Tania Mallet wears Mary Quant and James Wedge on the cover of British Vogue, October 1, 1963. Photo: Brian Duffy. Image: eBay.
Model and Bond girl Tania Mallet (b. 1941) was born in Blackpool to English and Russian-English parents. (Her mother, Olga Mironoff, was Helen Mirren’s paternal aunt.) She began working as a model in the late 1950s after taking a course at the Lucie Clayton Charm Academy. You may recognize her from her role as Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger (1964).
Mallet’s modelling work in the 1960s included editorials for Vogue patterns and Vogue Knitting Book.
Tania Mallet in Vogue Knitting Book no. 60 (Jubilee edition), 1962. Image: Etsy.
The earliest patterns I’ve found featuring Mallet are by French and Italian designers—Jacques Heim and Simonetta:
Vogue 1258 by Jacques Heim (1963) Image: Pinterest.Vogue 1265 by Simonetta (1963) Image: eBay.
Later patterns are by London designers like Ronald Paterson and Jo Mattli:
Vogue 1391 by Ronald Paterson (1964) Image: Vintage Pattern Wiki.Vogue 1407 by Jo Mattli (1964) Image: Etsy.Vogue 1661 by Jo Mattli (ca. 1967) Image: Etsy.
Tania Mallet wears Vogue 1693 by Federico Forquet (with Vogue 1758 by Ronald Paterson and Vogue 7158). Sekers Fabrics advertisement, 1967.
Full marks for hats and coiffure, don’t you think?
Tania Mallet in Pucci on the cover of British Vogue, July 1961. Photo: Eugene Vernier. Image: Vogue UK.Tania Mallet in Pierre Cardin on the cover of Jardin des Modes, March 1962. Photo: Harry Meerson. Image: Jardin des Modes Covers.Tania Mallet on the cover of British Vogue, July 1962. Photo: Henry Clarke. Image: eBay.
McCall 9284 illustration by Blanche Rothschild, ca. June 1937. Image: PatternVault shop.
Vintage bridal patterns offer a unique alternative to modern bridal designs. Even if you’re already married, they provide a glimpse into past bridal fashions’ sometimes exotic vintage details—making them tempting even for those not in need of a wedding dress. (Can we expect Debi Fry to make her 1940 bridal pattern, McCall 4004?)
Now that wedding season is in full swing, here’s a selection of vintage bridal patterns, from the Twenties to the Eighties.
1920s
In the Twenties and Thirties, bridal patterns usually did double duty as patterns for formal dresses. This 1920s Peerless Patterns sign features a wedding illustration promoting a number of patterns:
This fantastic bridal or evening dress is short, in keeping with the current fashion, and may have one or two extended side panels that give the effect of a train:
McCall 4985 (1927) Image: Commercial Pattern Archive, Kevin L. Seligman collection. For research purposes only.
1930s
Thirties bridal patterns have the same glamour we associate with the decade’s evening wear. This pattern for a bridal gown or dinner dress dates to circa June 1934:
McCall 7852 (1934) Image: Etsy.McCall 7852 on the cover of McCall Fashion Book, Mid-Summer 1934. Image: eBay.
A reproduction version of this pattern for a bridal gown or afternoon dress is available from the Vintage Pattern Lending Library:
McCall 8331 (1935) Bridal gown or afternoon dress.
A copy of McCall 8331 recently seen on eBay was accompanied by this wedding portrait, which shows the dress made up:
1930s wedding portrait from a San Francisco estate. Image: eBay.
1940s
In the Forties the bride begins to take centre stage on pattern envelopes, although evening and bridesmaid versions are still included. This bridal or evening dress was reissued in the Vintage Vogue line as Vogue 2384:
Vogue S-4532 (1944) Image: Vintage Patterns Wiki.
This strong-shouldered, postwar design has a sweetheart neckline and waist piping detail. The pattern also includes a bridesmaid’s dress with short, shirred sleeves (click image for the technical drawings):
McCall 6353 (1946) Image: Etsy.
1950s
By the 1950s the bride, in her full-skirted glory, dominates the pattern envelope. This Jacques Fath design for a bride’s or bridesmaid’s dress has a bustled back and tiny shawl collar. The bridesmaid’s version simply lacks a train:
Vogue 1331 by Jacques Fath (1956) Image: carbonated on flickr.
John Cavanagh was known for his connection to the English court. He licensed several bridal patterns with Vogue, and designed the Duchess of Kent’s wedding dress in 1961. (See my earlier post here.) This short-sleeved Cavanagh design has a simulated train; the smaller figures show bridesmaid’s and evening versions:
Vogue 148 by John Cavanagh (1958) Image: VADS.
1960s
Also by John Cavanagh, this 1960s bridal design with a cathedral-length Watteau train was modelled by Jean Shrimpton:
Vogue 1347 by John Cavanagh (1964) Image: Vintage Patterns Wiki.
No bridal pattern survey could be complete without this Halston pattern for bridal headpieces:
Vogue 7082 by Halston of Bergdorf Goodman (c. 1965) Image: eBay.
1970s
From the early 1970s, this Pierre Cardin bridal gown, shown in a silk knit, has an optional overskirt with handkerchief train:
Vogue 2520 by Pierre Cardin (1971) Image: eBay.Illustration and technical drawing for Vogue 2520. Image: eBay.
Although it isn’t for everyone, Yves Saint Laurent’s couture bridal design for a gathered, bias dress, filmy coat, and five-yard veil distinguishes itself by showing the bride as wayward Vestal virgin (see Paco Peralta’s post here):
Vogue 1590 by Yves Saint Laurent (c. 1976) Image: Patrones Costura on Etsy.
1980s
Released in 1980, this opulent Dior design for a bell-skirted bridal gown, complete with bias necktie, cummerbund, and bow-embellished headpiece, is drawn from the Christian Dior Haute Couture collection for Fall 1979 (read Dustin’s post here):
Vogue 2545 by Christian Dior (1980) Image: PatternVault shop.
Perfect for steampunk weddings, Vogue 2180 by Bellville Sassoon has an elaborate bustle that gives it a neo-Victorian flair:
Vogue 2180 by Bellville Sassoon (1989) Image: eBay.
