Wednesday, January 23, 2013

History's Runway: The Champot Cape, 1895

The Victoria & Albert Museum

This would have been quite the thing in 1895. This elbow-length cape shows a square-cut back and waist-length lappets down the front. It is comprised of bunches of black and green cock feathers, artificially curled which are mounted onto cotton fabric and lined with black silk satin. Larger feathers have been used to edge the entire cape and give dimension at the shoulders to create a wing-like effect.

Imagine this cape worn over the large leg of mutton sleeves which were popular at this time. The effect would have been truly bird-like.

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