Hands down, Vogue has always been my favorite pattern company of the “big 4”. I have made countless garments, primarily from the designer collections, over the course of my sewing life. Like many of the rest of you, I feel that the designs offered by Vogue today are not as engaging as they used to be “back in the day”. Especially the designers. Pierre Cardin, Balenciaga, Calvin Klein, Albert Nipon, Valentino, and many others were truly inspirational.
The Vogue Fall 2014 collection was released last week. Should I be excited about half of the designs to call the collection a winner? Ten percent? One of the problems is Too.Many.Patterns. Do we really need a new fitted blouse pattern in every collection that is stylistically equivalent to 90% of the other fitted blouses in the Vogue catalog? NO. We don’t. Vogue: quality over quantity. Please.
Grumbling aside, let me get on with the patterns that made me say, “Ohh, I want to make that!”
Sandra, I love the seam lines on these fitted pants. Thank you! Fresh and interesting, but not weird. I don’t need any more weirdness on my lower half; got plenty of my own going on below.
Love.Just LOVE! Thank you, DKNY! (this is my fav)
While it is not so visible in this all-dark fabric, there are some really pretty seam lines here too. The pattern calls for a ponte knit fabric, and I could totally see this dress as a comfy, pull-on, “go-to” dress that gets loads of wear.
Love that in a silky soft georgette or charmeuse. Very pretty blouse, and Lladybird—I like the boob flaps!
I actually love the drama and asymmetrical design lines of this top. But I can’t envision where I would wear it. No place where I might eat food, as I would drag the sleeve through my salad dressing for sure.
I want. My DGD NEEDS this coat. Well, not really, but it is stinkin’ cute.
And this is how I like little girls to look. Not like mini-adults, and not smothered in a pile of gaga-gag-me ruffles. This is adorable, and my DGD is getting this dress for pre-school.
Now we start getting into more questionable territory. For me anyway. Of course, style is personal, and I don’t expect Vogue to design only for my taste. It would be nice, but I don’t expect it. 😉
Umm, maybe. But those kimono sleeves are tough to wear unless the fabric choice is spot on. I’m gonna pass.
Could work. But there is a huge amount of structure in this garment, and that could spell B-I-G–Y-E-L-L-O-W–T-E-N-T walking down the street. Check out the stitching on the hemline tho. Purty.
Cuz we don’t have enough princess-seamed blouses in our pattern collection.
Serious spaghetti-sauce-mopping-sleeves. And WAY too much fabric everywhere. No. Just NO.
Is that a trapezoid? Who looks good in that shape?
I think Morticia traded in her usual black garb for an even less attractive garment here. This looks like it was made from someone’s remnant scrap heap. From the 60’s. Blech.
I just read that the runway silhouette for men is narrow and fitted. This is not. And utterly non-appealing.
There are more patterns, but usually the only ones that catch my fancy are the designers. All of the endless options and basic designs are minor variations that have been done many times before.
What do you like in this collection? Do you sew Vogue patterns often? I am definitely going to pick up a few of these new patterns. How about you?
Happy sewing!
Maris
Hi Maris! Thanks for your honest opinion about the new collection. We are passing your comments along to our merchandising department. Eager to see which patterns you make first!
Cool! Thanks for commenting – fun that you are engaged!
I like your picks Maris. And I love that childs coat. But the bad ones are like a bad Chico’s nightmare.what are they thinking? Just finished a Vogue jumpsuit from last year.
Thanks Justine! I hear ya; that brown patchy thing? Shudder.
I havent’ sewn a vogue pattern in awhile. My 2 issues are I don’t care for most of designers and the ease issues…I seem to be able to get other patterns to fit me with much less fuss, although some of the designers do seem to fit better I admit…but really, I just don’t care for the offerings. I do check the new collections though. My favs are 9030, 9022 and 9020. I tend to like cleaner, simpler lines so things like that Guy Laroche number and the ruffle on 1413 just are too, too, too much.
Totally agree about the ease factor in Vogue and the rest of the Big 4. They are TOO BIG!
So agree with you about the new patterns. There is just too much repetition from previous collections! I liked the first 2 Donna Karan’s but the last two were dreadful. I liked the bow blouse (just finished a sleeveless one from a McCall’s pattern), but what is up with those sleeves??? Ugly, ugly, ugly, not to mention all the fabric you’d be wasting! I also liked the white Tom and Linda Platt blouse and will definitely purchase it. I don’t know who Lynn Mizono is, but she certainly does not have me in mind with her designs, since I’m not much of a flamingo dancer! The children’s patterns are super cute and even though I don’t need any more little patterns, I am glad to see them paying attention to the younger generation with cute, classic designs. So — those are my thoughts. Like you, I have sewn with Vogue patterns for decades — Vogue definitely dominates my pattern collection.
Thanks Cissie – love hearing from you!!
Thank you for your review. I always look forward to reading other opinions to see how close they are to mine. It has helped me decide when I’m on the fence as well.
I agree with most of your comments, the exception was the Y-E-L-L-O-W. Given that yellow is not in my palette, looking at the line drawing leads me to think it bears serious consideration in another color. Also I would not underline it with fleece.
In reviewing the asymmetrical top you mentioned dragging the overlay through your plate. As a person who has done that more than once (alright, more than once) I see the overlay being casually tossed back over the shoulder during those occasions. That leads to the possibility of using a double faced fabric?
Keep up the good work, Maris, and I look forward to more reviews.
Thanks Paula! Ahh yes, the European “throw over the shoulder” look would be awesome in that top! Thanks!!