In the Orchard
March 1, 2018 § 4 Comments
Vogue 8103 in Vogue Pattern Book, 1971. Photo: Arthur Elgort.
Arthur Elgort photographed this Miss Vogue design, Vogue 8103, ca. 1971. Shown in Abraham sheer wool challis, and apparently cut on the bias to play with the check. Note the covered button detail.
Mirella Petteni
February 13, 2018 § 3 Comments
Mirella Petteni in Venice, 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton. Image: Tumblr.
Happy Mardi Gras! To celebrate the last day of Carnival, here’s a look at the star of Helmut Newton’s 1966 Venetian shoot: Italian model and socialite Mirella Petteni Haggiag.
Born in Bergamo, Mirella Petteni moved to Milan to work as a model. As the wife of film producer Robert Haggiag, Petteni was also a society figure with residences in Venice, Tuscany, New York, and Rome’s Palazzo Mengarini. (See T magazine.) She retired from modelling to become an editor at Vogue Italia.
Mirella Petteni in Queen, August 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton. Image: Sweet Jane.
Petteni can be seen on many Vogue Couturier Designs by Italian designers.
Image: PatternVault on Etsy.
Vogue 1397 by Pucci, March 1965 retail catalogue. Image: Pinterest.
Petteni also appears in a Vogue holiday editorial that includes two Vogue Special designs (Vogue 6084 and 6054):
In Vogue 6084 and 6054, Vogue, December 1963. Photos: Irving Penn? Image: Youthquakers.
Here she wears Galitzine’s halter and culotte:
Vogue 1393 by Galitzine (1964) Image: Etsy.
Here, in Pucci’s bestselling cape-jacket ensemble, Petteni’s aspirational hair is an added bonus:
Vogue 1394 by Pucci (1964) Image: Etsy.
Image: Etsy.
In white dresses from Fabiani and Forquet:
Vogue 1402 by Federico Forquet (1964). Image: Create-Everyday.
Vogue 1866 by Fabiani (1967) Image: Etsy.
Vogue 1899 by Fabiani (1968) Image: Etsy.
Sorbet colour-blocking from Pucci:
Vogue 1865 by Pucci (1967) Image: Etsy.
Vogue 1955 by Pucci (1968) Image: PatternVault on Etsy.
In Forquet’s short, half-bias evening dress:
Vogue 1957 by Federico Forquet (1968) Image: Vintage Pattern Wiki.
Here she poses with Benedetta Barzini in early Valentino:
Benedetta Barzini and Mirella Petteni in Valentino, at Agnese Bruguier’s apartment in the Palazzo Borghese, Rome, Vogue, September 1968. Photo: Henry Clarke. Image: tumblr.
Mirella Petteni in Queen, August 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton. Image: tumblr.
Spring 2018 Designer Highlights
January 25, 2018 § Leave a comment
Catherine Nako wears a Tracy Reese dress at Red’s Jazz Shoe Shine Parlor, Detroit. Photo: Ray Rushing. Image: Instagram.
Have you seen the new designer patterns for Spring 2018?
Badgley Mischka are celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary this March, so it’s a treat to see their work on the cover of Vogue’s Spring lookbook. (Click their portrait for my 2013 Just Married post.)
Badgley Mischka dress V1579 on the cover of the Vogue Patterns Spring 2018 lookbook. Image: Issuu.
The Spring collection also marks the return of Tracy Reese. (The Detroit native was last seen in Vogue Patterns in 2016.) The new Reese design is a dress with contrast yoke and sleeves—great for those matching sheer/opaque print combos:
Vogue 1578 by Tracy Reese (2018) Image: McCall’s.
Sew Today’s latest issue tipped us off to Reese’s comeback:
Tracy Reese dress on the cover of Sew Today, February 2018. Image: sewdirect.
The dark floral was a signature print in her Fall 2016 collection, where it could be seen on dresses, sheer blouses, and a long, cuffed skirt:
Tracy Reese Fall 2016 collection. Image: Vogue.com
Tracy Reese Fall 2016 collection. Image: Vogue.com.
Reese was inspired by Detroit for this collection, and she opened her presentation with a short film starring local model Catherine Nako:
The film stills are by Detroit-based cinematographer Ray Rushing.
Catherine Nako in Tracy Reese Fall 2016. Photo: Ray Rushing. Image: Instagram.
Bonus: I published my Winter/Holiday post before the McCall’s Winter release, which included two Nicole Miller patterns. This asymmetrical top and flared trousers look to be from the Spring 2017 collection:
McCall’s 7692 by Nicole Miller (2017) Image: McCall’s.
Nicole Miller Spring 2017 collection. Image: Vogue UK.
Miller’s Gladiator gown uses contrast binding to punctuate the classic goddess dress. (Still available in white from the designer’s retail site.)
McCall’s 7685 by Nicole Miller (2017) Image: McCall’s.
The original was silk chiffon.
Nicole Miller’s Gladiator gown. Image: Rent the Runway.
See you in the arena!
Jill Kennington
January 2, 2018 § Leave a comment
Jill Kennington in Vogue 1676 by Elio Berhanyer, Vogue Pattern Book International, Winter 1966. Image: eBay.
British model-turned-photographer Jill Kennington turns 75 today.
Born and raised in Lincolnshire, Jill Kennington (b. 1943) moved to London at 18, working at Harrods and staying with her aunt, who was a buyer there. Scouted by Michael Whittaker, the founder of the Whittaker Enterprises agency, she was hired as a house model at Norman Hartnell before she could finish the agency course.
Vogue Pattern Book International, Summer 1966. Image: Vintage Chic.
Kennington was one of two models in John Cowan’s famous shoot in the Canadian Arctic. (See the full editorial at vogue.com.) You might recognize her from Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up. (Read her reminiscences in Vanity Fair.)
At Resolute Bay, Vogue, November 1964. Photo: John Cowan. Image: Pleasure Photo.
Jill Kennington (left) in Blow-Up (1966) Image: Vanity Fair.
That’s Kennington in Emmanuelle Khanh’s dress pattern in Queen magazine. (Previously seen in my Butterick Young Designers post.)
Butterick 3718 by Emmanuelle Khanh, Queen, August 11, 1965. Image: Amazon.
Here she models some mod knitwear by Mary Quant:
Patons no. 9702 by Mary Quant (ca. 1966)
Kennington can be seen on some of Vogue’s earliest Givenchy patterns. This evening dress was also featured on the cover of the February retail catalogue:
Vogue 1698 by Givenchy (1967)
In Vogue 1707 by Fabiani:
FABIANI 1707: Vogue Patterns catalogue, April 1967. Image: Etsy.
More Vogue Paris Originals and Couturier patterns featuring Kennington:
Vogue 1725 by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior (1967) Image: eBay.
Vogue 1737 by Laroche (1967) Image: Vintage Pattern Wiki.
Vogue 1746 by Simonetta (1967) Image: Blue Gardenia.
Vogue 1747 by Lanvin (1967) Image: eBay.
In a flight-themed British Vogue editorial, wearing Young Fashionables hooded jumpsuit Vogue 6376:
Vogue 6376 in British Vogue, February 1967. Photo: Ronald Traeger. Image: Youthquakers.
Happy birthday, Ms. Kennington!
Jill Kennington, 1964. Photo: Lichfield. Image: National Portrait Gallery.
Is Paris dead? Jill Kennington in Pierre Cardin, Weekend Telegraph, September 3, 1965. Photo: William Klein. Image: eBay.
Jill Kennington in Queen, January 5, 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton. Image: Pinterest.
Jill Kennington on the cover of Queen‘s Christmas issue. Photo: David Montgomery. Image: eBay.
Patterns in Vogue: Romantic Gestures
December 30, 2017 § 1 Comment
Susan Holmes in Vogue, December 1990. Photo: Ellen von Unwerth. Editor: André Leon Talley. Image: Ma Chérie, Dior.
An opulent early ’90s holiday editorial, shot by Ellen von Unwerth and styled by André Leon Talley, includes one Vogue pattern.
Vogue’s version of culotte dress Vogue 2270 was made up in fuchsia satin from B&J Fabrics.
Vogue 2270 (1989) Image: Etsy.
(See Ma Chérie, Dior for the full editorial.)
Happy New Year, all the best for 2018!
Glow, Holiday 1979
December 21, 2017 § 3 Comments
Tara Shannon wears Yves Saint Laurent’s V2337 in Vogue Patterns, November/December 1979, “Glow” editorial. Photo: Albert Watson.
Perfume: Opium, of course!
Yves Saint Laurent’s Chinese tunic got a lot of exposure during the 1979-80 holiday season. The cover of Vogue’s January 1980 retail catalogue also shows a version of this shot. (See Make Mine Vogue.) The pattern is Vogue 2337.
Happy holidays, everyone.
Patterns in Vogue: Gia in Versace, 1979
December 7, 2017 § Leave a comment
Detail, Gia Carangi in Vogue, July 1979. Photo: Alex Chatelain.
2017 is officially the year of Versace. To mark the 20th anniversary of her brother’s death, Donatella Versace has been returning to the house’s heritage, most notably with a surprise finale to her spring runway show. But if it’s that ’90s supermodel moment—glamazons lip-synching George Michael—that we remember best, let us not forget Versace’s equally glamorous beginnings.
Early in Gianni Versace’s career, Vogue magazine featured one of his Vogue patterns, as worn by the young Gia Carangi. The pleated blouse, pants, and cummerbund were shown in black and white silk taffeta.
Gia Carangi in Vogue 2025 by Gianni Versace. Vogue, July 1979. Photo: Alex Chatelain.
The pattern is a Genny design:
Vogue 2025 by Gianni Versace for Genny (1978) Model: Karen Bjornson.
For more on Versace’s licensed patterns from the late ’70s and early ’80s, see my 2-part series: 1. Versace for Genny and Complice and 2. Gianni Versace.
