Trend alert: Cutting capes

A love for the classic cape has been budding steadily over the last few seasons, but A/W ’13 trends seem to have taken it on a tangent. We’ve been seeing a great deal of capes on the runways of various Fashion Weeks and a lot of them had hints of tailoring alongside an abundance of strong structures. Take a look at the above piece from Victoria Beckham’s latest collection. It’s still the classic look but it’s angular in its cut and the tux lapels give it that edge.

 More often than not in previous years we’ve seen the cape as a very feminine and wintery garment, but perhaps these new takes on the shape will launch this outerwear look into realms of black tie, eveningwear, office attire and maybe even couture. Long gone are the warming textures designed for the cold winds of winter, and we are loving this suave new upgrade.

 All of these pieces from Victoria Beckham, Elie Saab and Valentino are prime examples of how the cape can become an elegant addition to an outfit rather than just a winter warmer, and we cannot wait for more of these elegant pieces to hit the high street shelves. The precise cut, the discreet arm holes and the angular shaping all combine to create a truly gorgeous twist of the traditional cape.

Elizabeth Finney