Jacques Griffe was one of the great French Couturiers who studied under both Vionnet and Molyneux before opening his own atelier in 1946. In the early fifties he expanded his Haute Couture business and began a ready-to-wear line “Evolution” of which this glorious coat is from and that you can see in the 1962 advertisement for the brand that we have included here

You can see the influence of Haute Couture in this coat and it is a rare find - when this was made RTW did not yet mean mass produced, it simply meant that elements of machine swing would have went into the final design and it would still have been made in very limited production. You can see the mastery in the cut with those incredible gathered sleeves especially. It is made of a plush soft deep green velvet, cut to naturally fall into place perfectly in a modified swing silhouette. An achievement with any fabric but more so with velvet! The collar is incredible - over-sized and deep -it is the perfect design detail around the face. I love how the velvet gives the color a richness and depth that would not have been achievable with. Its a chic nod to the couture silhouettes of the late fifties and early sixties but in a way that still feels modern now. Excellent condition

Fully lined in a silk taffeta and closes with a single button at the neck. It is cut wide and loose through the body so will fit a range of sizes if the shoulders work

Sleeves: 21.5" approx.
Shoulders: approx 15"
Bust: to 24" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 24.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 25.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 42.5" from neck to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: XS-MED

Item# C396

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.