The full preview of the new issue of Burda (formerly Burda Moden or Burda World of Fashion, now “burda style” all lowercase) is now online. Or at least, I think it’s the full preview– it’s got more images than the sneak peek that went online last week, but some of the stuff that was in the sneak peek, such as the puffy ski jacket feature, don’t seem to be available for preview. In any case, there isn’t much in this issue that I’m excited about. My favorite item is this (faux?) shearling coat, and it’s probably not something I’d wear. Come to think of it, I think it’s just the technical drawing that I like.
So, I’m guessing that it’ll be at least another month before I renew my subscription (wow, this is now 3 months I’ve gone without renewing!) A lot of people have been grumbling about the seeming decline of BurdaMag (I’m going to call it that because it’s too confusing now with all the names). But I’m not sure if it’s really gotten any worse, or if I just don’t happen to like anything that’s in them right now. It’s certainly been the case in the past that a string of issues has gone by with little in them to tempt me. And the issues at the very end and very beginning of the year often don’t do much for me because I’m not so keen on making formal wear or cuddly lounge-y stuff. My preference tends to be for the sharper transitional garments in the September and October issues, and sometimes the spring dresses in the May issue. I thought the August 2009 issue, the first issue after some of the big changes, was pretty great too. So, in short, I’m not sure if my lack of interest in the recent issues is because of me or because of BurdaMag. I have faith that my beloved Burda will soon put out an issue with something I’m dying to make.
What *is* kind of disappointing to me is the new BurdaMag website. To the best of my understanding, the magazine and the German website for the magazine are now called “burda style” – two words, all lowercase. Whereas the New York-based online sewing community that puts out weekly patterns for (usually paid) download is called BurdaStyle – one word with camel hump capitalization. Ugh, confusing. But also, all those pop-up ads that both sites have had for months sort of implied that the two websites were going to merge, and now it seems they haven’t. Also confusing??
When I started exploring the new BurdaMag website, I found that some of my favorite features were hard to find. Upon further probing, I found that they were missing entirely. Most notably, the extensive collection of free patterns for download. The German site always had more free patterns available than the English language site. And Easy Fashion magazine has for the past couple of years featured patterns that were only available through the free download on the Burda website, and not included as paper patterns in the magazine. Now the formerly free patterns are available only as paid downloads, in a surprising and unexpected move reminiscent of when BurdaStyle (NY-based online sewing community) overnight started charging for patterns that had previously been free downloads. (Wow, does anyone remember the huge uproar over that?? I kept myself faaaaar away from that flame war.) Don’t get me wrong– everyone’s got to eat, times are tough, and a company certainly has the right to charge for the content it owns and distributes. But still, it’s hard not to be disappointed. The English language site (and, as I understand it, the French and Russian sites) are still in the old format, but it doesn’t look like they’re being updated- they don’t have any mention of the January issue yet, so I’m guessing they’re transitioning. They still have their free pattern downloads available, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they will disappear soon with an overhaul, so if you want it for free, probably best to grab it while it’s there!
The other thing that is missing is the archives of Burda WoF/Moden issues. Well, the archives are still there technically, but you can’t flip through them- you can only see the titles of the features and the cover image. This is rough because I rely on those quite a bit. I often purchase back issues of Burda when I need a pattern and I dig through those archives a lot when I’m searching for something. They’re still there on the English site, but they don’t go back as far as they did on the German one.
I checked out a thread on my favorite German online sewing forum, hobbyschneiderin.net, and the word on the street is that the archives will be coming back in full force as the website ramps up, but the days of free downloadable patterns are over at BurdaMag. Well, it was fun while it lasted. I guess I’ll have to put up more of my own for download to take up some of the slack ;)
In happy news, after a bit of a mix-up, my Hamilton Beach Smart Lift iron arrived- the Pattern Review prize for my little black dress. Whoo-hoo! Thanks, PR, and Hamilton Beach!
The Selfish Seamstress 
15 comments
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December 17, 2009 at 11:02 am
AnaJan
Oh yes, I’ve noticed it too. I especially miss the archives. I have a lot of old BWOF issues, that date from 2003 (and older), and I found it easier to browse for a pattern via web site, than by actually digging through my magazines.
Regarding BurdsStyle community site – I started posting my patterns over there from the moment I joined the community, and intensified my pattern posts after the site started charging for their patterns. I found it even more interesting when my pattern posts were actually altered patterns on those patterns I downloaded from the site.
December 17, 2009 at 11:07 am
amber
I liked the look of the white sweater dress under the coat… until I saw the technical drawing. :/ The arms just kill it for me.
December 17, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Who wears a cape?! « Country Girl Couture
[…] 17, 2009 by CGCouture I was reading the SelfishSeamstress’ blog, and decided to check out the Burda website to see if there was anything that appealed to me. […]
December 17, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Celeste
Elaine, darling, you are fabulous. I stumbled across your blog while reading another.
Sewing for yourself is the only way to go. I am infuriated by people who ask me to sew something for them and then expect it to be cheap. As in, “Sweetie pie, would you please whip up this box-pleated, piped slipcover for my sofa this weekend. I’ll pay you $50! Plus materials!!” Whatev.
December 17, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Elizabeth Gales
Thanks for the heads up on the downloads. I’ve been perusing the German Burda site. The multiple column and row layout had me so confused I didn’t even realize the downloads were gone.
December 17, 2009 at 2:28 pm
sigrid
I agree, it’s all very confusing, mysterious and annoying. Like this: some of the patterns that are not on the English BurdaMag site or that you must pay for at the American BurdaStyle have recently disappeared as free down loads from German BurdaMag but are still free in the Russian version.
December 17, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Mary Nanna
Oh I love Burda WOF – I started buying them in 1995 when in lived in Eastern Europe and I’d read them on my train commute – by read I mean look at the pictures and technical drawings and wish I had a sewing machine with me. For me they are perfect – by the time the fashion filters down here the magazines are on trend (not that I really follow fashion anyway, but I note the features that pop up in the shops that match the magazine). It’s a lot of bang for your buck, really, one magazine is cheaper than a standard big 4 pattern here. The other huge advantage for me is that by the time the magazine is shipped here and the seasons have rolled around quite a few people have already sewed what I’m thinking of making. Sometimes I can see it made up and think, “wow, I never considered that before,” and then let it simmer on my creative back burner, and other times I think, “hey, thanks for the warning.”
For some people, Burda love is cyclic, it comes and goes, maybe the magazine hasn’t lost its appeal so much as the crush has worn off.
December 17, 2009 at 5:51 pm
nancy K
Confusing is definitely the word. I wonder if the links many of us have used in PR reviews using the archives are still active.
December 17, 2009 at 6:16 pm
Sunni Standing
Completely agree with the confusion as I’m getting confused just reading your post. And yes, I’ve also noticed that some of that patterns I downloaded are now not free, which I find a little silly. I can find sometimes one thing that I like in any given Burdamag and really I don’t find the point in getting a subscription. Would rather try my own hand at recreating something similar. And yes the coat is somewhat cute, though I think you can only pull it off if you have those cute puppies and are sitting sophisticated on sharp rocks. And how do you keep boots that white clean in those situations?
December 17, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Deb
The way they show the model photos now look more like a fashion magazine, but it’s nearly impossible to see the style and cut of the made-up clothes on the models. That really bugs me.
December 18, 2009 at 5:01 am
Margherita
Hello!
Here is the Italian situation: the Italian burda magazine site ( http://www.burdafashion.com) still has the free download, but there isn’t t the preview of the January number.
December 18, 2009 at 8:08 am
Miss Celie
My other overall concern with the move is that we might lose old links to garments. And, on that note, I remember back in the early 2000s when Burda was online with photos for patterns. How come they only go back to 2004 on the German site and less so on the English site?
Gah. I think I’m going to start a campaign for them to come up with a searchable database for patterns.
December 20, 2009 at 10:26 am
angie.a
I hate the new site layout, but more importantly those archives are a gold mine for me! I use the archives weekly if not more. I will seriously be p.o’d if we lose the archives altogether. Someone want to go save them all to a flickr real quick?? :P
December 21, 2009 at 4:57 pm
erinrx2
A while back you mentioned some of the questionable home dec projects in this issue, specifically the “ROCK” chair. I got my issue in the mail today, and all I can say is it doesn’t hold a candle to the mouse cushion chair on the opposite page…. What are they thinking?
December 24, 2009 at 6:12 am
6thofdecember
I just viewed the January ’10 issue on the German site – I have to confess to loving the entire Edelweiss section. I cancelled my subscription last year because it was not worth paying for 12 issues when less than half were even worth pulling out the pattern section! Burda has always made just the exact style of pant to suit my tubular frame. I know I’m going to make the carrot-top trousers (106) so everyone will think I actually have hips! hurray for hips! I like the olive and black section (Aufregende News) which is Edelweiss restyled. (I remember back to when every issue was packed with many different patterns and not just the same pattern made up in different materials. Do they really think nobody notices this?)
Anyhoo – I’ve just stumbled on the blog and love it. Thanks for being around to share my Burdaphilia.