It's no secret that I love these Young Designer patterns published by Butterick in the 60s and 70s.  After all, I even have a web page devoted to them.  Some of the designers are well known -  Mary Quant, Betsey Johnson - but others have sort of fallen off the fashion history radar. 

One doesn't hear much about Clovis Ruffin these days, but he was a brief but shining star in the 1970s.  From the VFG Label Resource:

Clovis Ruffin started out to be a photographer, but realized he was more interested in the styles he was photographing than the photography.

His first designs were tee shirt dresses which he cut out himself, hiring a few ladies to do the sewing. He took his dresses to stores like Bloomingdales and before long, he had his own label. Established in 1972, he called it Ruffinwear. His forte continued to be tee shirt dresses, and other casual dresses made from jersey knit.

Eventually Ruffin included a dressier line of clothing, as well as loungewear and handbags. A Coty Award Designer who was at his peak in the 1970s, he died in 1992.

"I thought of clothes in the round, and I also thought of basic styles that would enable women to put the mark of their personality on them." Clovis Ruffin, 1978.

I'm not sure how many patterns Ruffin did for Butterick.  I've only seen two different ones, but it appears that the patterns were in sets of four, so I'm hoping there are others.  Both of ones I've had were designed to be made of jersey knit.

I actually made this dress last spring, but it was too warm to wear it until now. I used a medium weight cotton/poly blend jersey to make it. I usually prefer vintage fabrics, but for some reason I've found vintage knits (except 100% poly doubleknits!) hard to find, so I used new fabric in a great dark teal color. It's really soft, washes well, and is warm on a chilly fall day!

I made a tie belt, and then found some beautiful ribbon for a belt (which I have not yet made). I had already sewn the buttons on using red thread, but I'll redo them in brown. The buttons are vintage; they are carved from wood, made in Czechoslovakia.

If only I could sew like you! I had never heard of this designer, thanks for sharing the info.
Best wishes,
Michelle

Count me in on the Clovis Ruffin fan appreciation club. This dress came out so beautifully, and the buttons and belt add that certain extra appeal. Lovely, and it looks like the picture on the envelope too. That's cool! Keeping my eyes open for the patterns, as always.

I'm still waiting to find my Clovis dress...I love his work but haven't managed to acquire one yet!

Michelle, you should take lessons. It really is not so hard. Honest.

I'm glad there are others who appreciate Clovis Ruffin.

another pattern by Clovis Ruffin: http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Butterick_3800

Oh, my, but I love that one. And it is available at a very good price. I need a little larger size, but this one goes on the Lizzie Must Have List!