disco – Page 2 – PatternVault

Model with Superman figure - Krizia ad campaign for Fall 1979 photographed by Barry Ryan — Krizia Fall 1979 advertising campaign. Photo: Barry Ryan.

Krizia was already an established label when McCall’s licensed Krizia patterns in the late 1970s. Designer Mariuccia Mandelli (b. 1933) co-founded the company with her friend Flora Dolci in the 1950s, naming it after Plato’s unfinished dialogue Κριτίας (Critias)—Crizia in Italian. The label is known for eclectic, youthful designs that play with pattern and contrast. (For recent coverage of the brand and its influence see the W article, Crazy for Krizia.)

From spring 1979, this two-page spread in L’Officiel shows three Krizia trouser ensembles featuring magenta, orange, and fuchsia satins (click to enlarge):

3 Krizia trouser ensembles in L'Officiel, February 1979, photographed by Michel Picard — Three Krizia looks, *L’Officiel,* February 1979. Photos: Michel Picard. Image: jalougallery.com.

This Krizia sweater set (short-sleeved pullover, bolero, and skirt) appeared in a Vogue editorial on the new knitwear:

Krizia knits in "The New Knitting" Denis Piel editorial Vogue August 1979 — Krizia sweater set, *Vogue*, August 1979. Model: Kim Charlton. Photo: Denis Piel. Image: Corbis.

Between 1979 and 1981, McCall’s released a number of Krizia patterns, including a few children’s patterns. Here’s a selection of Krizia patterns for women’s wear.

McCall’s 6624 is a bias wrap skirt and playsuit with shorts and bodice pleated into a midriff band:

McCall’s 6629 combines a short-sleeved, V-neck bodysuit with a midi-length trouser skirt and wrap shorts:

1970s Krizia bodysuit, skirt, and shorts pattern - McCall's 6629 - Carefree patterns — McCall’s 6629 by Krizia (1979) Image: Etsy.

This pattern is a set of four tops for stretch knits:

McCall’s 6805 is Krizia’s take on the wrap dress, with soft pleats at the shoulder and neckline and lightly puffed sleeves in long and three-quarter lengths:

1970s Krizia wrap dress pattern - McCalls 6805 - Petite-able — McCall’s 6805 by Krizia (1979) Image: eBay.

This sleek skirt suit, reminiscent of AMC’s Halt and Catch Fire, pairs a straight skirt with a fitted jacket with shaped hemline and two-piece sleeves with pleated caps. The notched collar has an optional lapel buttonhole:

1970s Krizia skirt and jacket pattern - McCall's 6808 - Petite-able — McCall’s 6808 by Krizia (1979) Image: Etsy.

From 1980, this casual summer ensemble includes bias shorts or culottes and two tops trimmed with tubular knit:

The more formal McCall’s 7307 is a pattern for polished separates: a jacket with two-piece sleeves, skirt in 2 lengths, and flowing, cuffed pants with matching camisole:

1980s Krizia evening separates pattern - McCall's 7307 — McCall’s 7307 by Krizia (1980) Image: Etsy.

Just for fun, here are two more images from Krizia’s Fall 1979 advertising campaign, photographed by Barry Ryan:

Model touching up lipstick with Superman figure - Cantoni - Krizia - Creeds Fall 1979 advertising campaign photographed by Barry Ryan — Krizia Fall 1979 advertising campaign. Photo: Barry Ryan.

Model reading Superman comic - Bini/Ideacomo Group for Krizia at Sakowitz Fall 1979 advertising campaign photographed by Barry Ryan — Krizia Fall 1979 advertising campaign. Photo: Barry Ryan.

Coming soon: my version of the Krizia playsuit.

Billie Blair on the cover of Interview magazine, August 1974 — Billie Blair on the cover of *Interview* magazine, August 1974. Image: Lipstick Alley.

Born in Flint, Michigan, Billie Blair (b. 1946) worked as a model at the Detroit Auto Show before becoming one of the highest-paid fashion models of the 1970s. Moving to New York City, she got a job at Halston and soon found success as an editorial and runway model. Blair was among the African-American models at the historic 1973 fundraising event, Le Grand Divertissement à Versailles, known today as the Battle of Versailles. (The event was the subject of a recent documentary by Deborah Riley Draper, Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution [2012)].)

Billie Blair in Donna Karan for Anne Klein, Virginia Slims advertisement, 1975. Image: Stanford University.

Billie Blair can be seen on a number of Vogue designer patterns from the mid-1970s. Here she wears a tweed skirt suit and pussy-bow blouse by Oscar de la Renta; this design was marked as ‘suitable for knits’:

Billie Blair models a 1970s Oscar de la Renta suit and blouse pattern - Vogue 1163 — Vogue 1163 by Oscar de la Renta (1975) Image: PatternVault on Etsy.

Stan Herman designed this casual hooded top, skirt, and pants. The illustration shows some American Hustle-worthy aviator shades:

Billie Blair modelling a 1970s Stan Herman pattern - Vogue 1169 — Vogue 1169 by Stan Herman (1975) Image: Vintage Pattern Wiki.

Here Blair wears a girlish, vintage-style ensemble by Nina Ricci, a cream-coloured dress with matching cape:

Billie Blair models a 1970s Nina Ricci cape and dress pattern - Vogue 1175 — Vogue 1175 by Nina Ricci (1975) Image: Vintage Pattern Wiki.

From Jean Patou, this maxi dress may date to the period when the young Jean Paul Gaultier was assistant designer. Blair brings out the glamour of this haute couture loungewear:

Billie Blair models a 1970s Jean Patou loungewear pattern - Vogue 1344 — Vogue 1344 by Jean Patou (1975) Image: PatternVault on Etsy.

In Vogue Patterns‘ 1975 holiday issue, Jerry Hall wears the Patou dress while Blair models an off-the-shoulder party dress in an editorial devoted to evening sparkle (the headline reads, “Be a Star the Vogue Way”):

Designer evening wear Billie Blair Vogue Patterns November December 1975 — Vogue Patterns, November/December 1975. Image: eBay.

Here she models a fabulous, evening-length Dior caftan with piped neckline:

Billie Blair models a 1970s Christian Dior caftan pattern - Vogue 1346 — Vogue 1346 by Christian Dior (1975) Image: Etsy.

This Nina Ricci separates pattern includes a poncho with shirttail hem, convertible collar, and big patch pockets:

Billie Blair models a 1970s Nina Ricci pattern - Vogue 1376 — Vogue 1376 by Nina Ricci (1976) Image: Betsy Vintage.

Blair is the model on this rare pattern by Sonia Rykiel, Vogue 1378—check out the matching coral sandals:

Billie Blair models a 1970s Sonia Rykiel pattern - Vogue 1378 — Vogue 1378 by Sonia Rykiel (1976) Image: Etsy.

Billie Blair’s commanding presence and approach to modelling as performance don’t seem too unusual today. But she was unconventional for the time, and even felt the need to under-report her age when she first became famous. A 1974 profile of Blair in People magazine says she is 22 years old and remarks on her size 9 feet. (In a letter to the editor, a high school classmate wondered how Blair had stayed 22 when her peers were 28.) She continued modelling into her thirties—here she appears in a dynamic 1978 Vogue shoot by Andrea Blanch: