Saturday, August 01, 2020

BMV?????

I received an email yesterday regarding a name change for Butterick, McCall's, Vogue, and Kwik Sew. I know that change is the only constant in life. I remember when all 4 patterns became one company over time. Those were significant changes but when I bought patterns from them it did make it easier to search all four.

I did participate in Club BMV a lot. It appears that the club does not exist now and I think I paid for a whole year but don't think I received a rebate for the ending sometime this year. I am okay with that somewhat; I did benefit from greatly reduced prices.

It took me a moment to realize that Something Delightful is the new name for the company; plus they added C.R. Gibson. Never heard of this company. I have to say I am not sure how I feel about the new name. It just does not say sewing, patterns, etc.  It is not very defining who they are.  It somewhat sounds like a company for food, ice cream, or even some "adult-themed site". Maybe in my more mature stage in life, I am finding it hard to accept change. Or maybe because the world is turned upside down with COVID-19 and the current state of the USA that this is not registering well with me.

I am curious as to what your thoughts about the name change.

25 comments:

  1. I am grateful for the independent pattern companies. This new brand sounds like feminine hygiene to me.

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  2. Didn't McVoguerick get bought out by some non-sewing conglomerate, like, within the past year? I did a quick google search but didn't turn up anything , but I do seem to remember some discussion on the 'net about the future of the brands. CR Gibson is a greeting card/ gift wrap/ calendar company similar to Hallmark; we used to have a CR Gibson store (that wasn't the name of it...but it was that company's logo on all the merch) in a local mall several years ago. "Something Delightful" sounds like a greeting card company. If they don't put someone with some sewing sense over the pattern brands... I wonder if they will be able to sustain them all.

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    1. I think they were bought out. I thought at one time the same company purchased Simplicity. I had never heard of CR Gibson, but website info is what you described.

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    2. McCall Co was bought out a few years ago. And about a year and half later, that company purchased simplicity as well. Now this UK company purchased the whole lot.

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  3. I found out about the change when I checked on my BMV subscription, I thought it was up for renewal. I've not been doing much sewing but still very disappointed. I sent an email and my response came from the new company. Not very happy with it but I still prefer the old name. I haven't bought many indie patterns and prefer to stay with what I've been sewing with. I checked the new site and not impressed at all. I agree with Lisa Laree - like a greeting card company.

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    1. I have yet to follow up on Club BMV subscription; it sounds like the response you received was not to your liking. I truly have more patterns that I will probably never sew and there are some indie pattern companies that I purchase from because the price and the drafting quality is very good.

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  4. Well personally I'm done. They're an English company that just bought them. I don't even know if they have a real plan for them. However, I will be using the patterns I have, new indie ones since they have improved their size ranges and quite a few of them have printed patterns in the larger sizes. I'm done. And please don't get me started on all the free advertising we sewists have done for these companies over the years with no acknowledgement.

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    1. Good point about the free advertising. I am supporting you and others with the boycott. And like you have enough patterns that will tide me over until death do us part.

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  5. I'm unimpressed by the new name and the rebranding. I contacted them several times asking about club BMV with no response, but I did get my discount on a recent purchase.

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    1. I think others have contacted them about Club BMV with negative results.

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    2. I noticed it IMMEDIATELY, when the site changed (long before the name change) and emailed. They said the Club BMV would extend through next March or April. I don’t remember exactly, and since they are rarely doing sales, it’s probably not relevant.

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    3. Interesting! I could not find Club BMV on the new site. Perhaps I just did not look in the right place.

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  6. Regardless of what they call it now, & I agree it's not at all a sewing /pattern title at all, I am fully fed up & disappointed with the marketing & prices & total lack of customer support. Like many others I enjoyed Club BMV & got super prices when there was a sale. The current prices, since the Club has been deleted, are exorbitant! I emailed Vogue stating my shock at the cost, etc & never even got a reply. I live in Canada & to pay exchange on already inflated charges is totally unacceptable. I will deal with Silhouette Patterns solely in the future as her drafting & support are impeccable. I have lots of patterns & I can play around with them to make them different if I want to. Really this situation is a tragedy, because this new corporate owner obviously has no interest in continuing pattern lines that have been around for more than a century. I cannot see Vogue, etc. surviving if someone doesn't come on board quickly to get things sorted out! It's a shame, but after all part of the reason people sew is to save money & certainly the current cost of these patterns negates that effort.

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    1. Thanks for your feedback. In business there are several stages in the life of a company. From start up to hopefully growth and then a decline and that is when companies have to remake themselves to go back through the stages. There are companies that in remaking themselves it does not result in growth again. I am afraid that this may be their downfall.

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  7. I get the same vibe from this new name as I did when NBC bought Craftsy and rebranded it "Bluprint." The two seem to have nothing in common - though I suppose one could think of crafting videos as roadmaps to...crafts? I don't know. I've always side-eyed the name "Bluprint" and am giving "Something Delightful" the same scorn. I have a lot of patterns and it seems some of the old styles have come back and classics never left. I see no need to be 'delighted in something.' =)

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    1. I learned something new from your comment. I did not know NBC bought Craftsy. I never liked the name Bluprint. I got an email that they were going out of business and I was waiting for them to tell everyone how they could download their classes that never expire. Now it seems that they are trying to revive. I am done with subscriptions with them.

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  8. Weird, right? I went on the site last week, C.R.Gibson appears to be cards, note making supplies. I've had a tiff with BMV since they doubled their prices after lockdown.

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    1. I continue to get emails making me aware of sales. I go to the site just to see the sales price. Not much of a sale and I thought that the prices looked higher. I am truly disappointed with this change.

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  9. Meh. It’s a shame they aren’t willing to honor these iconic brands. Something Delightful is a terrible name in general and really doesn’t seem to have anything to do with sewing. Mehhh!!!

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  10. Terrible name. It conjures images of cutesy figurines or ruffled decorating. I wouldn't be surprised to see the new pattern lines be nothing but dumb stuff.

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    1. I agree it is a terrible name and does not do justice to the brands.

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  11. Considering the pattern companies have been owned (and resold a couple of times) by companies with their primary industries in party/greeting card/gift/cake industries for the last 10-15(?) years... I'm not bothered about the sale itself. Except it seems like the increasing rate of a company being sold isn't usually a good indicator that it will last much longer. I do think the new name is a mistake. But given the trashing (fit & instructions) the big 4 generally have gotten over the past 20-ish years... part of me can see why a rebranding might be attempted. It will be interesting to see if the US chain store cheap pattern sales continue and at what price. Even more interesting will be if they give the complaints about fit and dated instructions any real attention. And then there's the whole diversity and size range problems. Do I think all 5 lines will survive - no. They already killed KwikSew name by turning it into hideous craft patterns.

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    1. With so much change in ownership, it does not seem that the company is thriving, no matter who owns it. Adding a greeting card to website does not make any sense to me. But I was not asked for my opinion. I loved to sew KS patterns and still have some in my stash and I agree they have turned it into craft pattern company.

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