STYLE sewing pattern company - whatever happened to them?

[Sewcycle]

Hi, this is just a query from an oldy to other oldies. Do you remember Style sewing patterns? They were a big seller in the 60s and 70s and I just saw a 1980s Jasper Conran for Style pattern. However I really don't remember when they disappeared, and why. Did they just become very unfashionable or suffer from the fall in home sewing? Does anybody out there know more? I would be really interested to hear. ( Hope this is in the right section- apologies if it isn't)

[Greybird]

Yes, I remember them too but don't know what happened to them. Will be interested in the answer!

[Tamnymore]

I used to love Style patterns but they haven't been around for years. A little googling shows a UK based Style Patterns Ltd which is dissolved but that's all I can see. I wonder if they were taken over at some point.

[Elnnina]

I, too, remember the Style patterns, I have a feeling they were part of the Simplicity Group, and thus possibly merged, or did they became what is now know as New Look?

[Sewcycle]

Thanks for your replies. It's interesting that we all remember them, but don't know what happened to them. Anybody else out there have any ideas?

[Addiscomber]

Style was always the first pattern catalogue that I looked in. i must have loads upstairs in the box room.  I have a feeling that they vanished round about 1985, when my eldest son was born and my sewing took a back seat for a few years. I seem to remember being surprised that there was no catalogue once I went back to work in the mid 1990s.

[SingingSinger]

I used to like Style patterns when I sewed in the 70s and 80s. I still have one in my pattern stash (Style 3860 "Misses lined wedding or bridesmaid dresses") which says on the envelope 1982 Style Patterns Ltd 39-45 Tottenham Court Rd, followed by other addresses and Simplicity Patterns Ltd.So I guess it was a Simplicity brand which went by the by sometime in the 80s.

[SkoutSews]

A Google search throws up Simplicity as the first result, but nothing else of interest. I liked Style a lot. The current tartan/plaid/checks competition has a post by @toileandtrouble with a photo of a Style skirt pattern which I had back in the day (late 70s) and loved, made many versions. Wish I'd kept it! Though I'd need to grade up several sizes.

[toileandtrouble]

Which one did you want?  I'll copy it for you if you like - must be out of copyright now, if the company has gone.  You'll have to grade up yourself though , I'm not that generous!

[BrendaP]

Copyright (in UK) lasts for 70 years
https://www.gov.uk/copyright/how-long-copyright-lasts

[toileandtrouble]

But who owns it now that the company has gone?  I wonder if anyone is bothered about it now?

[Sewcycle]

Interesting question about the copyright @toileandtrouble and thanks to everyone else for their input. I hadn't realised they were a Simplicity company, though I suppose the styling of their pattern front suggest that a bit. I did find a pattern from 1986 on EBay with a Diana lookalike on the cover @Addiscomber - which fits in with your timings. I think copyright reverts to the designer or author once the company has gone. Whether anyone would be bothered about a cloned pattern, I doubt.

[Sandra]

That's a good question.

I've been trying to find ones for sale on ebay, and I've found a couple which state the 1990's...just found a dress dated 1994.
I'm going to carry on looking to see if anything later shows up.

Sandra.
xxx

[BrendaP]

But who owns it now that the company has gone?  I wonder if anyone is bothered about it now?

If the copyright was owned by Style - because they emplyed their designers - presumably if Style was taken over by Simplicity then Simplicity would have taken over the copyrights too.  If the original designers were freelance and licenced Style to use, and copy, their work then the copyright probably remains with the individuals concerned. 

That's UK copyright law, some details are slightly different in USA, but the broad principal is the same.

[toileandtrouble]

The pattern is dated 1973. I wonder how old the designer is now?  Well retired I should think. Anyway, have contacted Simplicity who might have bought right to the back catalogueto ask if it is theirs,  and a person who sells reprints of vintage patterns,  asking if they have bought copyright on what they sell.  Not holding my breath, but I tried.