Pucci – PatternVault

Mirella Petteni photographed by Helmut Newton in Venice, 1966 — 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.

Mirella Petteni in Pucci — Image: PatternVault shop.

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):

Vogue 6084 and 6054 as worn by Mirella Petteni in Vogue, 1963 — In Vogue 6084 and 6054, *Vogue*, December 1963. Photos: Irving Penn? Image: Youthquakers.

Here she wears Galitzine’s halter and culotte:

Mirella Petteni in Vogue 1393 by Galitzine — Vogue 1393 by Galitzine (1964) Image: Etsy.

Here, in Pucci’s bestselling cape-jacket ensemble, Petteni’s aspirational hair is an added bonus:

1960s Pucci pink ensemble pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1394 — Vogue 1394 by Pucci (1964) Image: Etsy.

In white dresses from Fabiani and Forquet:

1960s Forquet 2-piece dress pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1402 — Vogue 1402 by Federico Forquet (1964). Image: Etsy.

1960s Fabiani dress pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1866 — Vogue 1866 by Fabiani (1967) Image: Etsy.

1960s Fabiani dress pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1899 — Vogue 1899 by Fabiani (1968) Image: Etsy.

Sorbet colour-blocking from Pucci:

1960s Pucci culotte pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1865 — Vogue 1865 by Pucci (1967) Image: Etsy.

1960s Pucci dress pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1955 — Vogue 1955 by Pucci (1968) Image: PatternVault shop.

In Forquet’s short, half-bias evening dress:

1960s Forquet dress pattern feat. Mirella Petteni Haggiag - Vogue Couturier Design 1957 — 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, 1968 — 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 — Mirella Petteni in *Queen*, August 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton. Image: tumblr.

Pucci dice: affascinate lo sceicco (Sheikh) - Vogue Italia editorial photographed by Gian Paolo Barbieri — Pucci tunic and harem pants, *Vogue Italia*, January 1968. Photo: Gian Paolo Barbieri. Image: Pleasurephoto.

The early ’90s are back—and so are sarouel, or harem pants. Here’s a look at vintage patterns for this distinctive trouser style.

Like caftans, sarouel originated in ancient Persia. Persian sirwāl became Turkish şalvar, entering the Western fashion vocabulary via Ottoman culture and the early modern vogue for turquerie.

Tilda Swinton in 18th-century Ottoman dress in Sally Potter's Orlando — Tilda Swinton in 18th-century Ottoman dress in Sally Potter’s *Orlando* (1992) Photo: Liam Longman. Image: Pinterest.

Şalvar were introduced to Western women’s clothing in the 19th century as part of the Rational Dress movement: Amelia Bloomer conceived her eponymous trousers as “Turkish pants.” (On cycling bloomers see Jonathan Walford, The 1890s Bicycle Bloomer Brouhaha.) Couturier Paul Poiret is usually credited with making “harem” pants fashionable in the period before World War 1.

Bert Green illustration "The Harem Girl," 1911 — *The Harem Girl*. Bert Green for *Puck* magazine, 1911. Image: Wikipedia.

Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay) in her new harem ensemble. Downton Abbey, season 1, episode 3 — Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay) on *Downton Abbey*, Season 1 (2011). Image: Pinterest.

1960s

In the mid-’60s, harem pants enjoyed renewed popularity as glam loungewear. (I Dream of Jeannie started airing in September, 1965.) This Vogue pyjama with matching, dolman-sleeved overblouse has a cuffed trouser option:

Pucci’s interest in harem pants predates the jewelled version at the top of this post: a short, blue harem ensemble was part of his 1965 Braniff flight attendant uniform. These high-waisted palazzo pyjamas also have a cuffed, harem option, as worn by Editha Dussler:

1960s Pucci palazzo pyjamas and jacket pattern Vogue 1692 feat. Editha Dussler — Vogue 1692 by Pucci (1967)

Anne de Zogheb modelled these Pucci harem pyjamas, which feature an intriguing self-lined skirt with side openings:

1960s Pucci harem pyjama pattern Vogue 2094 feat. Anne de Zogheb — Vogue 2094 by Pucci (1969)

1970s

Bouffant knickers are a variation on the harem pant. This gold brocade, coat-and-knickers ensemble from Yves Saint Laurent’s Winter 1970 haute couture collection evokes the hippie trail. The model is Viviane Fauny:

From 1976, this Kenzo pattern includes a cuffed harem pant option. (A copy is available in the shop.)

1970s Kenzo pattern Butterick 4793 — Butterick 4793 by Kenzo (1976)

Hot pink harem pants catch the eye on this Very Easy Vogue pattern, which also includes palazzo pants and a maxi skirt:

1970s maxi skirt, harem or palazzo pant pattern Very Easy Vogue 9633 — Vogue 9633 (ca. 1977) Image: Etsy.

1980s

This gold satin pair, from Krizia, has no side seams:

In the early ’80s, the dropped-crotch, Zouave style of harem pant came to the fore. This Simplicity pattern includes Zouave pants in two lengths:

1980s Zouave and harem pants pattern Simplicity 5538 — Simplicity 5538 (1982) Image: Etsy.

The trousers in this Versace ensemble evoke the harem silhouette, with draped volume tapering to a fitted ankle (see my Versace post for more photos):

Early 1980s Gianni Versace tunic and draped pants pattern Vogue 2702 — Vogue 2702 by Gianni Versace (ca. 1981) Image: PatternVault shop.

Very Easy Very Vogue got on the dropped crotch bandwagon with three styles of Zouave pants—view C with side drape:

1980s Zouave dropped-crotch pants pattern Very Easy Very Vogue 9591 — Vogue 9591 (1986) Image: Etsy.

1990s

By the early ’90s, hip-hop musician MC Hammer had made so great an impact on popular culture that his characteristic trousers were known as “hammer pants.” Simplicity’s official MC Hammer unisex pants pattern came with not one but two iron-on transfers. (See envelope back here. There was even a doll clothes pattern for the MC Hammer action figure.) Drop-crotch pants could also be found as Butterick Classics and a unisex costume pattern.

Issey Miyake designed these lowest of the low dropped-crotch pants, as worn by Phina Oruche:

1990s Issey Miyake pattern including dropped-crotch pant Vogue 1328 feat. Phina Oruche — Vogue 1328 by Issey Miyake (1994) Image: Etsy.

Recent patterns heralding the return of the sarouel include McCall’s 5858, Kwik Sew 3701, and the unisex Burda 7546. If the trend continues, perhaps we’ll see a pattern for Rachel Comey’s Pollock trouser…