It’s been a couture week of cascading capes

The recently concluded Paris Couture Week Spring 21 edition saw floor-length capes making their presence felt

Capes signify empowerment, drama and intrigue. The recently concluded Spring 21 edition of Paris Couture Week saw designers toying with the floor-length, cascading capes accenting their dramatic creations. While Viktor & Rolf who called their collection, ‘couture rave’ peppered their cape version with bows, Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior layered a shimmery, diaphanous creation with a matching cape. Designer Kim Jones who made a debut at Fendi layered his pantsuit seen on supermodel Christy Turlington with a matching cape. Moreover, designer Pierpaolo Piccioli opened his show with a perforated cape layered over a chunky knit. In India labels like Anamika Khanna, Falguni Shane Peacock and Jade have experimented with it in their own handwriting. One’s keen to ask what makes cape such a recurring presence in couture space season after season. 

An haute couture Spring 21 cape look by Pierpaolo Piccioli (Photo: Instagram/MaisonValentino)

Structured cuts and signature textures. The essential opulence of this #FendiCouture Spring Summer 2021 navy blue silk jacquard and taffeta suit shines through in its dimensional marble print and cascading cape. (PHOTO: Instagram/Fendi)

Designer Monica Shah observes, “Perhaps because it’s such an effortless way to feel empowered. It adds a layer of drama and glamour to the silhouette without much effort. And the fact that it’s so fuss-free! It ticks off all the boxes for the modern woman. In 2021, I would love to see capes make their way into traditional  ensembles too. You can easily refashion a dupatta as a cap, and it adds such a unique look to the ensemble!” 

Modern bridal couture with a side of whimsical elegance. There’s nothing more glamorous than a cascading cape sleeve gown hand embellished with intricate sparking details. (Photo: Instagram/TheOhailaKhanOfficial)

Designer Ohaila Khan notes that the cape silhouette dates back to the Roman and Victorian eras by royals to denote stature. Later adopted by fashion icons like Jackie Kennedy, it has always made its way back into the fashion cycle. “Whether it was Dior’s cloak like cape with a hood inspired and revived by the Tarot insignia or Pierpaolo Piccioli’s gender neutral caftan meets poncho take on it - the cape is having a moment of sort. The cape is a garment which gives the wearer the aura of both a princess as well as a superhero. This amazing balance of power, fluidity and grace that the garment lends to women that wear it makes it desirable. It’s an instant lift to any outfit. It adds drama and grandeur with its majestic regal flow,” says Khan who suggests experimenting with different variations of capes like with sleeves or worn with saris or kaftan/cloak versions for 2021.

Fashion Influencer Sonam Babani shares that capes were first seen in the early 1000s/ 1300s but gained popularity during the Victorian era. “They had different colours for different strata of society and by the 1920s capes started evolving in different styles for different purposes. Capes have a certain grandeur to them which is why they make their space in couture often. Couture is the highest, most exquisite form of fashion and couturiers are always looking back in history for inspiration, the Cape being such a strong silhouette, so regal looking works beautifully for couture,” says Sonam.