MME. DEMOREST

   Founded by the American Ellen Curtis in 1853, this company was the first commercial pattern company in the United States. Demorest's patterns were initially only offered in one size for women, men, and children, with no instructions on how to grade up or down. The periodicals Frank Leslie's Gazette of Fashions and Godey's Lady's Book were the first to sell these full-scale patterns in 1854, either through mail order or at retail as fold-out inserts in the magazines. Demorest was the first company to offer its own publication in 1860, Quarterly Mirror of Fashion, and later as Demorest's Monthly Magazine, which was the precursor to today's pattern catalog books, which feature a wide range of patterns shown on fashion models. Demorest was also the first pattern company to market patterns in envelopes by 1872. Mme. Demorest closed after Curtis's retirement in 1887.

   See also Petersen's Magazine.