Evening cape of chinchilla fur lined with silk satin, designed by Henry Bridburg, London, ca. 1925

Evening cape of grey chinchilla fur lined with grey silk satin. Knee length and with a shoulder width straight-cut turn-down collar shaped to a curve at the back. There are slits for the arms. The cape is straight cut in front, but is slightly gathered onto a yoke at the back.

This was worn by Miss Emilie Grigsby (1876-1964) who was a wealthy independent American who came to England from New York. She established a salon which was frequented by writers and the military. She was considered to be one of the great international beauties, with extremely pale, almost transparent skin and golden hair. She was frequently the subject of articles in the New York Times during the early 20th century. Her clothes were purchased from couturiers in London, Paris, and New York, and demonstrated an elegantly avant-garde approach to style.

T.224-1967