…………………..The September 05 group had one of my all time most successful jackets. The fabric was a wool boucle. It had a flat shirt collar long sleeves with a slight flare, button hole pockets and a lovely shape that glided over the body……It had the most beautiful embroidery of roses, wisteria and vines…on the front, back and sleeves….it was abundant. I still have these toppers….I just can’t part with them…….yet! It was reordered so many times in so many colors…..black, ivory, red, sapphire blue, forest green and chocolate are the ones I remember. EACH JACKET had different color embroidery! These were so much fun to create. The sketches and charts of the embroidery took forever to do. Every single thing had to be detailed…….The coordinating TN sweater had a gently shaped body, but it was the flared embroidered sleeves that closed the deal…..These sweaters sold very well and were reordered too……..The suede and rib knit jacket had a shawl collar and knit sleeves…..I think this was a reorder?………….The pinstripe suit was right up my alley. We did the matching trouser and not the pencil skirt. They were made in a beautiful rayon/poly/span woven gaberdine….The fabric looked and felt like an Italian fabric I had used at AK……The blazer had all of the “Linea” touches……beautifully shaped and tailored, fully lined, working buttons on the sleeves that could be turned back and button hole pockets…..To give the jacket an edge I embroidered a “corsage” of flowers down from one shoulder and the top of the sleeve. The emb. was blue on the navy and blue pinstripe and grey on the black and grey pinstripe……to layer under the suit I did a “POLO SWEATER” in CASHMERE and SILK!….those were the days!…..The buttons on the placket down the front and on the sleeves were small RHINESTONES. It came in Black, Ivory, Pale Pink and a Soft Blue…….It looked marvelous under the pinstripe suit, but was a wonderful separate sweater too………..The last sweater was something special…..It was a rayon/nylon blend. It had a ballet neckline and raglan long sleeves…….but it was the emb that made it so special. The emb. was a combination of silver cupped sequins, each with a center bead, and scattered through out were small crystal and rhinestone beads. We did this sweater in Black, Ivory and Grey.
I have the topper in ivory, chocolate, scarlet and olive. And that’s just the tip of my boucle iceberg! I have suits and car coats, too. I have that t-neck in ivory and turquoise, and. some kimono style sweaters in many colors in that same embroidery. So many happy memories of times I was wearing Linea. I wore one of the toppers as an “overcoat” on a fall trip to Europe several years ago and people could not believe I didn’t buy it in Europe. It’s way too stylish to be American!
That floral embroidered jacket (black) is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever worn, and I wear it to this day. As another poster said, strangers will stop and comment on it. I also have the embroidered sweater in black, and two suede jackets with knit sleeves, camel and rose, all still stylish and looking like new. What a collection this was!
That was from Mary Jane.
I have this embroidered jacket in red and still get compliments from complete strangers whenever I wear it! A true masterpiece!
This is amazing. Last week I was browsing eBay and purchased this beautiful embroidered boucle jacket in chocolate brown. It is so beautiful, I was going to write to you to ask about it’s history. The very day it arrived you wrote this blog story. Incredible! Thank you for the jacket and the story😀
Gorgeous! I just bought the boucle coat in ivory from eBay (it was listed as “new without tags”). Sadly it’s not my size but should fit my mother. I’m looking forward to receiving it next week.
I also have that beautiful boucle jacket in black. Won’t ever part with it!
Barbara, long time no see ! These are sad times but
we will ALWAYS have our Linea to keep our memories
sharp! One of Louis’ masterpieces, and although his sketch of it is gorgeous, can’t hold a candle to the real thing. I have the embroidered coat, the emb. Turtleneck , and this was the first WK skirt I bought. Shortly after, I got another skirt and WK tunic in the Cassis color — when WK contained wool. No accident, the Cassis was an EXACT MATCH, YEARS LATER, to the Magenta leather/knit zip front Jacket . All are beautiful with this jacket . No question
this is the Queen in my closet. Lol
I have the black turtleneck with the embroidered sleeves. I love it!
I have the gorgeous black boucle jacket. Can’t believe its over 15 years old. Seems brand new. Always complimented when I wear it. Elizabeth
I am loving your reflections on past designs. I love it all and how I wish it was available to purchase today! Thank you for these fabulous glimpses into the beauty you have created.
I learned to sew in home ec class in school, and with seven children to raise, my mother only allowed me 2 skirts and 2 blouses to buy ready made, but I could have unlimited material to sew my own clothes. So when dirndle skirts came into fashion I must have made about 50. And from there I developed a love of fabrics, so your fabric choices and descriptions are delicious to me. Drinking in your sketches and descriptions is the best part of my day! Thank you so much for this and all you have done. My kids now know I count you as my friend. Your friend, Nancy in DC
Ah……The beginning of the boucle jackets. I bough all of them until you could no longer produce them. And like you, I haven’t been able to part with any of them!!!