1990s – PatternVault

1990s

Disney Hercules Patterns

December 17, 2019by Sarah Sheehan1 Comment

Hercules, the Nemean Lion, and chorus in the Disney Hercules (1997) — Still from the Disney Hercules (1997) Image: IMDb.

The Saturnalia begins today. To mark the ancient Roman festival, here’s a look at patterns inspired by Saturn’s grandson, Hercules.

Poster for Disney's Hercules (1997) — Poster for Disney’s *Hercules* (1997) Image: IMDb.

Rumours are swirling about a live-action Disney Hercules. The studio’s animated Hercules came out over two decades ago in summer, 1997. By the fall, the pattern companies were ready with Hercules-inspired costumes for children and adults.

Hercules and Megara is still a popular couple’s costume. Here is Butterick’s unofficial costume pattern:

The easier-to-find children’s version:

Before Simplicity held the Disney license, the company combined unofficial Hercules costumes with its take on Xena, Warrior Princess.

Simplicity 7851 (1997) Image: New Vintage Studio.

Meanwhile, McCall’s had this design — “Princess, Gladiator, and Female Warrior.”

Happy Saturnalia!

Hercules ©1997 Walt Disney Pictures — Disney’s Hercules (1997) Image: IMDb.

1980s, 1990s, The pattern business

Patterns in Vogue: Anna Wintour Birthday Edition

November 3, 2019by Sarah Sheehan1 Comment

Vogue 8155 cotton kimono in Vogue, January 1989 — Kara Young, Carré Otis, and Jennifer Noble in *Vogue*, January 1989. Photo: Patrick Demarchelier. Editor: Grace Coddington.

Happy birthday to Anna Wintour, who turns 70 today.

Wintour included Vogue patterns in U.S. Vogue from her first issue as editor. Above, the models’ white cotton kimonos were made with a unisex robe pattern (Vogue 8155). Below, in Wintour’s first issue, Cathy Fedoruk wears a Very Easy dress (Vogue 7146) in cotton piqué.

"Hot Prospects" Vogue Nov 1988 Wintour 1st issue. The new colors for resort: gunmetal and white. Make the dress that may make your summer: for A.M./P.M., city/ resort, a textured cotton piqué dress with a square-necked front. Vogue Pattern no. 7146. Fabric, Batex S.P.A. Beauty and the back: sun protection from Ultima II ProCollagen SPF 4. Plain geometry: bold crisscross straps on dresses — Cathy Fedoruk in “Hot Prospects,” *Vogue*, November 1988. Photo: Patrick Demarchelier. Editor: Jenny Capitain.

In Wintour’s first Holiday issue, “Skirts are layered for a romantic ballerina look.” Carré Otis’ skirts (Vogue 7267) are cream polyester chiffon from Symphony Fabric Corp and blue Stehli Seiden silk-polyamid georgette; the Chanel-style jacket is a Vogue Career design (Vogue 7316) in linen from Hamilton Adams, worn with a Very Easy top (Vogue 7128) in Jasco matte rayon jersey. “Sewing tips: eliminate cuff and finish sleeve… Cut skirt to desired length.”

"Sheer Effects" Vogue Dec 1988 7267 skirt, 7316 jacket, 7128 top (1988). Skirts are layered for a romantic ballerina look. Two chiffon skirts give a classic jacket and top an unexpected twist. Skirts, Vogue Pattern no. 7267. Cream chiffon, Symphony Fabric Corp.; blue chiffon, Stehli Seiden at Gordon Textiles International. Jacket, Vogue Career Pattern no. 7316. Linen, Hamilton Adams. T-shirt, Vogue Pattern no. 7128. Jasco rayon matte jersey. — Carré Otis in “Sheer Effects,” *Vogue*, December 1988. Photo: Arthur Elgort. Editor: Jenny Capitain.

1990s

The Addams Family Patterns

October 29, 2019by Sarah Sheehan3 Comments

Weird Is Relative - Poster for Barry Sonnenfeld's The Addams Family (1991) — Poster for Barry Sonnenfeld’s *The Addams Family* (1991) Image: IMDb.

This week, a look at official Addams Family patterns.

Ruth Myers’ costumes won her her first Academy Award nomination. (The second was for Emma.)

Morticia (Anjelica Huston) in The Addams Family (1991) — Anjelica Huston as Morticia Addams in *The Addams Family* (1991) Image: IMDb.

The 1991 Addams Family was a Thanksgiving movie, so the costume licensing came the following year, in time for Halloween 1992.

Simplicity had two costume patterns, for children and adults. The adults’ pattern was for adorable couple Morticia and Gomez.

1990s adults' The Addams Family costumes - Morticia and Gomez couple costume — Simplicity 7990 (1992) The Addams Family costumes ©1991 Paramount Pictures. Image: Etsy.

The children’s pattern adds Uncle Fester and Cousin It (with “optional face cut-out”). We can only speculate as to why there’s no Wednesday.

1990s children's The Addams Family costumes - Uncle Fester, Morticia, Gomez, and Cousin It — Simplicity 7991 (1992) The Addams Family costumes ©1991 Paramount Pictures. Image: Etsy.

Wednesday (Christina Ricci) in The Addams Family (1991) — Christina Ricci as Wednesday Addams in *The Addams Family* (1991) Image: IMDb.

Happy Halloween, everyone!

1990s

Patterns in Vogue: Polar Effects

July 7, 2019by Sarah Sheehan1 Comment

Vogue 7849 unitard worn in Iceland by Karen Mulder — Karen Mulder in Iceland, *Vogue*, November 1990. Photo: Hans Feurer. Editor: Grace Coddington.

Iceland’s Vatnajökull National Park is one of the latest additions to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. In 1990’s “Polar Effects,” the Vatnajökull glacier and Jökulsárlón glacial lake co-star with supermodels Karen Mulder and Kirsten Owen, and two Vogue patterns.

Karen Mulder in Vogue 7849, *Vogue*, November 1990. Photo: Hans Feurer. Editor: Grace Coddington.

Both patterns are Very Easy designs. In the opening image, Karen Mulder’s unitard is made from an unspecified “shiny” stretch knit from B&J Fabrics. Kirsten Owen’s double-width dirndl skirt is silk taffeta from Jerry Brown Fabrics.

Kirsten Owen in Vogue 9813, *Vogue*, November 1990. Photo: Hans Feurer. Editor: Grace Coddington.

1990s

Patterns in Vogue: The Leather Forecast

April 30, 2019April 29, 2019by Sarah SheehanLeave a Comment

Linda Evangelista photographed in V1175 at Stansted airport by Nick Knight, 1994. Editor: Camilla Nickerson. — Linda Evangelista at Stansted Airport, 1994. Photo: Nick Knight. Editor: Camilla Nickerson.

Nick Knight once photographed Linda Evangelista at London’s Stansted Airport in a Vogue minidress.

The pattern is Vogue 1175, a 5 Easy Pieces pattern, cut from white leather from Mystic Leather, NYC.

White looks right against a steely sky or industrial machinery…

Long synonymous with rough and rugged images, leather is being transformed into sleek, sexy shapes with a body-conscious fit (Left: Vogue Patterns; right: Marc Jacobs for Birger Christensen.) Vogue, October 1994 Photo: Nick Knight. — Linda Evangelista in “The Leather Forecast,” *Vogue*, October 1994. Photo: Nick Knight. Editor: Camilla Nickerson.

Designers, in memoriam

In memoriam: Karl Lagerfeld

February 20, 2019February 20, 2019by Sarah SheehanLeave a Comment

Esther de Jong in Chanel haute couture by Karl Lagerfeld, Fall 1997. Photo: Karl Lagerfeld. Editor: Amanda Harlech? — Esther de Jong in Chanel haute couture by Karl Lagerfeld, Fall 1997. Photo: Karl Lagerfeld. Image: jalougallery.

Farewell to Karl Lagerfeld. Prolific, influential, and above all, iconic, the designer — who had a lifetime contract with Chanel — was working to the last.

Read the couturier’s Vogue obituary. (Tim Blanks; German Vogue.)

1990s, Current trends, Designers

Grunge Again

November 22, 2018November 23, 2018by Sarah Sheehan5 Comments

Lady Gaga photographed by Ruth Hogben and Andrea Gelardin (Lobster Eye) in Marc Jacobs' grunge reissue, Elle, November 2018. Stylist: Nicola Formichetti. — Lady Gaga in Marc Jacobs’ grunge reissue, Elle, November 2018. Photo: Ruth Hogben and Andrea Gelardin. Editor: Nicola Formichetti. Image: Marc Jacobs via Twitter.

Grunge is back. Marc Jacobs has reissued looks from his Spring 1993 “grunge” collection for Perry Ellis as Redux Grunge.

Grunge Perry Ellis by Marc Jacobs - Gladys Perint Palmer illustration in L'Officiel, February 1993 — Illustration by Gladys Perint Palmer in L’Officiel, February 1993. Image: editionsjalou.com.

Juergen Teller’s ad campaign shows Jacobs’ iconic grunge pieces, resurrected from vintage and available exclusively from the designer’s website.

Marc Jacobs Redux Grunge advertising campaign by Juergen Teller — Marc Jacobs Redux Grunge campaign by Juergen Teller. Image: Marc Jacobs.

I wrote about Vogue’s two grunge Perry Ellis patterns back in 2013, as part of my series on early Marc Jacobs.

Now that Vogue has posted the entire collection online, we can ID the other dress. The button-front slip dress was originally worn layered, Seattle-style.

look 4 Nadja Auermann in Perry Ellis Spring 1993 by Marc Jacobs — Nadja Auermann in Perry Ellis Spring 1993 by Marc Jacobs. Image: Vogue Runway.

Naomi Campbell in Perry Ellis Spring 1993 by Marc Jacobs look 5 — Naomi Campbell in Perry Ellis Spring 1993 by Marc Jacobs. Image: Vogue Runway.

None of the three pattern looks is part of the reissue, but the short version of the maxi dress—worn by Carla Bruni in 1992—can be seen on Lili Sumner in Teller’s campaign. (There’s also a new, flower chain print version of the ’90s floral dress.) As the web store notes, the dress was inspired by 1930s nightgowns. Just shorten V1304 to sew the look.