Alexander McQueen – PatternVault

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.

1920s Patou Art Deco dress pattern - McCall 5047 — McCall 5047 by Patou (1927) Ladies’ and Misses’ Two-Piece Dress.

Vogue 7884 illustration by Harriet Meserole on the cover of Vogue Pattern Book, December–January 1924–25 — *Vogue Pattern Book*, December–January 1924–25. Illustration: Harriet Meserole. Image: Pinterest.

McCall Quarterly, Winter 1927–28 (Paris Fashion Number) Illustration: Ben-Hur Baz. Image: Debbie Zamorski. — McCall 5051 by Worth Paris, *McCall Quarterly,* Winter 1927–28. Illustration: Ben-Hur Baz. Image courtesy Debbie Zamorski.

What do you think? Is it time for a couture sewing renaissance?

Hand-painted couture coat in hammered velvet with fur collar. Karen Elson photographed by Elen von Unwerth in Fall 1997 Dior couture by John Galliano ("A Poetic Tribute to the Marchesa Casati" — John Galliano’s Casati-inspired Dior couture in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” *Vogue*, November 1997. Photo: Ellen von Unwerth. Editor: Grace Coddington. Model: Karen Elson. Image: Vogue Archive.

Rachel Comey yellow taffeta puff-sleeve dress, Resort 2020 — Detail, Rachel Comey Resort 2020. Image: Vogue Runway.

As Vogue Patterns was settling in under its new, British ownership, two seasons have gone by without my usual pattern report. I’ve been busy with the campaign to save the beautiful, historic St. Giles church here in Hamilton, Ontario. (If you want to help, please sign the petition here!)

Vogue 1777 Tempo dress pattern by Rachel Comey on the cover of the Vogue Patterns lookbook Spring 2021 — V1777 by Rachel Comey, Vogue Patterns lookbook Spring 2021. Image: Issuu.

V1813, Vogue Patterns lookbook Summer 2021. Image: Issuu.

Vogue’s spring cover look is a Rachel Comey dress from the Fall 2019 collection.

Rachel Comey Tempo dress on the Fall 2019 runway — Tempo dress, Rachel Comey Fall 2019. Image: Vogue Runway.

A loose midi dress with front pleats, the Tempo dress was shown in stretch poly-rayon suiting and a silk scarf print.

Samya is 5’9.5” (176 cm) and wears a size 4 A sister to the Ardent Jumpsuit, the Tempo Dress is a waisted pleat front dress with midi length. It has a slightly loose, off the body fit which allows the pleats to move and for the whole style to drape around the neckline. Innsbruck is one of our favorite suiting fabrics; it holds structure while having enough stretch to provide flexibility and comfort. — Rachel Comey’s Tempo dress in Pink New Innsbruck. Image: Rachel Comey.

Nora is 5’10.5” (179 cm) and wears a size 4 The pine cone, a new motif in our PF20 collection, has long been associated with enlightenment and intuition. Based on archival artwork from a historic Italian mill and inspired by vintage scarves, the print placement of Pine Cone Foulard is unique to each silhouette. The Tempo Dress is a waisted, pleat-front dress with midi length. It has a slightly loose, off the body fit suited to natural movement. — Rachel Comey Pre-Fall 2020: Tempo dress in a silk scarf print. Image: Rachel Comey.

V1777 Tempo dress pattern by Rachel Comey (2021) — V1777 by Rachel Comey (2021) Tempo dress. Image: IG Design Group Americas.

For summer, there were two more Rachel Comey dresses, both from Resort 2020. The Lurie dress is silk-blend taffeta with metal mesh trim, in black or Citron:

Rachel Comey Lurie dress in black taffeta — Rachel Comey Lurie dress in black. Image: Shopbop.

Rachel Comey Resort 2020 lookbook: Lurie dress in Citron taffeta — Lurie dress in Citron, Rachel Comey Resort 2020. Image: Vogue Runway.

V1798 Lurie dress pattern by Rachel Comey (2021) — V1798 by Rachel Comey (2021) Lurie dress. Image: IG Design Group Americas.

The New Cardiff dress is a longer, topstitched version of the Cardiff dress, which features unfinished hems:

Rachel Comey Cardiff dress in Teal. Image: Pinterest.

Rachel Comey Cardiff dress in Teal: detail showing raw sleeve edge with stay stitching — Rachel Comey Cardiff dress detail. Image: Lyst.

The long, denim New Cardiff dress made quarantine-dressing trend lists early in the pandemic. As seen in Sky or Sherbert denim:

Rachel Comey New Cardiff dress in Sky denim. Image: Refinery 29.

V1799 Cardiff dress pattern by Rachel Comey (2021) — V1799 by Rachel Comey (2021) Cardiff dress in Sherbert denim. Image: IG Design Group Americas.

From Guy Laroche by Richard René, a one-sleeved jumpsuit with attached half-jacket from the Spring 2020 collection. If I’ve translated my Russian right, it is cotton:

Guy Laroche white jumpsuit on the Spring 2020 runway — Guy Laroche by Richard René Spring 2020. Image: Vogue Runway.

комбинезон из хлопка - jumpsuit of cotton, Guy Laroche — Guy Laroche jumpsuit, *Elle Russia*, June 2020. Model: Catherine McNeil. Photo: Gilles Bensimon. Editor: Vadim Galaganov. Image: Elle.ru.

V1790 jumpsuit pattern by Richard René for Guy Laroche (2021) — V1790 by Richard René for Guy Laroche (2021) Image: IG Design Group Americas.

Playing with grain and stripes is the focus of two recent Zandra Rhodes patterns. For summer, a dress with bell-flounce sleeves and handkerchief hem:

V1796 pink striped handkerchief dress pattern by Zandra Rhodes (2021) — V1796 by Zandra Rhodes (2021) Image: IG Design Group Americas.

From the Winter release, there was this long-sleeved maxi dress from Rhodes’ Victoriana-inspired Fall 2019 collection, entitled The Golden Hour and exclusive to Liberty.

Zandra Rhodes long-sleeved maxi dress, Fall 2019 — Zandra Rhodes Fall 2019. Photo: Richard Dowker. Image: WWD.

Vogue 1762 dress pattern by Zandra Rhodes (2020) — Vogue 1762 by Zandra Rhodes (2020) Image: IG Design Group Americas.

Vogue has gone silent on their #SewTheLook designer adaptations. But in the Spring-Summer patterns, one inspiration is very recognizable — from SHOWstudio’s Spring 2020 free McQueen pattern.