A pattern company that sold patterns to the home sewer in 1850. This was the beginning of fashion transcending the social classes. The talented home sewer with a creative eye could now design and construct clothing with the look and quality of designer apparel. By the 1950s, pattern companies such as Butterick, Simplicity, and Vogue brought the ability to dress "like" a socialite or movie star to Middle America.
Historical Dictionary of the Fashion Industry. Francesca Sterlacci and Joanne Arbuckle.