Cape Crusade
Valentino (above photo courtesy Valentino) and Brandon Maxwell (right; photo by Monica Feudi) offered up a range of capes that ran the gamut from barely there to floor-skimming drama.
The coronavirus threat has been brutal to the fashion community on all levels of the industry. Back in February, editors, writers, buyers and influencers were crowding into New York for the start of fall fashion shows and mutterings of the coming pandemic were only just beginning. Just a few weeks later, as the final show ended in Paris, many of those that were planning to attend had retreated to the safety of home. At that moment, what we were going to be wearing come fall wasn’t a top story. But like many in the industry, once settled into lockdown, I found myself with plenty of time to peruse the shows online. And, just like any other year, I found myself searching through the winter looks for a trend that could be manipulated to our warm Hawaiian lifestyle.
One sumptuous time-tested style stood out. With a fabulous swish, the cape—and its longer cousin, the cloak—was ushered into plans for my fall wardrobe overhaul. The look runs the gamut from shoulder-gracing capes to elongated cloaks. However, both looks, at their most basic, are a piece of fabric thrown over the shoulders and attached at the neck. Before we had coats, there were capes, ponchos and cloaks that were worn across time by peasants, military, clergy and royalty. Whether looking for a utilitarian cape for warmth (check out Rick Owens’ bold puffer cloaks) or a glamourous cloak for evening elegance, all variations are definite attention-grabbers.
The lighter variations for evening are what really caught my eye and conjured up visions of sauntering through balmy Hawaiian evenings with my cape wafting behind me. I found Balmain’s luscious satin evening cloaks irresistible with their floor-grazing design and available in an array of stunning muted winterish tones.
These cloaks billowed gracefully and were gloriously dramatic. Queen for a day! Brandon Maxwell offers a series of evening coverups made from wisps of chiffon tied in a bow at the neck. They’re barely there, and yet, exude so much presence. If that’s too much fabric to deal with, Valentino had some equally beautiful and wearable styles—a small nude cape worn over a nude dress was a favorite. Even daintier still was JW Anderson’s light-colored feathery capes. These are so small they could be thought of as oversized collars: tiny in size but with grand designs. For once, I’m kind of excited that summer fashion is bowing out. Whether you’re channeling superhero, magician or royal qualities, there’s no better way to make you feel empowered.
Kim Smith has been a professional wardrobe stylist in Honolulu since 2004. Born a true Londoner, Smith had a successful career in public relations in the fashion industry in London for more than eight years before moving to Hawai‘i in 2002. Smith’s work spans a vast array of magazines, retailers and television as well as working with individual clients on their specific style needs. See her work at kimsmithstyle.com.