Masters Workshop

Madeleine Vionnet is one of the most influential designers to me. I have spent countless hours studying her work and replicating some of her designs. Her unique bias cuts and fabric manipulation were avant-garde in her time, and her work is still modern and advanced. Madeleine Vionnet also influenced Cristobal Balenciaga, and he similarly knew how to control and shape fabric to get the desired fit and movement in his designs. His sculptural and abstract designs are more than just fashionable, they are timeless.

During this 5-day course, you will more fully understand the history of these two couture legends and their contributions to fashion and art. If you desire to learn how to sew with silk and on the bias or are fascinated by voluminous, tailored designs, this class is for you. You will learn step-by-step couture techniques such as marking and cutting fabric and using interfacing properly, and beautiful finishing details such as bound buttonholes to apply to any garment. You will also get to inspect an original Balenciaga coat from 1951. You will spend most of your time honing the craft of couture with your hands, not your sewing machine.

If you would like to make a Vionnet-inspired garment. I have full-scale slopers from Betty Kirke’s book “Madeleine Vionnet,” and the Bunka Fashion College pattern book. You may choose one of the following:

• 1937 “Golden” Skirt and top (#18)
• 1928 One Seam One Shoulder (#11)
• 1935 Quadrant Evening Gown (#12)
• 1932 Shoulder Decollete (#14)
• 1935 Mobius Dress (#8)
• 1919 Squares Dress (#3)
• Your Own Pattern