McCall's Spring patterns

[UttaRetch]

From the US site the upcoming Spring patterns.  This is not my time of year, but



7740 made in black would be fab.

[Nevis5]

Ooh I'd looked at those this morning too UR but missed that one.. It's lovely, but, brrrrr!  Not much else there that tickled my fancy though.  Will be glad to see the back of ruffles and floofy (DF word I think!) sleeves.

[Greybird]

Thank you UR - on the ball as usual. I think that's the best of the bunch. McCalls seem intent on excluding most of us from their offerings. Not much there that's suitable for anyone older than young teens.

[Francesca]

Adore the lot, as I do with most McCalls.

I would love to sew all of these:

McCalls seem intent on excluding most of us from their offerings.

I think that really depends on who you mean by "most of us". I don't feel excluded, but I do find that both Butterick and Vogue go for an older audience and rarely find a style I would wear from either. I like that McCalls caters to a younger audience. I think Burda does well with it's "Burda Young" as well as standard Burda. Simplicity is a mixed bag. Vogue and Butterick are better for an older audience and McCalls is great for younger.

[Samantha]

From the US site the upcoming Spring patterns.  This is not my time of year, but



7740 made in black would be fab.

I agree, really like that, could be an option for my wedding guest outfit.

[lakaribane]

I like a lot of them, even if not for my own body, LOL!

And I have to agree with @Francesca regarding the target audience for the different brands.

I love the dress @UttaRetch posted and those patterns posted by Francesca.

Also love the Vintage dress:


And the asymetrical "lapel" top View D which I had seen last night on someone's IG:


I really like the mid-Victorian feel of this dress, those "bound" shoulders but I think it's would do better as a blouse:


Irrationally, I want all the jumpsuit patterns ever created so those are on my "Just Because" wishlist.

ETA: I have problems with a lot of the Beaute' J'adore patterns (and that stupid Faux-French Name!). They seem very High Fashion but not Real Life. McCall's is NOT IMO the brand for this styling.

And, if I'm going to be very blunt, I dislike how she features her daughter all the time in Mini-Me outfits. People in the US have no problem using their children for advertising (or as props) but it just bothers me. Just like Kim Kardashian does with North West, it just feels creepy to me. What toddler would really want to wear an all-black outfit with a trench coat???

[UttaRetch]

@Francesca: Vogue certainly has the edge when it comes to the patterns I favour, but I have sewn both Butterick and McCall's.  However, there's nothing in the Spring offering for me because of the lack of sleeves on the styles I might otherwise have liked.

[Greybird]

@Francesca, if you think about the general age of people who are sewing their own clothes - perhaps taking the TSP membership as an example, the proportion of younger people is probably quite small. Most people over 30 do NOT look good in frills, bows, flounces and skin-baring garments, which comprises most of the McCalls offering. The sleeveless raincoat looks good on the model, but it would be a fairly useless item in my wardrobe and not worth the effort to me.

I certainly don't think it's a bad thing appealing to younger people - the more that are attracted into sewing the better as far as I am concerned - I am all for it. I go back to my original comment though, as one who has always enjoyed using McCalls patterns over the years, they do now seem to be excluding the rest of us. I see no reason why any of the bigger companies should be seen as specialising in any particular age group. Each new season should surely show a balanced spread to appeal to a wider market. It can't be in their best interests, can it, if each new collection is met with more disappointment?

.

[Francesca]

@Francesca: Vogue certainly has the edge when it comes to the patterns I favour, but I have sewn both Butterick and McCall's.  However, there's nothing in the Spring offering for me because of the lack of sleeves on the styles I might otherwise have liked.

I find that Vogue often has showstoppers that I adore but would never sew. But the general Vogue patterns are just... well... I think most of them are horrible. Marcy Tilton especially  Though her fabrics are lovely.

[Francesca]

@Francesca, if you think about the general age of people who are sewing their own clothes - perhaps taking the TSP membership as an example, the proportion of younger people is probably quite small. Most people over 30 do NOT look good in frills, bows, flounces and skin-baring garments, which comprises most of the McCalls offering. The sleeveless raincoat looks good on the model, but it would be a fairly useless item in my wardrobe and not worth the effort to me.

I certainly don't think it's a bad thing appealing to younger people - the more that are attracted into sewing the better as far as I am concerned - I am all for it. I go back to my original comment though, as one who has always enjoyed using McCalls patterns over the years, they do now seem to be excluding the rest of us. I see no reason why any of the bigger companies should be seen as specialising in any particular age group. Each new season should surely show a balanced spread to appeal to a wider market. It can't be in their best interests, can it, if each new collection is met with more disappointment?

I think it may have something to do with the fact that they are all owned by the same parent group. So in effect, they become collections with individual target demographics.

I don't look good in the swamping fabrics and long line art teacher -esque tunics of Vogue for example but I don't grumble, because I know when McCalls release comes along I'll find something I enjoy.

From a business perspective, it makes sense to have a target demographic as you can align your vision with the needs and desires of that group and make something that can be marketed directly to them. I say that as someone who works in a fashion business and this is what we're told time and time again (consider the customer, who is a 20-something who enjoys fashion and trends. It becomes the heart and the focus of everything we put out). I think because the McCalls group owns all three (four if you count Kwik Sew) it doesn't need to worry about satisfying multiple demographics with one collection release, because they will gain customers on other releases.

[lakaribane]

I think it may have something to do with the fact that they are all owned by the same parent group. So in effect, they become collections with individual target demographics.[...]I think because the McCalls group owns all three (four if you count Kwik Sew) it doesn't need to worry about satisfying multiple demographics with one collection release, because they will gain customers on other releases.

This is my understanding also. While there may be several age groups featured (except Vogue doesn't do Kids patterns), when you look at the patterns overall, you see a clear ligne directrice for each brand.

And they also own Simplicity now, remember. I'm hoping the online buying options for that brand align with the BMVKS site ie a functional webshop with no third-party fee.

[Francesca]

This is my understanding also. While there may be several age groups featured (except Vogue doesn't do Kids patterns), when you look at the patterns overall, you see a clear ligne directrice for each brand.

And they also own Simplicity now, remember. I'm hoping the online buying options for that brand align with the BMVKS site ie a functional webshop with no third-party fee.

Oh I didn't know they owned Simplicity too now! I like the McCalls group site. I've always liked Simplicity patterns though so I hope they keep the style.

And yes, there is a definite line. I know it's nice to say "we all want something we can enjoy for a release" but it rarely works like that (though I do see a bit of Vogue style creeping in with this pattern). A collection that suited every taste would be very scatty. Most fashion collections start with a persona, a defined idea of who the customer will be. The garments will be designed to reflect what the persona is most likely to buy. I imagine for McCalls the design team sat around and thought about a woman in her mid twenties, who is trendy, enjoys looking pretty and girly, wants fun clothing for summer and likes wearing bright, on trend colours. You can see that persona reflected in what is then designed. I imagine the Vogue design team create a different persona; an older woman with a refined sense of style who likes to show her flair and fashion with architectural styles that show off her individuality and perhaps flatter a less girlish figure. That is how each collection will be fleshed out.

[Greybird]

Forgive me for grumbling. I must find my place and stick to it!

[lakaribane]

Forgive me for grumbling. I must find my place and stick to it!

Are you upset?

[Francesca]

You seem angry. I'm not stating that anyone should find a place and stick to it.

They're also not deliberately excluding you. It is your decision to not want to wear anything in this collection and that's OK. Just like nobody is forcing me to not wear something from a Butterick collection. I just choose not to.