Jean Muir: Vogue Patterns
September 13, 2016 § 8 Comments
A Jean Muir look on the cover of British Vogue, February 1973. Photo: David Bailey. Model: Susan Moncur. Image: eBay.
Jean Muir was the only designer to ascend from Butterick Young Designer to Vogue Couturier. (See my post on Jean Muir’s Butterick patterns here.) This week, a look at Vogue’s Jean Muir patterns from the early 1970s to the mid-1980s.
Jean Muir sketches on display in the National Museum of Scotland’s new galleries. Image © National Museums Scotland
Pattern pieces for a Jean Muir dress, Spring 1980. Image © National Museums Scotland.
1970s
Jean Muir was introduced as a new Vogue Couturier in Vogue Pattern Book’s first issue of 1972. Three Muir designs (Vogue 2663, 2664, and 2646) were pictured throughout the magazine, but only the last two appear in the designer feature: Vogue 2664’s full-sleeved dress in saffron jersey, and Vogue 2646’s evening dress and matching short shorts in bone-coloured matte jersey. The model on the right is Joyce Walker (click to enlarge):
“Introducing Jean Muir” — Vogue 2664 and 2646 in Vogue Pattern Book, February/March 1972.
Posing for Richard Avedon, Faye Dunaway wears a Jean Muir dress with handkerchief sleeves:
Faye Dunaway in Jean Muir, Vogue, March 1973. Photo: Richard Avedon. Image: The Fashion Spot.
This dress with gathered centre panels and shirttail hem was featured on the counter catalogue in a lush floral print:
Vogue 2804 by Jean Muir (1973) Image: Etsy.
Vogue 2804 by Jean Muir, Vogue Patterns catalogue, May 1973. Image: eBay.
Vogue 2884 is an evening dress with raised waist and pintuck details. The back is particularly elegant (available in the shop):
Vogue 2884 by Jean Muir (1973) Image: PatternVault on Etsy.
David Bailey photographed Anjelica Huston in an olive version—with matching cloche—for British Vogue:
Jean Muir olive suede-trimmed angora dress and cloche, British Vogue, September 1, 1973. Photo: David Bailey. Model: Anjelica Huston. Image: Youthquakers.
Muir ensembles often involve matching hats, and her patterns sometimes include a head covering. This pattern has three (click to view in the PatternVault shop):
Vogue 1148 by Jean Muir (1974) Image via PatternVault on Etsy.
A news cover illustrated by Michaele Vollbracht recommends wearing View C’s ‘ScarfCap’ with a ‘BigDress’ for fall ’75:
Vogue 9239 with Vogue 1148 by Jean Muir, Vogue Patterns Eye on Fashion, September 1975. Illustration: Michaele Vollbracht. Image: eBay.
Vogue 1153 has characteristic Jean Muir dressmaker details—radiating Deco pintucks, tucked sleeves, released pleats, and contrast topstitching. The recommended fabrics include lightweight synthetic knits, matte jersey, tricot knits, and wool jersey:
Vogue 1153 by Jean Muir (1974) Image: Etsy.
On assignment for Vogue, Deborah Turbeville photographed Muir with models in her all-white apartment:
Models with Jean Muir in Vogue, February 1975. Photo: Deborah Turbeville. Models: Paddy Grey and Clio Goldsmith. Image: What Goes Around Comes Around.
Jean Muir with models in her suede dresses: Louise Pleydell-Bouverie, Clio Goldsmith, and Paddy Grey, for Vogue, February 1975. Photo: Deborah Turbeville. Image: the Wapping Project.
Turbeville’s legendary Bathhouse series includes a Jean Muir Liberty-print smock:
Right: Jean Muir Liberty print smock dress, Vogue, May 1975. Photo: Deborah Turbeville. Stylist: Polly Mellen. Image: the Fashion Spot.
1980s
Vogue 2399’s full-sleeved dress was previously seen in my Iman post:
Vogue 2399 by Jean Muir (1980) Model: Iman.
Vogue 2463 reinterprets Muir’s trademark cut-in sleeves and pin-tucked bodice for the early ’80s:
Vogue 2463 by Jean Muir (1980) Image: Etsy.
Vogue 1123’s two-piece dress arranges pleated volumes around smooth central panels:
Vogue 1123 by Jean Muir (1983) Image: Rusty Zipper.
The latest Jean Muir Vogue pattern I’ve seen is Vogue 1502, a jacket and skirt. The unlined jacket has deep kimono sleeves and a broad waistline tuck:
Vogue 1502 by Jean Muir (1985) Image: Etsy.
Postscript
Style Patterns—by then owned by Simplicity—produced this dress pattern to accompany Channel Four’s 1993 television series, Very Jean Muir. (Update: it even came with a sew-in label.) The pattern is found in the National Museum of Scotland’s Jean Muir Collection:
Channel Four / Style 0526 by Jean Muir (1993) Image: eBay.
Jean Muir’s dedication to the craft of fashion design gives her work a special appeal for home sewers. When Leeds Art Galleries mounted a travelling Jean Muir exhibition, dressmakers brought their Vogue patterns for her to sign.* Have you made any Jean Muir patterns?
* Maureen Cleave, “Makers of Modern Fashion: Jean Muir,” Observer supplement, September 21, 1980.
Jean Muir dress, British Vogue, September 15, 1973. Photo: Eric Boman. Model: Grace Coddington. Image: Beauty is a warm gun.
Karen Kain in Jean Muir, Vogue, November 1975. Photo: David Montgomery. Image: Barefoot Vintage.
Punched suede top and matte jersey skirt by Jean Muir, British Vogue, February 1973. Photo: David Bailey. Model: Donna Mitchell. Image: Youthquakers.
Jean Muir: Butterick Patterns
August 28, 2016 § 2 Comments
Jean Muir for Jane & Jane, Butterick Home Catalog, Spring 1965.
This summer, after extensive renovations, the National Museum of Scotland opened its new galleries, including a Fashion and Style gallery. Jean Muir’s archive is housed in the museum, so the new gallery returns this important collection of her work to public view. To celebrate, I’ll be posting a two-part series on Jean Muir sewing patterns.
Box with slides from the Jean Muir Collection. Image: National Museum of Scotland.
Though born in London, Jean Muir (1928-1995) is often called “the Scottish Chanel.” Muir began her career working at Liberty London. She was the designer for Jaeger before winning backing for her first label, Jane & Jane, in the early 1960s; she also designed for Morel London. In the fall of 1966 she founded her own company, Jean Muir Ltd. Acclaimed for her precise cut in jersey, leather, and suede, she preferred to be called a dressmaker.
Jaeger advertisement illustrated by René Gruau, 1957. Image: Jaeger.co.uk.
Muir and her designs are featured in Life magazine’s 1963 portfolio (headlined “Brash New Breed of British Designers”) on what was then called the Chelsea Look.
Jane & Jane “granny” dress at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, Life magazine, October 18, 1963. Photo: Norman Parkinson. Image: Google books.
Jean Muir licensed patterns with Butterick’s Young Designers line into the early 1970s.
1960s
In early 1965, Butterick introduced Jean Muir of Jane & Jane with four designs in the Spring 1965 catalogue (click to enlarge):
“From London: Designs by Jane & Jane,” Butterick Home Catalog, Spring 1965.
Butterick 3495 and 3494 by Jean Muir for Jane & Jane, Butterick Home Catalog, Spring 1965.
This simple Jane & Jane dress is accented with two narrow tucks above the hemline:
Butterick 3609 by Jean Muir of Jane & Jane (ca. 1965) Image: PatternVault on Etsy.
The tucks on Butterick 3609 recall the single, broad hemline tuck on this Jane & Jane dress photographed by David Bailey in Kenya:
Jane & Jane wool dress with secretary bird, British Vogue, February 1965. Photo: David Bailey. Model: Sue Murray. Image: Youthquakers.
This mod, A-line dress is trimmed with buttons and topstitching (click to view in the shop):
Butterick 3722 by Jean Muir of Jane & Jane (ca. 1965) Image: PatternVault on Etsy.
The young Grace Coddington posed in the sleeveless version for British Vogue:
Jane & Jane dress in British Vogue, March 15, 1965. Photo: Eugene Vernier. Model: Grace Coddington. Image: Youthquakers.
Previously seen in my Celia Hammond post, this Jane & Jane dress has a standing neckline, raglan sleeves, and Muir’s trademark tiny button trim:
Butterick 4153 by Jean Muir of Jane & Jane (ca. 1966) Image: Vintage Patterns Wiki.
Within a year of founding her own company, Muir saw her double-breasted ‘cavalier’ coat on the cover of British Vogue:
Coat by Jean Muir, British Vogue, August 1967. Photo: David Bailey. Model: Jean Shrimpton. Image: Youthquakers.
Burnished orange and navy blue striped cavalier coat in Garigue wool by Jean Muir, British Vogue, August 1967. Photo: David Bailey. Model: Jean Shrimpton. Image: Youthquakers.
With its shoulder yokes and double-breasted front, Butterick 5242 is a similar design:
Butterick 5242 by Jean Muir (ca. 1969) Image: Serendipity Vintage.
Muir’s signature topstitching and shoulder yokes define the details on Butterick 4937, a sleeveless dress illustrated on the cover of the August 1968 news leaflet:
Butterick 4937 by Jean Muir on the cover of Butterick Fashion News, August 1968. Image: Vintage Patterns Wiki.
The pattern envelope shows the dress with and without the low-slung belt carriers:
Butterick 4937 by Jean Muir (ca. 1968) Image: Etsy.
David Bailey photographed a similar Jean Muir belted jumper in green Harris tweed:
Jean Muir jumper in British Vogue, October 15, 1967. Photo: David Bailey. Model: Sue Murray. Image: Youthquakers.
1970s
Previously seen in my Mad Men-era Butterick Young Designers post, Butterick 5657 is the kind of fluid jersey dress Muir became known for:
Butterick 5657 by Jean Muir (ca. 1970)
The design is from Muir’s Fall 1969 collection—photographed here in cloud grey jersey:
Jean Muir jersey dress, British Vogue, August 1969. Photo: David Montgomery. Model: Moyra Swan. Image: Youthquakers.
Butterick 5954 was shown in both mini and midi lengths; the recommended fabrics include jersey, knit, and synthetic knits. The contrast cuffs and bib front give the opportunity for colour blocking or print mixing as in the Liberty-style illustration (available in the shop):
Butterick 5954 by Jean Muir (ca. 1970) Image: PatternVault on Etsy.
Before Butterick switched to illustrations only, there was a growing disparity in quality between pattern and editorial photography. Here it obscures the potential of Muir’s tucked and colour blocked peasant tunic:
Butterick 6222 by Jean Muir (ca. 1971)
Jeanloup Sieff photographed a similar dress-and-knickers ensemble for an editorial in Nova magazine:
Chiffon dress and knickers by Jean Muir, Nova, March 1972. Photo: Jeanloup Sieff. Editor: Caroline Baker. Image: Miss Peelpants.
The latest Jean Muir Young Designer pattern I’ve seen is Butterick 6398, a high-waisted dress with tiny self ruffles, button trim, and optional contrast sleeves and hemband:
Butterick 6398 by Jean Muir (ca. 1971)
I’ll close with this 1970 Norman Parkinson photo of a Jean Muir dress and turban in Monument Valley, in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery:
Jean Muir dress, British Vogue, January 1971 (1970). Photo: Norman Parkinson. Model: Jan Ward. Image: the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Iman
July 25, 2015 § 1 Comment
Iman on the cover of Vogue Italia, March 1976. Photo: Norman Parkinson. Image via eBay.
Iman (b. 1955) turns sixty today. Born Iman Mohamed Abdulmajid in Mogadishu, Somalia, she and her family fled to Kenya after the 1969 military coup, where she was discovered while a student in Nairobi by photographer Peter Beard. She soon became the first African supermodel, later founding Iman Cosmetics. (For more on Iman’s early career, watch Vogue Italia’s video interview, or read a 2014 Guardian profile here.)
Iman and David Bowie in Vogue Italia, August 1995. Photo: Bruce Weber. Image via vogue.it.
Iman can be seen on a handful of Vogue Patterns, circa 1980, as well as pattern editorials in Vogue Patterns and Vogue magazine.
From Jean Muir, Vogue 2399 is a long-sleeved, blouson dress with matching scarf:
Vogue 2399 by Jean Muir (ca. 1980)
Vogue 2400 is an Emanuel Ungaro skirt suit with striped, quilted jacket and tucked blouse:
Vogue 2400 by Emanuel Ungaro (ca. 1980) Image via Etsy.
From Yves Saint Laurent, Vogue 2404 is a skirt suit with contrast standing collar and turn-back cuffs:
Vogue 2404 by Yves Saint Laurent (1980) Image via Etsy.
In a 1977 Vogue Patterns editorial in Vogue magazine, the young Iman wears a top (Vogue 9798) and drawstring pants (Vogue 9493) with a Liberty-print sarong:
Iman in Vogue 9798 and 9493, Vogue, May 1977. Photo: Bob Richardson. Image via the Fashion Spot.
(Reposted from the Fashion Spot Iman thread.)
Iman also appears with Karen Bjornson in a Vogue Patterns blouse editorial by Patrick Demarchelier from summer, 1979. Here she wears Vogue 7413 (with Bjornson in Vogue 2185 by Renata):
Iman and Karen Bjornson in Vogue Patterns, July/August 1979. Photo: Patrick Demarchelier.
On the left, Iman wears Vogue 7234 (the envelope shows Gia Carangi; with Bjornson in Vogue 7392); on the right, her wrap-front blouse is Very Easy Vogue 7373 (with Bjornson in Vogue 7435 – click to enlarge):
Iman and Karen Bjornson in Vogue Patterns, July/August 1979. Photos: Patrick Demarchelier.
Just for fun, here’s another early Iman cover from the same period as her commercial pattern work (photographer unknown; later used by German Cosmo):
Iman on the cover of Cosmopolitan Italia, June 1980. Image via Modelinia/Fashion Bomb daily.
Happy birthday, Iman!
With thanks to vegas4001 for the Vogue Italia photographer credit.
Mad Men Era 9: Butterick’s Young Designers
April 24, 2014 § 5 Comments
Megan Draper (Jessica Paré) in a Mad Men season 7 promotional photo. Image: AMC.
My series on Mad Men-era designer patterns concludes this week with three Butterick Young Designers: Mary Quant, Jean Muir, and Emmanuelle Khanh.
In 1964, Butterick launched its Young Designers line, appealing to the youth market by licensing the work of up-and-coming, international fashion designers. The line would continue through the 1970s with the addition of new designers like Betsey Johnson, Jane Tise, and Kenzo. (For more on the Young Designers line see The Vintage Traveler’s Butterick Young Designers page.)
Mary Quant
Mary Quant (b. 1934) was the first designer to be signed to the new pattern line. Born in London, Quant met Archie McNair and her future husband, Alexander Plunket Greene, at art school; together they opened a boutique on the King’s Road, Bazaar, in 1955, selling Quant’s fun, youthful designs. Quant is perhaps most famous as a pioneer of the miniskirt. Butterick released its first Quant patterns, featuring Celia Hammond photographed by Terence Donovan, in the fall of 1964.
Butterick 5475 is a mini-length shirt dress with plenty of details including epaulets, side slits, and a self-buttoned belt:
Butterick 5475 by Mary Quant (1969) Mini dress.
Jean Muir
Also born in London, Jean Muir (1928-1995) showed an early talent for dressmaking and needlework. During the 1950s, after working her way up from the stockroom at Liberty, she was hired as designer for Jaeger; she stayed with Jaeger until 1962, when she founded her first label, Jane & Jane. She launched her eponymous label in 1966. Muir was known for her fluid dresses with charming dressmaker details.
Butterick introduced Jean Muir patterns in the spring of 1965. This short, high-waisted dress dates to the late 1960s; the bodice front and slashed, modified raglan bell sleeves fasten with rows of tiny buttons:
Butterick 5657 by Jean Muir (c. 1969) Image: eBay.
Emmanuelle Khanh
Born in Paris as Renée Mésière, Emmanuelle Khanh (b. 1937) married avant-garde industrial designer Quasar Khanh in the late 1950s, around the same time that she began working as a house model for Balenciaga and Givenchy. Turning her hand to fashion design, Khanh was soon at the forefront of yé-yé fashion (Paris’ answer to Youthquake), designing for brands including Cacharel and Missoni before launching her own label in 1969. (Read a 1964 LIFE magazine article about Khanh here.) Today her company focuses on accessories, particularly eyewear.
Butterick introduced Emmanuelle Khanh sewing patterns in the fall of 1965. This turquoise, suit-effect dress creates interesting effects with topstitching and collar details:
Emmanuelle Khanh dress on the cover of the Butterick Home Catalog, Fall 1965. Image: myvintagevogue.
The pattern is Butterick 3718. (Thanks to Jessica Hastings of myvintagevogue for confirming the number.) This photo shows a full-length view of the dress:
An Emmanuelle Khanh dress made from a Butterick sewing pattern in heavy turquoise blue wool jersey (1965) Image: Amazon.
It’s interesting to see an established company like Butterick responding to contemporary Sixties youth culture, facilitating access to Youthquake and yé-yé fashion in the process.
Celia Hammond
March 27, 2014 § 5 Comments
Celia Hammond in Paco Rabanne. British Vogue, May 1966. Photo: David Bailey. Image via Vogue UK.
Born in Indonesia, Celia Hammond was discovered by Norman Parkinson in the early 1960s and went on to build a career as a top model in Paris and Swinging London.
British Vogue, June 1967. Photo: David Bailey. Image via Vogue UK.
Hammond may be seen on many designer patterns from Vogue and Butterick from the mid-1960s, always by British designers.
Here she models an LBD with dropped waist and bow-trimmed overblouse by Michael of London (Michael Donéllan):
Vogue 1330 by Michael (1964) Image via the Blue Gardenia.
Hammond modelled for patterns by a few British designers licensed to Butterick’s new Young Designers line, including the first Mary Quant patterns. Here she poses in a Quant dress, Butterick 3288, on a Butterick catalogue cover shot by Terence Donovan:
Butterick 3288 by Mary Quant; Butterick catalogue, October 1964. Photo: Terence Donovan. Image via eBay.
Jean Muir designed this button-trimmed, mustard-yellow dress for her early label, Jane & Jane:
Butterick 4153 by Jean Muir (c. 1965) Image via the Vintage Patterns Wiki.
Hammond also appears on this popular Jean Muir dress pattern, Butterick 4577:
Butterick 4577 by Jean Muir (c. 1967) Image via Etsy.
Here she models a suede-trimmed ensemble by Jo Mattli:
Vogue 1664 by Jo Mattli (1966) Image via the Vintage Patterns Wiki.
This evening dress from Belinda Bellville has a shaped bodice and handy pockets:
Vogue 1680 by Belinda Bellville (1966) Image via the Vintage Patterns Wiki.
By Ronald Paterson, this three-piece ensemble with cutaway jacket is chic in white matelassé with matching buttons:
Vogue 1685 by Ronald Paterson (1967) Image via the Vintage Patterns Wiki.
Richard Dormer photographed Hammond in these two Belinda Bellville designs. Vogue 1795 is an elegant, black-and-white day ensemble, while Vogue 1828 is a short evening dress with tiered, scalloped, bias overskirt:
Vogue 1795 by Belinda Bellville (1967) Image via the Vintage Patterns Wiki.
Vogue 1828 by Belinda Bellville (1967) Image via the Vintage Patterns Wiki.
Here Hammond models another dress by Michael Donéllan, its blouson bodice slashed in back to reveal an attached camisole:
Vogue 1861 by Michael of London (1967) Image via the Vintage Patterns Wiki.
Hammond retired from modelling to devote herself full-time to her work for animal welfare; she remains active for this cause as the founder of the Celia Hammond Animal Trust.
Click the models tag to see more posts in my models series.
