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www.voguepatterns.com Hair and Makeup: JOSEPH BOGGESS Kay Unger’s best-selling dress is now available to home sewers. It’s an extremely versatile design with a lot of potential. Change the color, add a trim, make a contrast color, the possibilities are endless. Kay Unger, V1182, Misses’ 8-22. 3
(continued from page 49) “ I love that [the patterns] are giving women the freedom to create for themselves and express who they are.” team have art backgrounds and the majority began their stint with the company as interns. Unger is visibly proud of her team and is quick to credit their talents. “One of the things I truly love about my job is mentoring [the designers] and watching them grow,” she says. “I’m constantly amazed by what they can produce.” Following Unger around her workroom, the camaraderie and creativity is palpable. Everywhere you look there’s something in progress: sketches being drawn up, fabrics being dip dyed (in Rit dyes no less) and samples being pinned, draped and shaped. “Everyone who works for me is an artist,” Unger says proudly, pointing out the details on each design. In addition to the clothes, she and her staff, many of them painters like their boss, create the colorfully feminine prints that have become Kay Unger’s signature. Unger estimates that she and her team have designed more than a thousand different fabric prints, each one carefully catalogued in the black binders that are shelved floor to ceiling along one wall of the workroom. “It lets us control the colors and the patterns, so the pieces are unique to us,” she explains. Another wall houses an astonishing collection of trims and buttons, all serving as either an inspiration or adornment to the clothes being created. As she points out the different details on each piece in progress, it’s clear that Unger herself has a real sense of clothing construction. She’s quick to point out the little “ details on each piece in progress, noting the techniques and fabrics a home sewer could use to achieve the same results. She’s excited about her new line for Vogue Patterns and points out that special care was taken to select styles that could easily be replicated by the average sewing enthusiast—not that Unger expects home sewers to make carbon copies of her clothes (although that’s okay too). “I love that [the patterns] are giving women the freedom to create for themselves and express who they are,” she says. “It lets a woman speak—she feels great about what’s she’s wearing and how she looks wearing it.” For Unger, creating clothing isn’t about dictating a certain look; it’s about connecting with customers and giving them what they want. “We’re not the biggest company, but we make beautiful things,” says Unger. “We make clothes that make people happy.” And really, what more can you ask for? KAY’S TIPS FOR DRESSING YOUR BEST Don’t be afraid of fit. “Trying to hide extra weight with loose clothing only makes you look larger,” explains Unger. Opt for sculpted pieces that give you shape instead. Look leaner. Trim your tummy by choosing a dress style that puts the waistline one inch above your natural waist. “It instantly creates a shapely waist, even if you don’t have one,” says Unger, noting that she uses this trick on almost all her designs. Shirt the issue. Every closet should be outfitted with at least one great shirtdress. “It’s a year ’round basic and the fitted waist and full skirt create flattering proportions,” explains Unger. Go sleeveless. “A bare arm is ten times better than a sleeve that hits at the wrong spot,” says Unger. “If you’re self-conscious, you can always slip on a shawl.” Clever draping and ruching can disguise a thick midsection or draw attention elsewhere. “We call it using folds to cover your folds,” laughs Unger. Aim high. Slipping on a pair of heels is an instant figure fix and a confidence booster. “You don’t have to wear them all day but keep a pair in your car or at your desk so you can slip them on when you need to impress.” 252
Page 1 and 2: SEAMS GREAT! This simple yet elegan
Page 3: Kay Unger (above) gives us a tour o

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