A Dress A Day

A dress.
Mostly every day.

July 14, 2009

Grès, please?


Vogue 1751

Karen has been looking for this pattern for a while, with no luck. Any of you have a copy mouldering away?

Here's her note to me.
Attached is a picture of a vintage pattern that I am dying to have: Vogue Paris Original 1751. The designer is Grès. Today is the second time I've been outbid in the last 5 seconds on Ebay, and my heart is breaking all over again. I think the dress is so chic, and I would love to wear it to an upcoming charity event. Can you help me? I need to put out a call for this pattern -- I'm willing to buy the pattern outright, or even pay to borrow it for a time. I can trace it out, make my own copy, then give it back. Or maybe you can recommend another venue where I can beg for patterns. :)

Anyone game? This looked exactly like the kind of pattern I would buy at a yard sale, ooh over, and never make, but I checked my stash and I don't have it. If you have a copy in the same boat, email me and I'll put you in touch with Karen!

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posted by Erin @ 8:03 AM  

30 Comments:

  • At Jul 14, 2009 9:11:00 AM, Blogger Tanya said…

    is this seriously a Madame Gres pattern?!!! Holy crap, i didnt know she did patterns!!! She is hands down my all time favourite designer!!!! ooohhhhhh my god, just hyperventilating here... trying not to use so many exclamation marks here, but i just can't help it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 10:04:00 AM, Blogger Packrat said…

    Sorry, not this one.

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 10:19:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Does that dress really require a pattern? I mean, it looks like you could freehand this, doesn't it?
    -Sandra

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 10:34:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I do wonder how flattering the finished product would be. Even the model looks bulky in it. Just my personal opinion!

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 11:08:00 AM, Blogger Latter-Day Flapper said…

    Is it just me, or is that basically a circle with a head-hole and armscyes? Or possibly a circle-and a half? Like the tent-i-est tent-dress ever.

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 11:10:00 AM, Blogger Latter-Day Flapper said…

    Okay, Vintage Pattern Wiki says it's "semi-fitted with right-shoulder drape," which suggests that, in a pinch, it could be approximated using a sheath-dress pattern with the shoulder thing grated on. You'd have to do a test muslin, of course.

    I'd kill to see the back of this pattern envelope, to see the pattern pieces. That would solve a lot of mysteries.

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 11:56:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    That pattern is a whole lot more complicated than it looks at first glance. What some call the 'tenty' bit is only on one side, it goes off on a diagonal in front and seems to end up a 'drapey' bit over a shift dress on the other side. Fascinating. With the right floaty fabric (and the right figure!) it must look amazing. Hopefully somebody has it out there and is willing to let Karen (and us all) know!

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 12:54:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    You can find the back of the pattern envelope on this ebay page, but I'm not sure it's very enlightening! (not to me, in any case...)

    http://cgi.ebay.com/Vogue-Paris-Original-Pattern-1751-Gres-Sz-16-w-Label_W0QQitemZ250459750653QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a509080fd&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A13%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 1:20:00 PM, Blogger serencymru said…

    Karen, you need to go to esnipe.com and sign up so that you won't be outbid on Ebay again.

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 1:35:00 PM, Blogger Tara said…

    serencymru, esnipe.com still only works if you have the highest bid. You'll still lose an auction using esnipe if you lose the bidding... I have, many a time. However, it can be a useful tool if you do want to place your bid at the last second.

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 1:39:00 PM, Anonymous Birgit said…

    Actually, the pattern consists of sort of an underdress and a big, cape-like drape over that. Erin, I am sending you an email...

    If you are a fan of Madame Grès, there is a recent Fashion Legends two-part article in "Sewing with Stitches Australia" (used to be just Stitches Australia) by Eddi Frantz.

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 1:40:00 PM, Blogger Cookie said…

    I wish I were electronic...I would set up a link to a Sewing Conspiracy Target Board, where we’d post images of the elusive patterns we're looking for...and collectively strategize about bagging them.

    I mean, how red carpet worthy is THIS one?

    (PS: It took a year, but I finally found Butterick 2241!!!)

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 3:16:00 PM, Blogger Lisa @ the Vintage Fashion Library said…

    She can post a search on patternrescue.com, too.

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 3:18:00 PM, Blogger Latter-Day Flapper said…

    Aargh! They totally shorted me on the packet verso! No pattern pieces! Darn it all!

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 3:46:00 PM, Anonymous Lisa Simeone said…

    I know they're not by Madame Grès (and I think this pattern isn't, either; just using the cachet of her name), but these two dresses by Tracy Porter are similarly floaty. And they're on sale for an absolute steal -- 50% off the already marked-down price (sorry I can't do the proper HTML thing in the following links):

    This one would be $35:
    http://www.tracyporter.com/Searing-Retro-Halter-Dress-p-17687.html

    And this one only $25:
    http://www.tracyporter.com/Toulouse-Dress-p-17674.html

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 5:04:00 PM, Blogger Cookie said…

    Karen: Someone named PeppermintChick has an image of the Gres pattern in her flickr collection
    ...Who knows? She might not actually be that wild about it, or may need some fast cash this week...follow the link and make your pitch!

    (And route her back here to see comments; maybe we'll catch Peppermint is in a somewhat Fairy Godmotherish mood?)

     

  • At Jul 14, 2009 11:47:00 PM, Blogger Karen said…

    Hello everyone. Karen here. Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. Birgit, my hero, has jumped in to save the day. I just knew that Erin and her disciples were the right folks to ask. :) You're all beautiful, smart, witty, terrific people!

    Cookie -- the image in PeppermintChick's collection is just a photo she grabbed online. She doesn't have the pattern.

    Lisa -- I just signed up for PatternRescue.com

    Thanks Erin. Thanks everyone.

     

  • At Jul 15, 2009 9:33:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    It could be fun if we got a large group of sewers to post the out of print patterns they lust for. I am always interested in seeing what appeals to other people.

    Where do I find the Sewing Conspiracy Target Board? It sounds like a story off one of those old patterns Erin writes about.

     

  • At Jul 15, 2009 10:22:00 AM, Anonymous theresa said…

    You are dead one as always Cookie.
    I lust for an Alfred Shaheen style Hawian, sarong, petal bust dress pattern. Hobby Lobby evilly had a out of print pattern book with their pattern books that had the very thing! and get this it was a HALLOWEEN costume pattern book!

     

  • At Jul 15, 2009 12:25:00 PM, Blogger Cookie said…

    << Cookie -- the image in PeppermintChick's collection is just a photo she grabbed online. She doesn't have the pattern. >>

    For this, she must die....

    PS: Theresa, my pet, did you just call me a "dead one"? (!!!) How soon the Conspiracy turns upon ITSELF!!!

     

  • At Jul 15, 2009 1:36:00 PM, Anonymous Lisa Simeone said…

    Cookie, you are a riot!

     

  • At Jul 15, 2009 5:02:00 PM, Blogger Cookie said…

    Thank you, Lisa : )

    So, does Karen's above comment mean Birgit had the pattern, and sent it to Karen through Erin? Or Birgit has a lead?? Is Birgit in Australia? WHAT'S GOING ON???? And what's the charity event Karen wants this for? Have we made fabric choices yet?...&/c., &/c.,

     

  • At Jul 15, 2009 7:17:00 PM, Blogger Karen said…

    Sorry, Cookie. Yes, Birgit has the pattern and has generously agreed to let me copy it then send it back. I am ecstatic and so grateful. I will wait for the pattern before I make a final fabric choice, but I was thinking blue silk crepe (http://www.nyfashioncenterfabrics.com/gensym-12.html). What do you think? I promise to send pictures when the dress is done.

     

  • At Jul 16, 2009 6:44:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I just love a happy ending!

     

  • At Jul 16, 2009 10:16:00 AM, Anonymous JenO said…

    Karen,
    When you get the pattern, you will reveal to us how the style's bias swing is designed, right?

     

  • At Jul 16, 2009 12:25:00 PM, Blogger Cookie said…

    You know, I can well see this becoming the official uniform of the Sewing Conspiracy Club. It could flatter a variety of body types, and we can for sure conceal patterns, etc, under it. When you see a man or woman wearing the fellow Gres 1751, you know something's up.

     

  • At Jul 16, 2009 5:09:00 PM, Blogger Karen said…

    I'll make a note to myself to get back to you, JenO.

     

  • At Jul 17, 2009 3:37:00 PM, Anonymous Theresa said…

    So sorry Cookie, I meant DEAD ON!

     

  • At Jul 23, 2009 2:34:00 PM, Anonymous Sheila Savell said…

    Whenever I am looking for vintage sewing patterns and can't find what I want I do a "saved search" on ebay - i.e., vogue 1751 dress and whenever one is listed ebay will email you. Voila - I've been lucky so far!

     

  • At Oct 28, 2009 9:59:00 PM, Blogger Karen said…

    It occurs to me that October has come and almost gone without my having made this dress. The charity event was canceled, so I lost my good excuse. But I haven't forgotten -- pictures when I do finally sew this up. Maybe for a Christmas or New Year's party? I live in Santa Monica, CA, so I can get away with sleeveless in December. :)
    Thanks again to Birgit for loaning me her original pattern.

     

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