; Cobblers sandals.) *Vogue*, January 1965. Photo: Franco Rubartelli. Image: Vogue Archive.

Happy Labour Day!

Pattern images: mbchills, Sew As It Was Patterns, Vintage Pattern Wiki.

Paolo Roversi: Alexander McQueen Fall 2021 by Sarah Burton — Alexander McQueen Fall 2021 by Sarah Burton. Photo: Paolo Roversi. Image: Vogue Runway courtesy of Alexander McQueen.

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.

Singer Sphinx with 1920s McCall patterns. Image: PatternVault shop.

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.

St. Giles, Hamilton (Stewart & Witton, 1912–13) Photo: Cathie Coward. Image: The Friends of St. Giles.

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).

Lanvin's Colombine robe de style (hiver 1924–25) photographed by Katerina Jebb, 2014 — Lanvin, “Colombine,” robe de style, hiver 1924–25. Collection Palais Galliera © Katerina Jebb, 2014. Image: Architectural Digest France.

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.