VOGUE PATTERNS
S E WI N G TO DAY ’S
THE ULTIMATE SEWING MAGAZINE
’Tis a Stylish Season Packed With Stunning New Looks from
A KOOS CREATION
Adapting a Veteran’s Design To Fashion a Versatile, Home-Sewn Jacket
O’MAST
Pamella Roland Anne Klein New York Guy Laroche Tom and Linda Platt Kay Unger and more
Inside the Craft of Neapolitan Bespoke Tailoring PLUS Shopping for Vintage Machines That Stand Up To Modern Models Strategies for Looking Great in the Clothes You Make
DECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013
Free SAMPLER SAMPLER SAMPLER Pattern SAMPLER Offer DECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013 VOGUEPATTERNS.COM
SEE PAGE 94 FOR DETAILS
DECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013
CONTENTS
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14 SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION Ten tools to save time. by Linda Turner Griepentrog 18 LIVING COLOR A brief history of hue. by Daryl Brower 22 SEWING THAT FLATTERS Strategies for looking great in the clothes you make. by Bridgette Raes 26 THE SWATCH TEST You are what you wear. by Bridgette Raes
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38 40
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30 TAILOR TALK An Interview with filmmaker Gianluca Migliarotti. by Daryl Brower 34 SEWING MACHINE MAINTENANCE Tips for keeping your investment in top shape. by Kathryn Brenne with Larry Shackleton 38 MAKE YOUR OWN: Silk-front sweater 40 THE BUTTONHOLE FOOT Tips, tricks, and tactics for a multifaceted tool. by Kathryn Brenne
46 A KOOS CREATION Adapting a veteran’s original design to fashion a versatile jacket. by Kathryn Brenne 52 THE VINTAGE COLLECTION Reclaimed relics that stand up to modern models. by Peter Lappin 56 BEHIND THE SEAMS WITH CLAIRE SHAEFFER Quilting a cardigan jacket. 60 NIGHT AND DAY Four adaptable looks for trousers and slim skirts.
64 DESIGNER NEWS A stylish season with stunning looks. 74 VINTAGE VOGUE Reclaim the glamour of Vogue Patterns of the past. 76 WINTER GLAM Elegant attire for the holidays and beyond. 82 SOME LIKE IT HOT! Uptown styles that are perfect for mixing and matching.
IN EVERY ISSUE 4
EDITOR’S NOTE
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LETTERS
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WHAT ARE YOU SEWING?
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MUST-HAVES
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WEB WATCH
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BODY MEASUREMENT CHARTS
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GUIDE TO PATTERN AND FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
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CROSSWORD
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THREAD TALES
ON THE COVER Pamella Roland’s cocoon coat, V1332. Ring: Olga Pietro. Hair and makeup by Joseph Boggess. Photographed by Brian Kraus.
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editor’s letter
The seeds of this magazine were first planted in 1899 when whe pattern maker Rosa Payne approached Josephine Redding, Vogue’s first editor, about publishing one free Red pattern a week in her magazine. Redding agreed. And pat those tho weekly patterns—hand cut on Payne’s dining room table—met with such overwhelming popularity ro that th they eventually blossomed into an entire section, which thrived until 1920. At that point it branched w off o into its own publication, eventually becoming the magazine you are now reading. The story of Vogue m Patterns, which began 113 years ago, has taken many P turns since—the latest being our most recent changes t in i leadership. Growth can be a challenge: Rarely is it smooth, but b it is almost always necessary. This is especially true of o a publication with as rich a history and as enduring a reputation as our own. With that in mind, just as a sewer begins a new project having learned from the previous ones, we build on our past and start fresh with this issue. The approach of the New Year couldn’t be a more auspicious time. As the incoming editor of Vogue Patterns I eagerly join my new colleagues and the gifted contributors you’ve trusted over the years, and excitedly anticipate cultivating our community of fashion-forward sewers and getting to know you, my newest circle of friends. So please read on: From Kathryn Brenne’s technique for adapting an original Koos van den Akker jacket design (page 46), to Daryl Brower’s interview with filmmaker Gianluca Migliarotti about O’mast, his documentary exploring the tradition of Neapolitan tailors (page 30), to thirteen-year-old Tara Higgins’s account of how she discovered her passion for sewing (page 96), these pages mark our first connection. Together we’ll go on to find the next project, perfect existing ones, and simply share the thrill of creating. I can’t wait to see what we’ll discover next. In the meantime, please keep in touch.
Suzanne Pettypiece, Editor
If you’d like to contribute ideas, techniques, or projects write to me at editor@voguepatterns.com or Vogue Patterns Magazine, 120 Broadway, 34th floor, New York, NY 10271.
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on the surface
THE SWATCH TEST You Are What You Wear
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abrics are more than a reflection of tastes. We choose them as we choose our friends: Which will comfort us, make us feel better about ourselves, show us a good time? We rely on certain fibers to help us exude an attitude, to wrap themselves around our varied moods—so much so in fact that a well-balanced wardrobe just might be as important as a diverse social circle. Find yourself in classic, white cotton too often? Try a slightly more adventurous Liberty Tana Lawn floral. Gravitate toward comforting flannels? Add some sparkling lamé to your life. Our guide will not only help you find fabrics whose personality is a good match with yours, but will also help you sort out your trusted friends—those who are reliable, always making sure you look your best— from the alluring yet capricious ones you should avoid inviting out for dinner. A classic, white cotton isn’t the biggest trendsetter on the planet, but who cares? Crisp and pressed she’s pulled together, dependable but—for everyone’s sake—best paired with a less starched companion.
Don’t let a ponte knit fool you. A mix of rayon, polyester, and spandex, at first glance she may appear soft, gentle, and flexible, but her firm and stable side dominates. A force to be reckoned with, she gets the job done without a wrinkle—and if need be isn’t afraid to take you down with her four-inch heels.
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by Bridget Raes
Flannel’s an enticing mate—a warm and friendly homebody—the perfect antidote to the holiday daze. But be sure to balance your social circle with some duchess satin, or you may find yourself sleeping through the festivities. Cute, peppy Liberty Tana Lawn floral cotton has a quirky edge. Take advantage of her social yet balanced nature, and seat her between flannel and crisp cotton at your dinner parties as a prim and polite conversation motivator.
Superfine merino wool jersey—soft, pliable, lightweight, and adaptable—never overheats or loses his temper and is always up for an outdoor adventure. Sure, cashmere has expensive tastes and high standards, but she’s also quite practical and never excessive. Treat her well and she’ll be a friend for life.
Duchess satin may lure you with her substance and shine, her promise of fun and reckless nights out, but beware: Much like her flannel inverse, she’s best taken in low doses. And unlike cashmere, whose elegance offers versatility, satin will only join you for the most fabulous affairs. Years ago burnout velvet was quite possibly the biggest burnout of them all—she followed the Grateful Dead, considered Stevie Nicks her muse, and wouldn’t stop talking about her time at Woodstock.
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interview
TAILOR TALK
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Filmmaker and bespoke tailoring champion Gianluca Migliarotti waxes poetic on the lives of the suit masters of Naples and the inspiration behind his documentary O’Mast. by Daryl Brower
s a native of Naples, Gianluca Migliarotti grew up surrounded by both the beauty of the city and the intricate tailoring tradition for which it’s famed. To celebrate both he created O’Mast, a film about the bespoke tailors of his city. The sixty-seven minute documentary, which was well received (reviews appeared in Esquire and the Huffington Post) despite its limited screening outside of large metropolitan areas, is now available for purchase online at thearmourystore.com and thehangerproject.com for thirtyfive dollars. Migliarotti recently spoke to us from Milan, where he lives, about his inspiration for and intent behind the film.
VP: What’s the meaning behind the film’s title? GM: O’mast means “master” in Neapolitan dialect. An o’mast is the man in charge of any craft. It’s a celebration of the figure.
VP: So what is it exactly that sets bespoke a cut above—pardon the pun—made-to-measure clothing? GM: Bespoke is obviously superior! You choose the fabric and the style of the suit together with your tailor. Using your measurements, he will cut a suit just for you. The process is quite long and specific; it takes about three fittings. Made-to-measure is a wannabe bespoke. [Manufacturers] try to get the closest to bespoke quality, but based on a garment that is already made for specific sizes. Bespoke tailors don’t use sizes; they use measures. The suits themselves have a soul. Made-to-measure—no matter how good it looks—can’t possibly have that.
VP: So this film is a celebration of the masters? GM: Yes, great respect for the craft and the craftsmen and a great passion for bespoke are two of the many inspirations for the film. The love for my hometown, Naples—beautiful and difficult, majestic and poor—is another. But also I wanted to clarify the meaning of bespoke to those who think that a brand-[name] made-to-measure [suit] is a tailor-made garment.
VP: You say in the film that in Naples, having a custom-made suit is something everyone appreciates. It’s not just a service for the wealthy. GM: Yes, there is a tradition of going to the tailor to have suits and shirts made. I had my first suit made when I was about nineteen, thanks to my father. He had his first bespoke coat at age thirteen! And from then on nothing else but bespoke. I still have the suit.
VP: You make quite a point of that in the film. GM: I like truth and I don’t like little sly lies for
VP: I can tell you have a soft spot for Naples. In the film, it’s as much a star as the clothes. A beautiful shot
Vogue Patterns: Obviously those with a passion for creating their own clothing will find the film fascinating, but its appeal is much broader than that—you don’t need to understand the reasoning behind darts or the definition of an armscye to appreciate what’s shown on the screen. Gianluca Migliarotti: I was born and raised in Naples, so of course I am one of the biggest enthusiasts of bespoke tailoring there is, but I made the film for everybody—that’s why I tried to avoid the technicalities.
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commercial purposes. The big brands will say that they give bespoke service, but they really don’t. They can’t. I know what tailors have gone through in order to become masters at their craft, and I want to clarify and explain for people who don’t really know, what exactly this craft is, how beautiful it is, and how much knowledge is needed to achieve it. Anyone can make a suit, but to make a truly beautiful suit is a very different thing.
VOGUE PATTERNS
December 2012/January 2013
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NIGHT AND DAY: THE TROUSER 60
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VOGUE PATTERNS
Sunglasses: Ray Ban Earrings: Karine Sultan Coat: B5819 Hat: Eric Javits
Blouse: V8772 Earrings: Anne Koplik Designs
Fur: Adrienne Landau Belt: WCM Bracelets: Isharya
Bracelet: Karine Sultan Shoe: Restriced
Belt: WCM Bag: Sondra Roberts
Shoe: Jessica Simpson Clutch: Clarita
December 2012/January 2013
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