Madeleine Vionnet

Sponsored by Claire Shaeffer at her Palm Desert facilties.

This seminar will be the most complete in-depth look at the work of Madeleine Vionnet offered to date. Sandra Ericson will be conducting a seminar of the life's work of Vionnet, considered to be the world's greatest pattern maker. Every detail will be examined of her theories, her patterns, her cutting and construction techniques -- all presented visually, and developed in workshops on the 1/2 scale form, over 5 days. Each enrollee receives a complete packet of printed designs and patterns.

More information will appear here in the fall!

For details and to enroll, please contact Claire Shaeffer at:

There is always a Madeleine Vionnet page in this site. She is considered to be the most influential and expert pattern maker or 'cutter' of the 20th Century and the teacher of many of the greats of the Golden Age of couture. Her work has been studied by every person who has achieved fame in the field and was assembled in a book by Betty Kirke, which took 25 years to accomplish. The book, Vionnet, can be ordered at www.Amazon.com.

The new January item for these page is the instructions for creating the organza collars (also the hems of the dresses) you see on the bridesmaids below. Vionnet did this technique with organza and tulle. The Costume Institute in NY at the Met has a gray full length full circle tulle skirt with 3 0r 4 deep tucks in the lower half of the skirt, all created from the same piece -- no seaming.

There you go!!

Alan LeBlanc, my student at City College of San Francisco many years ago, acquired a passion for the work of Vionnet also and subsequently went to Paris where he has been living ever since. He has continued to pursue his research and understanding of Vionnet's work and has made several significant discoveries, not only in techniques but also in those who were associated with the House of Vionnet during the Art Deco period. We are lucky to be able to have his column (and his Parisian discoveries!) appear here -- thank you, Alan!

Mother of the bride in Vionnet; it's a version of #8 from the Vionnet book.

Though she came from nobility, a couture Vionnet garment was too expensive for them to order. But working as a Vendeuse she had the privilege of purchasing garments that had been returned or unsold. The bridesmaids dresses were made from Vionnet patterns, with large floating collars structured with bands of synthetic horsehair braid. The marriage was of French Catholic tradition, so the extreme fantail train of the dress was designed to be carried by the children of the wedding party.

Like most employees, she only saw Vionnet rarely, usually for the annual holiday for unmarried women in Couture, Saint Catherine's Day. She told me about the elegance of Vionnet's clients, with whom she had a close relationship. A brief translation of 'Vendeuse' would be 'in-house saleswoman'. It was the business of the Vendeuses to know most everything about their clients, in order to suggest the right custom clothes for every aspect of these women's lives. Clothing had to be in perfect accord with undergarments, jewelry, hair, make-up, personality, and the event in question. Fabric was dyed in the house. Not every client was allowed to personalize the color of garments. She reminisced about the unmatched chic allure of Madame Dulce Liberal Martinez De Hoz. She said that there are no more women like her around.

She wanted me to feel the fabrics from the time, but was embarassed that she had kept no whole garments. Not many things survived the war. During those hard years she had to re-use the fabrics in order to clothe her new family. The wedding dress, in which she is phototgraphed on page 125 of Betty Kirke's book, was cut up to make undergarments for her children. She really wanted to show me a nightshirt she had made herself from a Vionnet gown of pale blue 'Rosalba' acetate or viscose, which she specified was specially ordered by Vionnet from the Italian fabric manufacturer Bianchini. I was thrilled to feel it in my hands, stretch it through the bias! She had a wonderful neck piece embroidered by Lesage for Vionnet, which she removed from an Egyptian-inspired gown made originally in the 20's, in order to add it to a dress she made herself in the 70s.

She had just recently given to a museum some Poiret and Dior and Givenchy gowns and coats, as well as Vionnet labels. She had removed the labels from her garments, as was the custom for her family. It was immodest for women of her aristocratic standing to leave them in their couture garments, lest anyone should see it!

After the war, she worked with the famous, recently deceased, French clergyman, the Abbey Pierre. Abbey Pierre created the national French association for donating to the homeless, Emaus, with numerous boutiques like the Salvation Army. She donated her time doing make-overs for homeless people before their job interviews. She knows of two other living former Vionnet employees, neither living in Paris.

She allowed me to photograph her photo albums from her wedding as well. I enjoyed seeing the wedding photos of her children too, which showed that the tradition had continued in the Haute Couture weddings of these elegant later generations.

The rose patterns are available as a packet of 3 rose pattern sheets: the Cabbage Rose (large white and red in the photo above), the Rolled Rose (group of 3 medium size) and the Picot Rose (in green, like the original above)). Included are instructions and fabric recommendations. $10.