Evening coat

Elsa Schiaparelli

winter 1932–33 · silk, fur · Costume Institute

The 18th Amendment, or Prohibition, lasted from 1920-33, and banned the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcohol in the United States. In sympathy with her American clients, Schiaparelli's winter 1931-32 collection was dubbed "speakeasy," in reference to establishments that sold alcohol in secret, requesting patrons to "speak easy" when ordering drinks. This evening coat, in sumptuous "cabbage rose," a new color introduced in the winter collection, and trimmed in rich sable, features a bustle at the back that created a small shelf, a perfect place to hide a flask.

Artist

Elsa Schiaparelli

Date

winter 1932–33

Medium

silk, fur

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Arturo and Paul Peralta-Ramos, 1954