Saturday, October 3, 2009

Vogue Patterns Winter/Holiday Collection: a Big Batch of WTF

I imagine it must be very hard to work at one of the Big Four sewing pattern companies. In fact, I would guess that it's probably a lot like working in book publishing: you have to toil away with limitless creative energy and enthusiasm at something that many people consider to be a dying art. (Yes, reading and sewing are both definitely endangered in the U.S.) There are probably dreaded bottom lines, scary budgets, and constant restructurings. So, believe me, I get it. But still, Vogue. WTF?

I got an e-mail announcing their winter/holiday 2009 collection yesterday and hopped right over to the site to take a look. What greeted me was . . . befuddling.

Let's start with the Anna Sui offering.

Anna, WTF is this? I actually enjoy granny-chic styles. But seriously, this is way too much of a good thing. A high neckline and an ankle length skirt? A wrist corsage? Goodness gracious.

There was also lots of asymmetrical hem action.

Holy elementary school art teacher!

Now for the real clincher:

What. The. Hell. Is. This.

The hat really takes the cake, does it not? Wouldn't you think that the jaunty chapeau would be an integral part of the pattern? No, my friends! According to the pattern description, that is a "purchased hat." Good god, where does one purchase such a hat?

There are two new Vintage Vogue offerings, which are quite fine and acceptable and boring.

I'm sorry, what was I saying? I seem to have dozed off for a second there.

Ah yes! The Vogue Winter/Holiday collection. In my honest, irritable opinion: a big batch of WTF and tedium.

P.S. If I have offended anyone who might like these styles, please take my rantings with a grain of salt. I'm a cranky old broad, remember? You sew what you want and do it with style, ladies!

36 comments:

  1. I kinda like the Issey Miyake top but those skants/pirt, whatever they are, are hideous! I hate anything asymmetrical anyway. The vintage offerings may be boring but it's a welcome palate cleanser after those other hideous things.

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  3. I can't imagine that any of those outfits (apart from the VV re issues) would be flattering on any woman (with the possible exception of those with model like proportions). I personally agree with you, they're very dowdy.

    I think the problem is that most pattern companies try and slavishly follow current trends, without giving any thought to the differences between the clothing market and the home sewing market. And I think there are differences.

    I love fashion as a spectacle but there is no way on earth you'd catch me in a pair of harem pants, which is one of the myriad reasons I sew for myself.

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  4. I swear we have the same brain...that first awful yellow/black/gray dress made me rear back from my laptop yesterday...*really* not interested in spending the day sewing so I can look just like a small sofa . . .

    Gail

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  5. You've asked in earlier posts why many of us are drawn to vintage patterns, and I think you may have found your answer! So much of what the pattern companies are offering now is boring, matronly, or as you put it, befuddling. It's hard to imagine that there's a market for these looks. Maybe I'm just that out of touch.

    And that Anna Sui dress - yikes! I've always thought of her aesthetic as more playful and fun, but that dress is completely depressing. The wrist corsage makes it seem like a costume one might wear to a dance at a retirement home.

    By the way, I've been reading your lovely blog obsessively since June, but typically don't get a chance to post because I'm chasing after my little beasties. So, hello!

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  6. I'm with you all the way on this. I was looking through my stash of Vogue pattern magazines from the 60's and 70's. It's quite an eye opener. Page after page of top designer stuff, unbleiveable coats and suits. And the pictoral layouts were usually on location in Europe or outdoors or in real life style indoor settings. I know home fashion sewing is going under and I feel bad for those of you too young to remember it's hey day.
    And speaking of your Vouge oddessy, I did the same thing with a feature called Super Six from a Vogue Sept/Oct 1979 issue. It's been cooking since then! Actually the pieces are all classic things that are still in style. I have most of the patterns and have fun just looking at them and collecting them. I'l be following your progress!

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  7. I think about 90% of all modern Vogue patterns are wtf, actually, but looks like the new batch is 100%...

    the coat is hysterical, actually. what is sprinkled all over the lower half? omg, knots of embroidery floss!! The construction drawing for that thing makes it look even more bizarre.

    and the VV patterns - how much more could they have stretched out those drawings? If those were real women, they'd have what, 15" waists?

    There is so much more you could have commented on, too. The contrast appliqued back zip on 1150 for example.

    agreed, a big ol wtf shout out to vogue patterns from here!

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  8. No no, I agree. Out of all the garments they could have knocked off for Fall 2009, they give us this mess. Good thing I can make my own patterns...

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  9. Ditto the WTF on this pattern collection! I do really like the green VV dress. Plain, sure, but sometimes it seems darn near impossible to find a simple pattern that doesn't fit like a sack of potatoes.

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  10. Well, Gertie, if you don't like the coat above, Vogue is luckily giving you an alternative coat option:

    http://www.voguepatterns.com/item/V1145.htm?tab=whats_new&page=2

    looks kind of like a snuggie (or what were they called?!)...

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  11. I totally agree about these particular patterns (they're awful) but thought I'd just put out a tentative thumbs-up for Vogue for some of the other patterns in their new collection.

    For example, I really like 1150 and 1151 - exposed zips are popping up all over the place in RTW, and 1143 is a pretty authentic designer pattern. I also love 8623 and 8612. So altogether not too bad...

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  12. I couldn't agree with you more. I have felt much the same about the other Big 4 Fall/Winter/Holiday collections which totally answers my question about why I don't sew very much at all during those seasons. As for your comment on the coat "What. The. Hell. Is. This." Exactly!

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  13. I wonder who they are designing for exactly?

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  14. Where's a Project Runway judging panel when you need one? As I clicked through the photos I kept hearing the voice of Michael Kors in my head: "What modern woman would want to wear THAT?!?"

    I will say a few patterns looked both interesting and possibly wearable from the line drawings, but made up and photographed in black? I can't tell what the finished garment really looks like.

    And don't you love it when the model looks like she's silently screaming because the dress they've put her in is so awful.

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  15. LOL'd at your commentary on the weirdo Pirates of Penzance coat, but the two vintage vogues are kind of appealing - I agree that the green one is dull but in a nice basic way, and the other one has very, very nice back detailing.

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  16. That Anna Sui dress would sell well in the Amish community.

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  17. Was just gonna agree with Gail. It's not to my taste, but folks from the LDS or Amish, maybe Mennonite denominations, might dig the Anna Sui.

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  18. Actually.... These fashions reflect the new knowledge of Muslim fashion. I recognize it immediately. With all that's going on in the world, and knowing that fashion interprets current reality, I'm not at all surprised. And am actually grateful that certain elements in fashion are reflecting that some of us want to dress modestly, but not look like a Mormon. No offense to the Mormons.


    Peace

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  19. Yeah I can see the Muslim ladies in my city going the Anna Sui too actually, just with a long-sleeve top underneath. Though the younger Muslim gals in my city tend to go a little more body-conscious than the silhouette of the Anna, but more skin covered. Their Mums might go the mure flowy silhouette.

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  20. ....aaaaaaaaand just copped a closer look at the Witchypoo costume in pic 4. 'object' indeed ,that thing shouldn't be getting anywhere NEAR anyone's bod.

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  21. The fabric suggestions for the witch's coat says "not suitable for obvious diagonals". Duh! You could fly without a broomstick in that getup if made with a diagonal fabric.

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  22. OMG this was hilarious!!!! And so on point...part of what I don't like about the Big 4 is that they seem to be chasing each other or their bottom numbers!!! Now Burda seems to be able to do both and run circles around the rest!

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  23. To argue the other side of this, Vogue does have a large contingency of people to satisfy and I've noticed that they have taken to rotating their offerings. Suits/office wear one time, funky/creative another time that way it gives both sides of the creative coin the ability to have their sensibilibites focused on. I'm sure the people who love to sew the Issey or Mizoni designs go WTF when it's an all suiting/dresses offering.

    I mean just to add some balance to your thoughts...cause lately I'm always wondering if our criticisms could hurt the few remaining sewing/pattern resources that we have left.

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  24. Those are great points, Carolyn, and I definitely sympathize with Vogue's need to please a lot of different people. I think I'll do a post of the ones I did like, because there were a couple when I went back for second look.

    And Janet, why did you delete your comment? It was very insightful and useful!

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  25. I actually like the Anna Sui dress when I look at the line drawing for it, although I would shorten it to knee length if I made it. And that hideous sofa/curtain print they chose for the photo is hideous! I'm sure the model is rail thin, but she looks wide as, well, a sofa in that dress. Shortened and in a solid color it just might work.

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  26. I lol'd at the title of your post. That dress! A trendy neckline does not make that any less an "i give up dress" as Stacy and Clinton call those floor-length loose-fitting flower dresses. (yes, I admit a soft spot for What Not To Wear).

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  27. I'm just wondering: how can they even think of making a dress like the Anna Sui one out of a fabric like that? I understand about the necessity to please a lot of people with quite different tastes and needs, but that's just wrong. and I without your post, I wouldn't have looked twice at the pattern and might not have noticed the nice waist under all those flowers. even my fashion-wise challenged dad can see that something went wrong here.

    I really like your Blog and enjoy reading your opinions on patterns, style etc. The way you tell us how you like something (or not) always leaves room for other views and I love how you "admit" to going against your own opinions like with the length of the wedding-guest-dress.
    Greetings from Belgium, Julia

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  28. I saw that Anna Sui dress pattern yesterday and had the same exact thoughts you did.

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  29. There are a couple of the new Vogues that I really like. The dress in VV1137 is kind of ho-hum, but the coat is lovely - just the kind of throw-on, goes-over-everything spring coat I need. I agree with Fi that 8623 is attractive and I'm also drawn to 8627 tho' I usually don't care for "modern" asymmetrical stuff - I'd probably cut the back straight across if I made it.

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  30. I was JUST commenting to my husband that the Vogue pattern models are so horrendous- those poses and unflattering clothing draping makes me want to gag!

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  31. Almost everything Anna Sui lately makes me want to gag. I was thrilled to find out about her Anna Sui for Target collection and went in and tried everything on... And I was so disappointed. All I could think was... WTH???

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  32. Granny chic? hahaha The print on that dress is jarring to the eyes. Total granny dress because her tip was to distract you from wide hips and graying hair by mesmerizing you with her floral patterns. Flattering? NO clever.. yes ; )

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  33. Hey, I like that coat - V1148. But not in wool with embroidery floss sprinkled over the bottom. I thought it would make a nice coat dress, unlined in a mix of Anna Maria Horner prints to throw over a pair of jeans.

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  34. There was nothing chic about my granny. ;) I agree with your assessment of the patterns! I like the first vintage vogue pattern and I like it's simplicity. It is somewhat boring, but it's boring in a good way. To me, anyway.

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  35. I love anything by Issey Miyake - I've just ordered two of his patterns from Vogue. And I grabbed the Anna Sui as soon as I saw it. Some people might shorten it. I have to lengthen almost every pattern I buy. And I will probably make at least one version with long sleeves. (You know, the wrist corsage is probably the stylist's idea not part of the pattern). Personally I never understand why people shell out good money for quite simple skirt patterns that take about an hour to draw up on your own, Takes all sorts, you know....

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  36. I agree with Stephanie: the snuggie is unforgettable. I had to make one for myself:
    http://www.delaido.com/pattern/you-sewed-what-the-fugly-snugly/
    I looked up some of this designer's "artwork" and I couldn't believe that these types of artworks are offered for sale at several hundred dollars!

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Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

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