Cape
Brand
The House of Worth
(French, 1858 - 1956)
c. 1890
Cream linen lace, black silk velvet, and chenille fringe
Gift of the Estate of Elizabeth Arden
Object number69.160.9
Esteemed nineteenth-century couturier Charles Frederick Worth was known for his use of luxurious fabrics. He repurposed a length of eighteenth-century lace to make this cape—a distinct change from the newly woven Lyonnaise silks that he selected for many of his designs. Worth’s use of antique textiles underscored his appreciation for historic dress.
DescriptionOff-white fine machine-made point lace cape; hip length; made from one straight piece of goods; wide band of black velvet encircles neck and extends down front in panels ending in long tassels; tassels also across back; four tucks on velvet at shoulders; scalloped lace border trims velvet and edges of cape; lace gathered at shoulders and joined to form swag at center back velvet band lined in white satin with two fingertip pocketsCollections
Exhibitions