The Cape Project

The project is aimed at giving a platform to new Independent Fashion Designers to showcase their talent.

THE CAPE BRIEF.

• Looking  towards the AW10 catwalks to take inspiration and direction
• Picking up on key fabrics ( leather, velvet, tweeds, mohair, modern techno fabrics a la Balenciaga AW10) and any others  you may feel suit your designs and vision of a cape
• Looking towards key colours from the AW10 colour palette, (Burgundy, Bottle Green, Tan, Navys, Greys, and shades of brown. Checks also key) , key trends or whatever your creativity takes you.
• Using your eye for print and making a cape fun with the use of colour or unique modern print ideas.
• Using trims to add something new – buttons, fur trims, leather /suede trims, pom poms etc.
• Looking at key detailing / styling– embellishment, hoods, lengths ( maxi /mini capes), collars, linings, a mac style cape – If Burberry did a cape.
• Designing towards end use – workwear capes, casual capes, going out capes, fashion capes etc.
• Updating capes into new fabrics – jersey capes, waterproof capes, embellished capes, blanket capes.

Using whatever inspires you to create an inspirational, fashionable and covetable cape.

History of the Cape

Cape can be used to describe any sleeveless outer garment, such as a poncho, but usually it is a long garment that covers only the back half of the wearer, fastening around the neck. They were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hoodchaperon, and have had periodic returns to fashion, for example, in nineteenth century Europe. Roman Catholic clergy wear a type of cape known as a ferraiolo, which is worn for formal events outside of a liturgical context. The cope is a liturgical vestment in the form of a cape. Copes are often highly decorated with elaborate embroidery. Capes remain in regular use as rain wear in various military units and police forces, for example in France. A gas cape was a voluminous military garment designed to give rain protection to someone wearing the bulky gas masks used in twentieth century wars. In modern times, comic-book super-heroes, such as Superman and Batman, are often depicted wearing capes. in the

In fashion, the word cape usually refers to a shorter garment and cloak to a full-length version of the different types of garment, and though the two terms are sometimes used synonymously for full-length coverings, the shortest versions are never referred to as cloaks. The fashion cape does not cover the front to any appreciable degree. In raingear, a cape is usually a long and roomy protective garment worn to keep one dry in the rain.

Some of us have not seen capes incorporated into a fashionable wardrobe (they were particularly popular during the Depression and made a bit of a comeback in the ’70s), but over the past few seasons, capes have found their place on the runways of top designers like Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Salvatore Ferragamo, Chloe, and Missoni. Now they’re showing up off the runways too.

This project is a fantastic opportunity for new designers which could potentially see them opening up an account with asos.com and for our more established designers this could drive further sales.

If you would like to enter please submit your illustrations with fabric swatches to Lynsay@fashion-enter.com and cc jenni@fashion-enter.com

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