In the 2000s rain capes were sometimes worn by waka (canoe) paddlers. They were usually made from flax or cabbage-tree leaves. Rain capes were shorter than cloaks, and kept the wearer dry. These included cloaks made of kurī skin and hair, full-feathered cloaks and kaitaka, which are made of finely woven flax fibre. The most special cloaks were worn only by chiefs. The art of traditional weaving was in decline in the first half of the 20th century until groups and programmes were started to preserve the skill. Many techniques were used to create patterns and to make fabric with different qualities. The skill of weaving natural materials into fabric was passed down within families by women. Maori garments were hand woven, using both plaiting and weft-twining techniques. They also used birds’ feathers and skins, and the skins of seals and kurī (Polynesian dogs). They used plants such as harakeke (New Zealand flax), cabbage trees and grasses to make fabrics. When the ancestors of the Māori came to New Zealand they had to adjust to a new climate, and to use new plants and animals to make their clothing. He also noted that the Westminster Menswear Archive boasts a number of capes, including one from the first collection of Italian brand Stone Island in 1982: It can also be transformed into a groundsheet if needed.As well as protecting against the rain and cold, traditional Māori garments were used to protect modesty and to show the wearer’s status. Groves noted that cloaks worn with men’s eveningwear were fashionable in the 1970s, and again in the early 1980s as part of the “New Romantic” style. A lot of couture evening gowns had capes…because it was a more forgiving and flexible shape so that you could have all different kinds of evening dresses and be able to wear a cape over it.” “None of them needed to wear a cape to do their job, but donning one provided a sense of romantic drama and showmanship to their work,” Groves commented.ĭespite its long history as a masculine garment, capes have also been worn for centuries by women, Steele said, noting they became fashionable in the late 19th century and “let’s say 60 percent of the 20th century. It is incredible how such a seemingly simple garment can be reimagined in so many different ways.”īesides Liberace, other famous men who have worn capes include Evel Knievel, Elvis Presley and Mick Jagger while fictional characters range from Superman and Batman to Dracula, Darth Vader, Sherlock Holmes, Zorro and Phantom of the Opera. “Ultra-fine cloaks billowed ferociously in the air as FMX bikes raced skyward at Celine. “The 17th-century highwayman was an obvious influence at Saint Laurent, while Giambattista Valli’s capes conjured up ideas of magicians when coupled with evening attire,” Groves commented. On the flip side, highwaymen and robbers have also donned capes since forever, and so these garments also came to symbolize concealment and secrecy. “This tradition gives rise to the notion of caped crusaders, who preserve justice, battle crime and do heroic acts.” ![]() ![]() “Historically, the role of the Roman Tribune, who wore long red capes, was to protect ordinary citizens from the oppression of the nobles and defend their liberties against the authority of the senate and consuls,” he noted. during the Roman Republic, when generals donned the paludamentum, a long cloak fastened on one shoulder as a ceremonial act when heading out for war. (He turned out to be Constanza’s divorce lawyer.)Īccording to Groves, cloaks came to prominence as a man’s garment as far back as 500 B.C. The cape also enjoyed a quizzical pop-culture moment in a 1994 episode of “Seinfeld,” when Jerry and Elaine spot Frank Costanza on the street with a mysterious man wearing sunglasses and a cape. “It’s got a certain kind of panache or drama about it,” Steele said, mentioning the cape’s far-flung associations with cartoon heroes and villains, and also extravagant entertainers like Liberace. Yet on the contemporary runway, or as depicted in fashion films, designer capes for men telegraphed extreme glamor and elegance, along with a side helping of mystery, which seems to run through the thread of the garment. She described the cape as a “really basic, ancient garment” worn by the Aztecs and countless cultures around the Mediterranean. “Protection is something that people have felt in need of because of the pandemic.” “I think it may have something to do with the idea of wrapping and protection,” concurred Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at FIT. Saint Laurent, men’s spring 2022 Courtesy of Saint Laurent
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