Medium: Black and white check wool and silk

Date: 1959

Country: France

Credit: Gift of Lauren Bacall

Chanel was long enamored of British menswear, adopting elements from the bespoke suits and sportswear favored by the upper class. The fabric used for this suit is a traditional Glenurquhart plaid, made fashionable by Edward XIII, Prince of Wales, with whom Chanel was acquainted in the 1930s. She meticulously matched the plaid to create a balanced design, using the large check pattern as a striking counterpoint, manipulating it as bias trim around the pockets and buttons. Chanel's refined perfectionism is further demonstrated by the coordinating blouse, which is bias-cut in front for a fitted silhouette while the back is cut on the straight grain to allow for a blouson effect, the soft shape highlighted by a bow at the waistband.

Object Number: 69.161.26