Linda Evangelista in Ralph Lauren, Vogue, September 1991. Photo: Arthur Elgort. Editor: Grace Coddington. Image: TFS.
Tonight at New York Fashion Week, Ralph Lauren celebrates his company’s 50th anniversary. Here’s a look at highlights of Ralph Lauren patterns from the ’70s to the ’90s.
Ralph Lauren: 50 Years (Rizzoli, 2018) Image: Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren started out in menswear, and Vogue Patterns’ first licensing with the brand was for men’s designs. The company released its first Polo by Ralph Lauren patterns in the summer of 1975.
Vogue 1237 and 1238 by Polo Ralph Lauren in Vogue Patterns, May/June 1975. Photos: Steve Horn. Image: Make Mine Vogue.
That’s Polo Ralph Lauren on the right in Vogue Patterns’ American Bicentennial issue:
America the Beautifuls. Vogue Patterns, January/February 1976. Image: Etsy.
This Polo trench is classic for any gender:
Vogue 1581 by Polo by Ralph Lauren (ca. 1977)
Vogue’s licensing of Ralph Lauren women’s wear began in 1979. The earliest Ralph Lauren women’s patterns are for Annie Hall and Western looks like those shown in his Fall 1981 Santa Fe collection—prairie skirts, fringe, and serapes worn with cowboy boots and concho belts.
Clotilde in Ralph Lauren’s Fall 1981 ad campaign. Photo: Bruce Weber. Image: Ralph Lauren.Vogue 2881 by Ralph Lauren (ca. 1981) Image: eBay.
Ralph Lauren’s Spring 1984 Safari collection is said to have been inspired by Out of Africa, perhaps with a dash of Picnic at Hanging Rock.
Clotilde in Ralph Lauren’s Spring 1984 ad campaign. Photo: Bruce Weber. Image: Pinterest.Brooke Shields in Ralph Lauren / Ralph Lauren for Hat Attack, Vogue, May 1984. Photo: Richard Avedon. Image: Pinterest.Vogue 1547 by Ralph Lauren (1985) Image: Etsy.Ariane Koizumi in Vogue 1547 by Ralph Lauren, Vogue, May 1985. Photo: Elisabeth Novick. Image: TFS.
Late ’80s Vogue Career designs by Ralph Lauren feature British model Saffron Aldridge, then the face of the brand.
Vogue 2255 by Ralph Lauren (1989) Image: Etsy.
Tartan was one of the main takeaways from Ralph Lauren’s Fall 1991 collection. (As L’Officiel observed, “For Ralph Lauren, tartan isn’t a fashion, it’s a lifestyle.”) Vogue released two patterns from this collection, a dress and trouser ensemble.
Vogue 2780 by Ralph Lauren (1991)Vogue 2782 by Ralph Lauren (1991) Image: eBay.
Although the envelope for the dress shows it in solid red, the tartan looks had pride of place on the holiday covers, both Vogue PatternsMagazine and the December catalogue.
Cathy Fedoruk in Ralph Lauren, Vogue Patterns, November/December 1991. Photo: Christopher Micaud. Image: Etsy.Ralph Lauren dress on the cover of the Vogue Patterns catalogue, December 1991. Image: Etsy.
The tartan pieces had already been promoted that same season in the Fall ’91 advertising campaign and a Grace Coddington / Linda Evangelista cover and editorial (“A Shot of Scotch”) in Vogue’s September issue.
Ralph Lauren ad campaign, Fall 1991. Model: Kim Nye. Image: Pinterest.“A Shot of Scotch,” September 1991. Photo: Arthur Elgort. Editor: Grace Coddington. Image: Pinterest.
Some later covers showing Ralph Lauren in a less WASP-y mode:
Eva Green in Ralph Lauren, L’Officiel, Dec/Jan 2011-2012. Photo: Satoshi Saïkusa. Editor: Monica Pillosio.Rooney Mara in Ralph Lauren, Vogue, November 2011. Photo: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. Editor: Tonne Goodman.
Vivien Solari in Anne Klein’s Fall 2015 ad campaign. Photo: Nathaniel Goldberg. Editor: Laura Ferrara. Image: Instagram.
Have you seen the new Fall patterns?
Scarlett Schoeffling in Vogue 1597 by Anne Klein, Vogue Patterns lookbook Fall 2018. Image: Issuu.
Vogue’s cover look is a cropped trench jacket by Sharon Lombardo for Anne Klein. Trousers also included:
Vogue 1597 by Sharon Lombardo for Anne Klein (2018) Image: McCall’s.
The cropped trench is a signature Anne Klein piece, seen in the Fall ’15 (above) and Fall ’16 campaigns. (See my post on Vogue’s Winter/Holiday release.)
Anne Klein Fall 2016 ad campaign. Photo: Annemarieke van Drimmelen. Model: Guinevere Van Seenus. Image: Behance.
From Badgley Mischka, a day-to-evening sheath dress, with cuffed sleeves cut in one with the bodice:
Vogue 1595 by Badgley Mischka (2018) Image: McCall’s.
The original is a navy poly-spandex crepe.
Navy crepe dress by Badgley Mischka. Image: Rent the Runway.
Brocade with a rose gold sparkle is the star of this Badgley Mischka cocktail dress with pleated sleeve flounces.
Vogue 1596 by Badgley Mischka (2018) Image: McCall’s.
A closeup view on the designers’ site, with a different pattern placement:
Detail, bell sleeve brocade cocktail dress. Image: Badgley Mischka.
The flounce sleeve featured prominently in Badgley Mischka’s Fall 2017 collection—in black lace for the opening look.
Two looks from Badgley Mischka Fall 2017. Photos: Umberto Fratini / Vogue Runway.
Paco Peralta’s new design is an edgy LBD with two-way separating zipper.
Vogue 1593 by Paco Peralta (2018) Image: McCall’s.
Plus, a men’s shirt from the team at Koos van den Akker. Make in a single fabric if print mixing isn’t your thing.
Vogue 1599 by Koos van den Akker (2018) Image: McCall’s.
Carolyn Murphy in Armani, Vogue Italia, September 1998. Photo: Steven Meisel. Image: Pleasure Photo.
Supermodel Carolyn Murphy can be seen on some ’90s Vogue patterns.
Born in Florida, Carolyn Murphy (b. 1973) studied art history and literature at the University of Virginia before her modelling career took off in the mid-1990s. For more, see her IMG Models page.
Carolyn Murphy in Givenchy Couture by Alexander McQueen, Vogue Paris, March 1998. Photo: Mario Testino. Image: Vogue Paris.
Before she cut her hair, Murphy did some work for Vogue Patterns. Chuck Baker photographed her for the summer 1994 issue of Vogue Patterns magazine.
Here’s the original caption: Work-out wear goes high fashion as athletic-inspired clothes come out of the gym and onto the streets. Vogue Sport presents a one-pattern wardrobe of high-function pieces that look great whatever your game. Reflective stripes stylishly accent as well as provide high visibility protection. 1443 includes a black nylon jacket with inside drawstring, pull on sweatpants, boxy fleece shorts, and a V-neck sweatshirt that elongates into a sweatdress for lounging or going out.
As well as the Vogue Sport pattern, Murphy also models 5 Easy Pieces separates “in chocolate and emerald”:
Bonus: Murphy was also featured in this Marc Jacobs pattern hack, shot by Herb Ritts for Vogue. The Marc Jacobs slip dress (Vogue 1965) was shown in icy green velvet from Elegant Fabrics, NYC.
Carolyn Murphy in Vogue 1965 by Marc Jacobs. Vogue, October, 1997. Photo: Herb Ritts. Editor: Brana Wolf.Vogue 1965 by Marc Jacobs – Vogue, October 1997.
Today is World No Tobacco Day. Here’s a look at a Virginia Slims ad that ran in Vogue Patterns magazine.
The mid-’70s ad—with the famous You’ve come a long way, baby slogan—contrasts the fashionable, contemporary Cheryl Tiegs with the Edwardian “Mrs. Florine Knauff,” caught smoking during a fox hunt. Along the lower left-hand side, the caption reads, Fashions: Vogue Patterns.
Virginia Slims advertisement in Vogue Patterns, January/February 1975.
Doesn’t Tiegs’ green dress look a lot like Emanuel Ungaro’s goddess gown?
Vogue 1135 by Emanuel Ungaro (1974)
The popular design was reissued in 2001 (as V7521).
A handful of ’70s Virginia Slims ads credit Vogue Patterns, most notably this Yves Saint Laurent couture pyjama, as worn by Beverly Johnson:
Virginia Slims advertisement, 1973. Image: Stanford Research into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising (SRITA).Vogue 2912 by Yves Saint Laurent (1973) Image: Paco Peralta.
There were even promotional Virginia Slims sewing kits. This one contains FDR-made upholstery needles:
Pertegaz (Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, 2004) Model: Laura Ponte. Photo: Antoni Bernad. Image: The Cary Collection.
Manuel Pertegaz was born on this day in 1918. Paco Peralta asked me to contribute to his post for the designer’s centenary; see it here.
Suzy Parker wearing a coat by Pertegaz, Vogue, March 15, 1954. Photo: Henry Clarke. Image: Condé Nast.Rosa Real, made-to-measure Iberia flight uniform by Manuel Pertegaz, 1968. Image: Iberia.Moyra Swan wears a Pertegaz caftan gown in the Alhambra, Vogue, October, 1968. Photo: Henry Clarke. Image: Condé Nast.
Detail, British Vogue, May 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton. Image: Youthquakers.
A mid-1960s Helmut Newton editorial features a leopard and a Vogue pattern.
The model on the right wears Vogue 6468’s beach coverup in white guipure from Ilo Lace. (Left: blue mini dress by John Bates at Jean Varon; Paco Rabanne earrings.)
British Vogue, May 1966. Photo: Helmut Newton. Image: Youthquakers.
A look from Guy Laroche Spring 2017. Image: vogue.com.
The new designer patterns for Summer 2018 play with texture and special fabrics. Lace, seersucker, matelassé, waffle georgette, even a laser-cut textile makes an appearance.
The matelassé cocktail dress with shaped hemline and flounce sleeves is from Nicola Finetti Fall 2016.
Vogue 1587 by Nicola Finetti (2018) Image: McCall’s.
Finetti also showed a longer, front-zip version of V1587. Just trim down the A-line skirt and add a midriff panel:
Nicola Finetti Fall 2016. Images: Not Just A Label.
This season’s backless showpiece is by Adam Andrascik for Laroche: a long-sleeved dress with front bodice drape and slim, layered skirt. Use a semi-sheer fabric for the full effect.
Vogue 1589 by Adam Andrascik for Guy Laroche (2018) Image: McCall’s.
The original is textured silk georgette in a chartreuse-tinged shade of La La Land yellow.
Guy Laroche by Adam Andrascik, Spring 2017. Image: vogue.com.
Andrascik showed two takes on the backless V1589 dress. (A famously backless, ’70s Guy Laroche gown is a perennial inspiration for today’s Laroche designers. French actor Mireille Darc’s gown, worn in the 1972 comedy Le grand blond avec une chaussure noire, also informed Hilary Swank’s Oscar dress.) Here, the V1589 dress is seen backstage:
A post shared by Guy Laroche (@guylarocheparis) on
On a black, sleeveless version, bead chains dangled from silver appliques:
Guy Laroche by Adam Andrascik, Spring 2017. Image: vogue.com.
Judging from the pattern number, the second Laroche may have been delayed from Vogue’s spring release. From Marcel Marongiu, it’s a long-sleeved dress with contrast collar, cuffs, and curved contrast panels in front and back.
Vogue 1577 by Marcel Marongiu for Guy Laroche (2018) Image: McCall’s.
Revered American designer Claire McCardell was the inspiration for Marongiu’s last collection for Laroche. The V1577 dress was shown both long-sleeved and sleeveless:
Guy Laroche by Marcel Marongiu, Spring 2015. Image: Guy Laroche.Guy Laroche by Marcel Marongiu, Spring 2015. Image: Guy Laroche.
As a grey and white coat dress, it swaps the button placket for jumbo exposed zippers:
Guy Laroche by Marcel Marongiu, Spring 2015. Image: Guy Laroche.
Marongiu’s shift dress version, with giant paillettes, was featured in the Laroche advertising campaign by Steve Hiett. Hiett also photographed the V1589 dress for Spring ’17:
Guy Laroche Spring 2015 by Marcel Marongiu. Images: Guy Laroche.Guy Laroche Spring 2015 and Spring 2017 ad campaigns by Steve Hiett.
New from Rachel Comey: the Popcorn dress. The Comey staple is shown in Spring 2017’s seersucker.
Vogue 1585 by Rachel Comey (2018) Popcorn dress. Image: McCall’s.
The pullover dress works for both solids and prints—even print-mixing with contrast skirt inserts. The current version is black rayon.
In her Spring 2007 collection, presented at the Altman building during New York Fashion Week, Comey showed the dress both loose and belted.
Rachel Comey Spring 2007. Images: ELLE.Backstage at Rachel Comey Spring 2007. Photos: Randy Brooke/WireImage.
A closer look reveals the print-mixing. There are only two prints here, with one, reminiscent of Biba’s famous banana print, in three colourways:
Rachel Comey Spring 2007. Images: firstVIEW.
The Summer patterns include two lace looks from Rebecca Vallance: a cutout dress and the Dolce Vita jumpsuit. (There’s one dress left at the Outnet.) The Dolce Vita is a cropped, wide-leg jumpsuit tied with grosgrain ribbon:
Vogue 1591 by Rebecca Vallance (2018) Image: McCall’s.
The jumpsuit is from Rebecca Vallance Summer 2016.
Simplicity’s latest from Cynthia Rowley is a flounce-sleeved lace dress with two neckline variations. Choose from off the shoulder or scoop neck.
Simplicity 8599 by Cynthia Rowley (2018) Image: Simplicity.
Rowley presented her Spring 2017 collection in a “feathered snow globe” at her West Village townhouse. (See WWD.) As photographed by frequent collaborator William Eadon, the S8599 dress is layered, maximalist-style, under an appliquéd satin smock:
Cynthia Rowley Spring 2017. Photo: William Eadon. Image: vogue.com.
The original dress had a contrast back bodice:
Seeing designers’ alternate looks for the Spring/Summer pattern designs, it’s striking how Vogue no longer provides variant views in their designer line, whereas for Simplicity, it’s built in to the business. But armed with reference photos, it’s easy to transform a design.
