Text: The Cape Coat was inspired by a short 19th-century dolman-sleeve wrap. Under Charles James’ supervision, the 1950s infant wear cape, designed for his son’s christening, was scaled to adult proportions for women’s outerwe- ar. Executed in long-

The Cape Coat was inspired by a short 19th-century dolman-sleeve wrap. Under Charles James’ supervision, the 1950s infant wear cape, designed for his son’s christening, was scaled to adult proportions for women’s outerwe- ar. Executed in long-haired and plain wool, it has a lose silhouette with the significant dynamic forward movement and the typical cut of a low armhole.

It is one of the best examples of his Metamorphology method. Charles James planned various versions for day and evening wear, either single- or dou- ble-breasted, with or without a collar. This design had the most influence on fashion markets for the longest period.