TheSimplicity Pattern Company is a manufacturer ofsewing pattern guides, under the "Simplicity Pattern", "It's So Easy" and "New Look" brands. The company was founded in 1927 inNew York City. During theGreat Depression, Simplicity allowed home seamstresses to create fashionable clothing in a reliable manner. The patterns are manufactured in the US but are distributed and sold inCanada,England, andAustralia, in some markets byBurda and inMexico andSouth Africa by third-party distributors. The company licenses its name to the manufacture of non-textile materials such assewing machines,doll house kits, and sewing supplies. Simplicity Patterns is now owned by Rubelmann Capital.
James J. Shapiro (1909–1995) founded the Simplicity Pattern Company in 1927 and was its first president. The company was based on an idea of his father's, Joseph M. Shapiro (1888 Russia – 1968 California), a magazine ad salesman.[1][2] The company at one point was considered part of the NYSENifty Fifty stocks.
In 1998, the company was acquired byConso International Corp.[3][4] Conso subsequently changed its name to Simplicity Creative Group, Inc. Until 2007, the company had its main plant inNiles, Michigan.[5]
Simplicity Creative Group was acquired by Wilton Brands, Inc. in 2013,[6] and sold in November 2017 toCSS Industries,[7][8] who in turn were acquired in January 2020 by IG Design Group plc, via their American subsidiary Design Group Americas, Inc.[9]
In June, 2025, the parent company of Simplicity,Butterick,McCall's, and Vogue pattern lines was sold to liquidation firmHilco Capital. IG Design Group attributed the sale to recent tariffs, a softening market, and the bankruptcy ofJoann.[10]
On July 3, 2025, IG Design Group Americas, Inc., filed forChapter 11 bankruptcy protection with plans to wind down and sell its assets.[11] The four pattern lines were sold to Rubelmann Capital in September 2025.[12] In October, Simplicity Patterns announced its relaunch as an employee-led brand.[13]
Simplicity Patterns, like most home sewing patterns, consist oftissue paper printed with numerical guides and instructions. The paper is pinned on the fabric, and the sewer then cuts along the printed lines and stitches the cloth together to create the finished clothing. Each Simplicity pattern has step-by-step instructions for cutting, stitching, and assembling of clothes. Simplicity aims to emulate fashion designer clothing, and the company currently produces over 1,600 patterns.
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