Coat

Although Poiret is best known for styles that reference the simplicity of regional apparel, he was equally capable of tailoring intricacies. A black wool coat with a filigree appliqué of white kid is shaped in a body-skimming, cylindrical silhouette. While there is no real shaping to the whole of the coat, except for a very slight flare to the skirt, the body is disclosed because the designer has inserted only a light China-silk half-lining. The surprisingly lightweight wool faille is supple enough to fall into a slight drape below the upper arms. Poiret kept the armhole high for a personalized fit but introduced fullness to the sleeves above the elbows. The resulting effect is of a dolman without the associated bagginess. In the promenade ensemble from the collection of the Museum of the City of New York, small constructed embellishments contribute to the vivacity of the ensemble. Deep conical sleeve cuffs are fixed, but a scarf neckline encouraged the wearer to explore a variety of options depending on whether the matching tabs were worn open, looped, half-knotted, or bowed. The waistline is characteristically high. Even when the fashion for the natural and dropped waistline was preferred, Poiret continued to offer a slightly Empire proportion. Unlike his peers, he insisted that the truly stylish woman should wear what suited her most, even if in contradiction to prevailing trends.