This decadent purple cape was designed by Gianfranco Ferré as part of Christian Dior’s Fall 1993 collection. Supermodel Veronica Webb walked the runway wearing a shirt made of the same fabric, and many models wore capes throughout the show. There is a YouTube video of this collection and you can just see this cape in the corner of the screen being modelled in the background. Alas, there is not enough footage to attach here but you can see the pink version being held by the model in the photo.

Crafted from a vivacious purple silk taffeta, the cape is cut in a generous circular shape to envelop the body. The hem is adorned with large ruffles made from pleated purple taffeta detailed with blue-purple stitching. The ruffle continues up to the sides of the neck, where the neckline becomes collarless for ease of wear. According to the label, it is lined with tonal manmade satin but it is unlined. There are two button holes at the shoulders, perhaps where this lining would have once been attached but I like to think they were for a decadent cloak chain as the cape has no fastenings.

The cape is in excellent vintage condition save for the unattached lining, if indeed there ever was one. It is crafted from 100% Silk and the fabric has no stretch. It is labelled a size French 36 and as with all capes there is lots of flexibility on this - it really is one size and could be worn by anyone up to a UK 16 or US 12 with ease.

MEASUREMENTS

LENGTH FRONT - 18 in. (46 cm)

LENGTH BACK- 41 in. (104 cm)