#6484 $1,200
American copy of Schiaparelli couture coat, c.1936
The Blum Store in Philadelphia was an upscale specialty store that catered to early 20th century fashionistas. I would love to know the story behind this store copy of a famous Schiaparelli couture coat from the Autumn/Winter 1936 collection.
The original Schiaparelli coat can be seen on pages 488-489 of Fashion/The Collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute by Taschen. When the Blum coat—with its numerous small variations—is shown next to pictures of the original, you can see that it is not a literal copy.
The shape of the collar on the Blum coat is slightly different; the sleeves have fuller caps; the beading on the collar is not as dense; most important, the coat does not have an inner zipper for closure. Schiaparelli shocked the fashion world in 1935 when she began using zippers in couture garments.
Even with these differences, the Blum coat captures the mood of the Schiaparelli. The former was probably expensive and marketed as the latest fashion from Europe to customers who wanted the look without the time and expense of travel for couture fittings. On the other hand, if this were an original Schiaparelli coat, the cost would be well in excess of $10,000.
The coat is fashioned from a black wool/fur blend and is lined with black taffeta. The red velvet collar is appliquéd with gold leather stars and turquoise-colored glass beads. The coat closes on the inside with ties and on the outside with a black velvet button.
Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel were the two couture luminaries of couture in the 1930s. Schiaparelli made couture into a showcase for new trends in art, especially if humorous and daring. Her extraordinary flair for color in eccentric combinations is seen in the second picture from the bottom: turquoise, fire engine red, and golden yellow.
The condition is almost excellent. There are a few missing beads on the under side of the collar. They are not visible when the coat is worn.
It measures: 40" bust, 36" waist, 44" hip, 15 1/2" from sleeve cap to sleeve cap, 25" sleeve length, and 56 1/2" from the shoulder to the hem.
