• Madame Gr�s Exhibition.  The recent Paris 2011 show of this incredible designer will move to Mode Museum in Antwerp, Belgium from September 12th, 2012 to February 10th, 2013.  For a another peek at the show, see our Gallery and thank Nancy Bryant for her photos.  Prediction, this show has had such an impact on designers, we'll be seeing inspirations in the spring.  (P.S.  the Gr�s Draping Class will run again in 2013 too.) 

• Stylesight.  Here's a great resource with some accessible designer tools such as original flat sketches, print motifs, and graphics, all in a royalty-free, vector-based format to allow you to customize, create and share designs easily and quickly.  Have fun -- p.s. it's a subscription but great for businesses short on consultant budgets.

• Continuum.  From the next wave, those who grew up breathing technology, we now get app dresses and 3-D printed bikinis.  This spot, begun by Jenna Fizel, themes Computational Couture whereby you can design your dress using their app to fit your measurements and you can also print out the wearable (named for Nylon 12, the fiber) bikini.  Pop an eye on the movie.
  

  N12.bikini - Intro Video

   
• Comme des Garcons.  Sometimes just what you want to say is wordlessly said so well by an object.  Rei Kawakubo sends several messages in her 'flat' show  -- is it about cliche cookie cutter clothes or the flats of fashion design graphics or just consumers' flat imaginations?  You decide.

• Vogue Archives.  I know you know subscribing is pricey but did you know that subscribers can view some great issues for free?

• Stars in Dior.  A new exhibition and Rizzoli book (here in Sept.) for Dior fans.  Whew . . . so much to study.  In this show, running in Granville, France until Sept. 26, the real power of Christian Dior's clothing comes out, transforming actors to stars and making the statement that every picture and person, no matter how beautiful, is more so with a frame.  It is google-able everywhere but here are some photos from their collection.

• A gem from the 2012 show!

  Home Sewn.  The New Zealand Fashion Museum believes in reaping what is sewn (excuse pun) with their next show, opening in Sept., featuring the home sewing industry and home made clothes.  It was how the American fashion industry began and it still feeds deep expertise, gained early in life, into the US fashion industry (and don't we need industry?).  Home sewing produces people who understand how to make something and the bar only rises along with age and education.  I cringe when I hear 'designers' boast that they do not know how to sew.  Who will do a Home Sewn show here?  How about expanding the Make It With Wool contest?  Hey, Vogue, how about marrying high fashion with two hands and sponsoring a renaissance?   

• Block Party.  The British Crafts Council is sponsoring Block Party,  a show focused upon the art of tailoring and the importance of bespoke patterns or blocks for each person, underscoring the unique physical identity of every one of us.  When thinking custom clothing,  it answers the "why go there?" question.  Check  the video, Negative Space.

  Negative Space.

• 
  New Class: 
  The Yves St. Laurent Le Smoking Pantsuit,
  July 28 & 29, SF.   We are into the homestretch on this new draping series class from 'THE Draping book' -- the fabulous one from Belgium.  In this class you get a '2-for', the famous YSL blazer jacket with lots of couture secrets and also pant draping lessons.  We'll be using many of the techniques instinctual to the old masters of French haute couture, discovered by Alan LeBlanc during his many years in Paris.  In addition, Alan has sent terrific photos of YSL jackets in microscopic detail so you'll learn a lot of construction information too.  More information & Registration, limit 12.  

• Soma Patterns.  In

  Brunelle & Cendrine Tops

  her South of

  Twisty Top

  Market SF workshop, Sylvie Privat is expanding her empire, rapidly becoming home base for Zero Waste patterns.  Hallelujah!! We need those patterns!  She has 3 more this month, perfect for summer, the Brunelle Top, the Cendrine Top and the Twisty Top .  Each of these are available as downloads -- you copy the pattern diagram on grid paper and mark it on fabric with a tracing wheel -- simple.       

• The Portrait Tie Top.  This design is one of those from the 1930's that leaps over time -- elegant and versatile at any age and proof that the smallest variation on a theme makes a world of difference.  It is one-piece sleeveless top with a beautiful facing- framing portrait collar that ties in front or can be left open, comes in S, M, L & XL.   Hmmm? . . . could be cut long, worn with pants, fringed, lined and more.  

• Kwantlen Vionnet Photos.  More happy draping geniuses emerged at last month's Art of the Cut draping workshop at Kwantlen University in Vancouver, Canada.  See the Galleryphotos.  And for me -- loads of ideas about how to teach the concept better which may make it to print this year.  Happily, more students now are part of a growing group of cutters out there who are coalescing again around the  idea of body-driven design. Just think, physical beauty and practicality in the same garment! More on the anatomical approach coming later. 

• Alvanon Dress Forms.  And speaking of which  . . . While I've noted these before, a great thing has happened. We will be partnering with Alvanon to develop draping instruction on their forms, full and half scale.  The reason this is wonderful is that their forms are the result of thousands of high-tech body scans and have the most realistic body forms out there.  I can hardly wait to try them -- due here in the fall.   Check the video. 

  Alvanon: Products and Services

• F - I - N - A - L - L - Y, our new website format is LIVE NOW!  Praise be, it's bubbly time!  The site has smoother tech, is more polished and just plain prettier.  Within it's confines, I'll do a blog to corral my comments on the fashion scene, keeping the newsletter for news.  You can still get both for free.    

• In the Pattern Pipeline.  In August, a surprise for former students, driven crazy by this Vionnet-ish 'Midterm Exam' dress with only 2 pattern pieces (far right). And this  Charles James-ish 'Final Exam' dress -- I had to take it apart to get the exact pattern -- major sacrifice!  It will be known heretofore as the Rose Hip Dress, a flower from the 50's -- the thing is gorgeous.  And in the pipeline:  Fitted bias pants in 8 parts, a few more tops with bias features (including the Duchess of Windsor's wedding jacket (by an American, Mainboucher, left) and 2 draped skirts. Our goal:  Each of our patterns combines an interesting lesson with an interesting look, a win-win for both pattern designers and consumers.
   
• As we go to "Send" here with this newsletter, Sabine David's Perfect Pants class just ended yesterday.  Was so good!!  There will be photos and details in the next issue -- AND -- we are already talking Perfect Jacket for the next one.  More later. 

Lastly, a note about temporarily missing books.  We make heroic efforts to find the copyright holders of anything we reprint -- tracking down aging relatives and using multi-state search services.  Nonetheless, authors, especially women authors from times past, sometimes have married names (sometimes more than one) different than their professional names and such was the case with Harriet Pepin in the renewal of her copyright, 28 years later.  So her books here are held up for a bit while we again search for relatives under another name.