1958
By the 1950s cobbler aprons were very popular. With its bust darts, curved sides, and pocket detailing, Cardin's interpretation for McCall's is a little tonier than the completely unstructured tabard-style aprons offered by most pattern companies at this time.
Pierre Cardin was trained as a tailor and worked at Paquin, Schiaparelli, and Dior before setting out on his own and showing his first couture collection in 1953. He would release his first ready-to-wear collection in 1959, but in 1958 he enters American popular culture with a series of patterns for McCall. The elegant little suits and cocktail dresses one understands, but the thinking behind the apron and "casual tunic" is a bit mysterious; can you imagine a Calvin Klein apron pattern, for example - or better yet - Karl Lagerfeld?
But compare the tunic to Cardin's "Cosmos" dress from 1967. The evolution is very clear.
 |
| Victoria and Albert Museum |
5 comments:
I've become a big fan of these apron-y, smock-y, blouse-y, items of clothing. This one isn't so much my style because it would absolutely not be flattering on me (my figure asset is in my waist, but I definitely need "free" hips), but I recently acquired Advance 6464 (circa 1952) and Anne Adams 4743 (1957 postmark), which is a wrap dress that also bills itself as a possible tunic-top. I'm rather sad that they didn't come back into vogue when capri pants and ballet flats did.
You can still buy similar apron's here in France, mostly worn by older women to do their chores. So I don't find it surprising that some of them would be designed by Cardin when he was young.
35 cents! Wow. Every time I look at pattern prices now, I feel like I can buy something on the rack for the price of the pattern. ^_^
I have seen this pattern before and I confess to having quite a longing to own a copy for myself. I really love the longer version sooo much♥
These tabard-style aprons and coveralls still show up on eBay pretty regularly and are reasonably priced.
Another alternative is the tried-and-true approach of taking a shirt pattern that fits you well and modifying it.
Post a Comment