Inaugural issue of Vogue Paris, June 15, 1920. Illustration: Helen Dryden. Image: Gallica / BnF.
Today is the 100th anniversary of Vogue Paris. To celebrate, here’s a decade-by-decade look at Paris and patterns from the 1920s to now. (Click the images for more.)
In the 1920s, designs by Chanel and other Paris couturiers were available from the McCall Pattern Company. (See my article in the new issue of Selvedge.)
McCall 4464 by Chanel (1926) Evening dress.
In the 1930s, the Authentic Paris Pattern company sold French designs exclusively, like this ensemble by Schiaparelli.
Paris Pattern 1647 by Schiaparelli (ca. 1931)
Vogue joined the party with its Paris Originals in 1949.
Vogue 1078 by Marie-Blanche de Polignac for Lanvin (1949) Image: eBay.
In the 1950s, the company released its first Dior patterns, by the young Yves Saint Laurent.
Vogue 1470 by Yves Saint Laurent for Dior (1959) Model: Isabella Albonico. Photos: Leombruno-Bodi.
The couture of André Courrèges caused a sensation in the 1960s. Courrèges didn’t license patterns, but that didn’t stop the American pattern companies from producing a wealth of knockoffs.
McCall’s 7923 after Courrèges (with Marcel Barbeau painting) in a Crompton Corduroy ad, 1965.
In the early 1970s, Yves Saint Laurent shook up the Paris couture with his ’40s-inspired Libération collection.
Vogue 2598 by Yves Saint Laurent (1971) Image courtesy of Paco Peralta.
In the late 1980s, when Christian Lacroix left Patou for the prêt-à-porter, his Vogue patterns were conspicuously photographed in Paris.
Vogue 2176 by Christian Lacroix (1988)
John Galliano’s mid-1990s tenure at Givenchy signalled a massive shift for the Paris couture. This ready-to-wear design was available from Vogue Patterns.
John Galliano for Givenchy advertising campaign, Summer 1997. Image: styleregistry.
Guy Laroche was the last, and longest running, label with Vogue Paris Originals. This suit from the aughts was designed by the late Hervé L. Leroux, formerly Hervé Léger.
Vogue 2937 by Hervé L. Leroux (Hervé Léger) for Guy Laroche (2006)
Today, Vogue Paris Originals are no more, and you’re more likely to see versions of styles shown on the Paris runway, like this coat adapted from Sarah Burton for McQueen.
Vogue 1649 after Alexander McQueen by Sarah Burton (2019) Model: Tatyana Cooper. Image: McCall’s.
Some time ago, Paco Peralta blogged about a Vogue pattern from the 1980s by Christian Lacroix, Vogue 2184, that he’d found while spring-cleaning his studio. (Read his post here. If you haven’t seen Paco’s blog yet, check it out! He shares both his work as a couturier and his extensive collection of Yves Saint Laurent patterns, often matching them up with vintage images from his personal archive.) Paco wasn’t sure whether Vogue 2184 was the only Vogue/Lacroix pattern, or whether there were others. This post is offered as a sequel and tribute to Paco and his work.
In the spring of 1988 Women’s Wear Daily announced a licensing agreement between Christian Lacroix and Vogue Patterns for a series of three patterns (“Lacroix makes deal with Vogue Patterns,” WWD, April 6, 1988). According to WWD, the three designs selected were all from the designer’s new ready-to-wear collection and would be on sale through the December catalogue from October 1st. Lacroix had presented his first ready-to-wear collection in March 1988, only a few weeks before the WWD announcement, meaning the three Vogue patterns are designs from the Fall/Winter Prêt-à-porter 1988-89 collection.
Christian Lacroix’s training in art history and museum studies was always evident in his work as a couturier. Lacroix wrote his master’s thesis on French costume in seventeenth-century painting, and historical costume was an important influence on his designs. (On Lacroix’s more recent fortunes, see the ‘people pages’ maintained by the Guardian and the New York Times.) Before I looked into these patterns, I was most familiar with Lacroix’s fanciful couture evening wear; I hoped to find a pattern for a crazy eighties Lacroix evening design like the pouf—the bubble skirt for which he became famous. What I didn’t realize is that the pouf was actually conceived at Patou, where Lacroix was artistic director from 1981 to 1987. This photo shows a stunning Lacroix design for Jean Patou haute couture:
Hand-painted toile de jouy cocktail dress, Christian Lacroix for Jean Patou, Vogue, April 1987. Model: Aly Dunne. Photo: François Halard. Image: Vogue Archive.
One of the things that made Lacroix leave Patou was the lack of opportunity to design ready-to-wear. His new label, backed by Bernard Arnault, was launched with a couture collection, followed by a ‘luxe’ ready-to-wear line, and then by the ready-to-wear in March 1988. (See Michael Gross, “High Fashion, Corporate Intrigue.”) Shown in a tent in the Louvre courtyard on the first day of the Paris prêt-à-porter, Lacroix’s inaugural ready-to-wear collection was characterized by short hemlines and fitted and flared silhouettes, especially rounded barrel skirts, and warm colours like orange and purple. (See Bernadine Morris, “A Spirited Lacroix and the Serious Japanese.”)
The three Vogue designs from this collection look to have been photographed on location in Paris. The photos show a short version (view A) of the skirt or dress—presumably the version closest to the original design. But the illustrations (view B) all show the option of a lower hemline. Here is Paco Peralta’s pattern, Vogue 2184, a cropped jacket and high-waisted skirt that flares from released pleats. The skirt is underlined and has an inside belt of grosgrain ribbon.
Vogue 2184 by Christian Lacroix (1988) High-waisted skirt and jacketTechnical drawing for Vogue 2184
The envelope description reads: Misses’ jacket & skirt. Loose-fitting, lined, waist length jacket has shoulder pads and long two-piece sleeves. Fitted and flared skirt, above mid-knee variations, has raised waist, no waistband, front and back pleats, inside belt, pockets and side zipper. Purchased top.
Vogue 2183 is a similar ensemble, a tapered, high-waisted barrel skirt and bolero that buttons to the top of the skirt (I have a copy in the shop):
Vogue 2183 by Christian Lacroix (1988) High-waisted skirt and jacketTechnical drawing for Vogue 2183
Here’s the envelope description: Misses’ jacket & skirt. Semi-fitted, lined, above waist jacket has dropped shoulders, shoulder pads, side panels (no side seams) and long, two-piece sleeves with cuffs. Tapered skirt, above mid-knee variations, has raised waist, front pleats, side panels (no side seams), side front pockets and side zipper closing. Purchased top.
The pièce de résistance, photographed before the Eiffel Tower, is Vogue 2176, a full-skirted dress with broad, dropped shoulders and optional front trim:
Vogue 2176 by Christian Lacroix (1988) DressTechnical drawing for Vogue 2176
The envelope description reads: Misses’ dress. Dress, above mid-knee variations, has dropped shoulders, shoulder pads, close-fitting, shaped back bodice, princess seams, side panels (no side seams), flared, pleated skirt, pockets (slightly forward), front zipper and hemline slit, stitched hems and long sleeves. A: purchased trim. No provision for above-waist adjustment.
Update: Here are some Lacroix images from the December 1988 Vogue Patterns catalogue. Vogue 2176 was featured on the cover:
Vogue Patterns catalogue, December 1988. Image: eBay.Vogue Patterns catalogue, December 1988. Image: eBay.
Update 2: Vogue 2176 was also featured on the cover of Vogue Patterns’ holiday issue:
Vogue 2176 by Christian Lacroix, Vogue Patterns, November/December 1988. Model: Julie Anderson. Photo: Marco Glaviano. Image: eBay.
Here are a few editorial images from L’Officiel showing Lacroix’s ready-to-wear for Fall 1988. I was tickled to see that, in French, barrel skirts are called ‘amphora-shaped.’
Christian Lacroix ready-to-wear: smocked coat dress in wool and Zamori cashmere, worn over a turtleneck bodysuit, also Zamori wool. L’Officiel, June 1988. Photo: Mark Arbeit. Image: jalougallery.com.Christian Lacroix ready-to-wear, L’Officiel, August 1988. Photo: Peter Godry. Image: jalougallery.com.
According to the WWD article, more Lacroix designs were expected to be added “for next spring and each season thereafter.” But I have a feeling the first set was also the last. The ’88 Lacroix patterns seem to be fairly rare, suggesting their sales may not have met expectations. Or maybe the big shoulders and skirt volumes were too perfectly ‘eighties’ for home sewers, post-Black Monday. What I was surprised to see were the barrel skirts, familiar to me as a trend in the early 1960s (and also, apparently, in 1917), showing the breadth of Lacroix’s references and fashion’s continual re-incorporation and renewal of its past.
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