Coat, opera coat

Purple silk velvet and gold lame opera coat with silk satin lining and integral gold lame waistcoat, c. 1911. Designed by Lucile.

This luxurious coat shows the influence of Orientalism and Japonism on dress in the second decade of the 20th century. The bold colours and contrasting textures of the materials from which the coat is made - purple silk velvet, turquoise silk satin and gold metal thread - reflect the impact on western taste of the exotic plots, sets and costumes of the Ballets Russes, who made their debut in Paris in 1909. The cut and construction of the coat are an interpretation of Japanese coats of nukiemon style which were cut from a single piece of cloth. The tassel decorating the centre back of the coat is also a Japanese-style feature.

Lucile (Lady Duff Gordon) was the first British-based dress designer to gain international recognition. She opened her London house in 1890, and outlets in New York, Paris and Chicago in 1910, 1911 and 1915 respectively. She was opposed to constricting corsetry and her designs reflected the natural lines of the body. The full shape and straight cut of this coat, whose open front revealed the wearer's dress and made walking easier, is typical of her style.