Are males’s coats making a return?

Sebastian Law met the opera cape for the first time in 2012—and at first sight the fashion editor knew the piece was just what his wardrobe was missing. “I was out with a friend who comes from a nice family,” he says City Country. “That night he was wearing a vintage black opera coat and I looked at it and said ‘I have to borrow this for fashion week.’

Because one day during that fashion week, Law decided to give the opera coat a try. The garment, complete with two metal lion heads attached by a chain, fell to his ankles (he’s 6ft 1) and completely covered his skinny black trousers, Chelsea boots and thick cashmere turtleneck.

“That day was particularly windy, so the cape undulated quite dramatically,” he says. “But it did a number of things to me that day. Lots of people commented on it, it kept the rain off me and it got me into the Alexander McQueen show.” The cape even saved him from people noticing a wardrobe malfunction that occurred later that day. “My pants split and the cape covered it right up.”

Just over ten years after Law’s bold decision, the cape, once seemingly forgotten, is coming back into fashion – especially for men. The fall 2023 women’s shows saw renditions of the cape at several presentations: The Row, Loro Piana and Balmain to name a few. In women’s fashion, it is more common for the garment to go through a pendulum swing in popularity.

For men, however, coats are usually very rare. That is, until now. During the official Fall 2023 men’s season that took place in January, Officine Générale, Fendi and Saint Laurent presented an arsenal of elegant coats in their collection. Some other brands, such as Sacai and Bode, even created a kind of illusion of the cape by draping wide scarves around the models’ necks to mimic the garment’s silhouette. Recently, contemporary label Nanushka presented a line of men’s coats alongside its women’s collection during Paris Fashion Week. This return of the cape, and its modern elements, results in a trend that oscillates between modesty, glamor and high drama.

“Capes have a rich aesthetic and the trendy obsession with things that are unusual and synonymous with elite style,” says Law.

The opera coat was a hallmark of 19th century fashion. “During that time, men’s coats were still in the atmosphere of popular dress. Wearing one would not be considered theatrical or costume-like as it would be today. It was just another option,” Sean Crowley, owner of Crowley Vintage NYC tells T&C. Crowley specializes in vintage clothing reminiscent of old Ralph Lauren ads and his pieces tug at the heartstrings of those nostalgic for a time when wearing a tie was the norm. “Besides the practicality of being able to throw a cape over a tuxedo, it was also just a style thing.”

At the beginning of the 20th century, the cape style underwent a series of changes. For women, the changes were dramatic: in the 20s they were shaped like cocoons and worn with evening looks, an ideal topper for fuller dresses. In the 30s, a hybrid between cape and fur was forged, and in the 50s, fashion designers freed the piece from its utilitarian roots by shortening the length to the chest in some cases. W0men’s Capes declined in popularity after the 70s, but would be reintroduced to high fashion runways in 2014 when Christopher Bailey presented a monogrammed plaid felt style poncho.

But for men, the cape hit hard and was mainly used by military officers throughout Europe and the United States. Still, men’s caps or cape-adjacent garments are best associated with royalty exemplified by King Charles the choice to don full regalia (which includes a red satin cloak) at the Order of the Bath service at Westminster Abbey in 2022.

But now it seems that men’s coats are ready for their revival. Aside from recent fashion seasons featuring coats for both men and women, the daring outerwear has been seen on men off the runway as well. Actor Percy Hynes White wore one by Saint Laurent at the 2023 Golden Globes, and Crowley sold one of his “best” coats to 22-year-old menswear fashion influencer, Wisdom Kaye who has 2.3 million followers on Instagram and 9.3 million followers on Tik-Tok. “I think what we’re seeing on the runway reflects the overall increase in experimentation in men’s formal wear,” says Crowley. “Men in particular embrace a level of exuberance and fun in their attire. Men used to wear suits every day and now it’s not necessary. Dressing up is a choice, and when someone makes that choice, they’re probably excited about it. Cape fits in there.”