1948 Molyneux
Recreation
I created a muslin reconstruction of a 1943 Molyneux women’s suit to serve as an interactive component for an upcoming exhibition, Fashioning Wonder: A Cabinet of Curiosities, curated by Dr. Colleen Hill (spring 2025).
I drafted a pattern through a combination of taking measurements from the original garment and tracing the seams of the garment with Tyvek. These two techniques were used to ensure accuracy despite the distortion of the wool fabric through wear.
The toile will become a part of the Fashion Institute of Technology’s Graduate Study toile collection after the exhibition closes.
An interior view of the suit, unbuttoned. The suit is unlined, and selvedges were used to prevent fraying edges on some of the facings. Other open seams were hand whip stitched to finish.
Preliminary measurements & patterning of the sleeve pieces. The wool check had likely been steam shaped during construction, and had felted and warped due to the heat & moisture of being worn, especially at the armhole.
Due to these distortions, patterning was complex. I used a line of checks as a point of reference, measuring out and up to plot points on the armhole curve.