....................which should have been Wednesday's Words! Better late than never and I found this commentary, actually a book review, just last night, so here we go........
"........... The French post modernist philosopher, Baudrillard came up with the concept of hyper reality. This states that what is "real" becomes lost in the modern world behind a facade of marketing and style over substance. I would not have much of a problem with (fill in the blank)'s patterns if I felt there was substance in them. What she has done is taken the most basic sort of patterns, and dressed them up with pretty pictures, colours and a marketing facade that lets the consumer feel they are buying into a lifestyle. The patterns themselves are basic "......................thanks to Kaitlyn's Simply Vintage,
"........... The French post modernist philosopher, Baudrillard came up with the concept of hyper reality. This states that what is "real" becomes lost in the modern world behind a facade of marketing and style over substance. I would not have much of a problem with (fill in the blank)'s patterns if I felt there was substance in them. What she has done is taken the most basic sort of patterns, and dressed them up with pretty pictures, colours and a marketing facade that lets the consumer feel they are buying into a lifestyle. The patterns themselves are basic "......................thanks to Kaitlyn's Simply Vintage,
*********************************
The Grand Godet top is completed and has been worn to work only to be greeted with claim (wink). I'll have pics up this weekend and will hopefully be onto the next fun project! Me thinks a skirt!....Bunny
The real problem is, there are so many companies that fit that "fill in the blank." I'm all for beginning sewists finding patterns that get and keep them excited about sewing, but what I'm looking for--especially in an indie pattern--is something unusual, that I can't find elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI so agree. I don't part with my sewing cash easily so it has to be something unique that I can't find or can't morph from a Big Four pattern.
DeleteThe original article doesn't say "fill in the blank" but I really didn't want to bash one specific pattern maker. I feel this sentiment applies to many indie patterns so the blank could be easily filled in with any number of names.
I had a career involving sales and if anyone understands "selling the sizzle" it's the successful salesperson. It's also called "making a silk purse out of a sow's ear." I think you get my drift and certainly Kaitlyn's.
Too confrontational for me. However - I rather like it that someone can recognize and act on a niche market opportunity. A purpose-built business. Pretty neat. Tilly and Colette patterns and publications must be fun for more than a few people, and what's wrong with that? A Lincoln log is not a Lego, but they're both useful and intriguing. And no one confuses one for the other!
ReplyDeleteThey definitely serve a niche market, the beginner sewist, and that is wonderful. Maybe , self included, are expecting pattern makers who appeal to the new sewist to offer them some more growth and challenge, just like a great teacher you may have had in school. But the original writer's observation of how marketing can really sell something not quite so remarkable if it has the right packaging. Tilly KNOWS how to market and has utilized her talents well. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for her and others similar. Hopefully there will always be this new sewist market begging for simple designs to get their sewing passions activated. They will eventually come around to desiring more challenge and interest with their work. I've seen much discussion of just this topic on FB. Many sewists, new ones, are now looking for the next level. Yay for them!
DeleteRepeating myself based on the comment on the original post but...as someone new to the sewing world it is very frustrating that many of the Indie companies aimed at beginners play on the fear/notion that this is all *so.hard!* and let them hold your hand and guide you through this big, bad sewing project.
ReplyDeleteI mean, really.
Yes, it takes YEARS to learn to sew WELL. To learn to fit your body WELL. To learn what makes a pattern worth sewing. To learn to deal with an array of fabrics. Etc, etc, etc.
But to make it as if a gathered skirt is the most difficult thing ever is just frustrating.
I walked a 7 year old through making a gathered skirt last summer. Because honestly, it's not rocket surgery. ;-)
Thanks for teaching an aspiring young sewist how to get going in this great craft. Each one teach one!
DeleteI doubt the person in question has the skills to advance from beginners. That's not a snark, that is the observation. We all know that the teacher really needs to be far ahead of the students, and their capacity to absorb is much faster than the extreme work involved in providing them with resources. So keeping ahead of them is pretty tough wen the initial gap wasn't much to begin with.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought of it that way but that makes so much sense, Mrs C. Thanks for your input.
Delete