Background
During the mid-19th century the French term "confection" referred to ready-made unfitted or loosely fitted cloaks and outer garments, sold by purveyors of dry goods. This flowing coat, with its stylized out-scale rose motif, falls into this category. Its oversized repeat and percussive, jagged pattern evoke the bizarre silks of the early 18th century. Juxtaposed with a petal-pink brocade lapel facing, and trimmed with softly knife-pleated chiffon ruffles, all components meld to make this coat one of the sweetest, most feminine garments of the collection.
Description
Full, flaring from shoulders; floor-length, slight train; oversized notched lapels, double, standing Medici-style collar at back; long, wide sleeves with deep turned-back cuffs, white chiffon ruffles; puffed satin undersleeve, pink and white chiffon ruffles, pink and white ruched bands at wrist; V-shaped yoke, Watteau-style back; pink and white ruched chiffon and chiffon ruffles at yoke, collar, lapels, and center front.
Garment structure
Typical of Jean-Philippe’s designs for this period, this coat mixes historical metaphors, blending a raised 15th-century Medici-style collar with an 18th-century French Watteau-style back. Its boned standing collar can be worn both upright and framing the face, or falling. The back has a wide, dropped, lightly tucked pressed pleat which flares from the V of its yoke into a contained train. The long, wide sleeves are sewn into the cloak by hand. They have deep turned-back cuffs with white chiffon ruching and puffed satin undersleeves with pink and white pleated ruffles at the wrist.
Gift of Mrs. Robert D. Sterling, 1962.