Sneak Peek - Dutch cap thingys?
I have no idea what these are called. Do they have their own name or are they just "caps" "coifs" ?
I wanted to try and play with some more unusual hats, veils, and/or crowns for the collection I'm working on, and in trying to decide on something that hasn't been done a thousand times, I kept coming back to these 16/17th century Dutch cap crown things. The shape is just so weird and unlike anything worn since. They seem to be made of stiffened linen, silk, a blend of those, or entirely lace. They clearly have wired edges and some look to press into the cheekbones. They are worn with caps or are possibly part of the caps?? You can often even see black work embroidered caps being worn if you look through the sheer fabric. The shapes vary from sleekly conservative to absolutely bonkers.
Apropos of nothing, while my ancestry is mostly Italian on both sides, I also have some Dutch and English ancestry as well.
So naturally, I bent some millinery wire into submission and made a trial one out of weird silver webbed clear vinyl material. Joke was on me though, as I went to dash this first attempt together tonight and tried to carefully hot glue the material onto the wire...and well the vinyl doesn't stick with hot glue! So I had to hand sew everything. The universe said no cutting corners this time. I stitched two layers of silver trim on around the edge as well, sprinkling on some star shaped sequins as I went. I'm hoping to wear this silver version over top a filigree metal/jewelry hood/veil thing, so I have to see if that can be done tomorrow when I try everything on.
I also finished the filigree jewelry/chain mail inspired tabard today at last, and thank goodness becuase my hands need a serious break from the pliers. I made a quick knit sorta medieval kirtle inspired gown to wear beneath it in a textured pleated lurex with micro silver sequins this morning as well, and I'm hoping I have enough scraps left of the fabric to make a quick wimple-ish thing to wear too, again under the other chain mail-ish veil and this silly vinyl Dutch cap.
All in all, this one ensemble will have so many influences: A medieval (but also kinda that 1970's camp version of medieval) inspired sequin under gown, the sorta 1920's shaped jewelry mail tabard over that, the veil hood that matches the tabard which is inspired by the metal jewelry veils in Dune, then the vinyl Dutch cap/coif thing to top it all off. Oh and hopefully a silver filigree "lantern" handbag. Nothing in fashion is new, only remixed.
Speaking of, is it a costume? Is it fashion? Funny enough, I think this video is going to come out /right/ after haute couture week ends in Paris, so let's just make like Margiela and call this the TCH "artisanal" collection for the year. Some garments are a dream is all, a brief idea made real, a painting one can wear. Like a still life created only for a photo, I'd like to create an image in a frame. Maybe I'll get to wear it for a "reason" someday, or maybe not, but making the idea real, getting something physical as close to the whisper it began as in my head as I can, that is reason enough for me.
I made some more practical stuff as well 😂 Tomorrow I have more handbags to work on, and I might cut out a coat dress I don't have time to add to this whole charade. And don't even get me started on wishing I had time to make a silver corset...
Comments (23)
Omg please make a ruff
I can’t wait for the look book! But take your time, I don’t you wearing yourself out so that you can’t do more designing.
I recently bought a book on Mennonite cap-making, so that I could do just this! I have a 17th Century hairstyle, so having a cap that could accommodate side-curls is important! This project was delayed by the happy arrival of our infant son, but I have been itching to get back to small, portable sewing projects, and this definitely is one!
I hope you can create caps soon! I have heard children can be very time consuming, but they would also look cute in miniature caps I imagine ✨
So a filigree and beaded Dutch cap is out?
I would need more wire for sure as the filigree would be heavy is all, my poor little single wire cap structure would not be enough 😅
I love this 🤩
Thank you Michelle!
Hi, I thought we came to a conclusion a long time ago that these are collection. It's not your fault if Paris want to get ahead of you this year, and you would have showed it in either Paris or perhaps Milano, but for the price of a venue, super models and of course the cost to get your collection over there. Also, aren't all haute couture just wearable art. Noting as abstract as what's come down some cat walks subway tunnels, courtyards and other Parisian venues, can possibly be worn except perhaps the Met Gala, and that's only if the designer can force their creation onto the Met gala's motif of the year. As It was both this year and last year if I remember correctly, it seems like all this years fashion/costumes were made long before the theme for the gala came out, and then the houses tried (mostly unsuccessfully) to glue something on after the Met made their announcement, to somewhat fit the theme. I forsee nothing less from you, these days. Actually I forsee even much better. You would definitely do your fashion in keeping with the Met Gala's theme were you to be invited, and most likely to higher degree and better quality. I would go as far as saying, that if I would ever find myself with an invitation to go there, I would use The House of TCH, for dress, and most likely ask you to come as my plus one or two (I am married and that comes with expectations). I wish you could get to do a collaboration with Justine Lecompte, just for her to see your creations. She is a French designer, Parsons alumni, that have lived all over the planet, but is now settled in Provence, France. She is familiar with the Paris Couture houses, not because she works with them but because she critique their showings, and try to find wearable trends there. Your ideas and production would stand proud in their company at least to my untrained, but curious eye. Anyway, I'm going to stop gushing now and tell you that I really looking forward to your collection. Maybe even more so now that I have a tentative idea of what's coming (still the apple thingy is tripping me up). Is there a shortcut to the silver corset? Like buying one from Amazon and put some silver lamé over it? I Will Remain Yours, Ann
Thank you Ann! I think most of the ensembles I've made for this next collection would have been best to wear for the 2018 MET gala "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination" which I would have loved to have seen that exhibition, but sadly I have never even been to the MET museum let alone for something fancy 😂✨ One day!
This is gorgeous! With the caveat that I don't know about Dutch costume specifically, in England at the time men's caps were coifs and women's caps were usually a variation on "cap", "kerchief" or "kercher". I know the embroidered ones are labeled "coif" in museums, but the current research says otherwise according to the folks at the Tudor Tailor.
Thank you Elizabeth! A thousand little caps and different names for them really 😅🧵
Very much looking forward to viewing TCH Artisanal Collection. A dream made real: so beautifully said, Bianca!
Thanks Victoria!
Naturally? 😂Dearest, your talent and creativity are beyond this planet and marvelously other worldly. 🙂
Thank you!!
Ooh yours is so fun! I did a quick search on this and they seem to be called (and/or are often referred to?) as "diadem caps" -- see: https://reconstructinghistory.com/products/rh102-1600-1660-caps https://www.facebook.com/Walkingthroughhistory/photos/a.1914895758746894/1956962421206894/?type=3&app=fbl https://www.annamoryto.com/2019/early-17th-century-dutch-gown/ or at least, that's what people are calling it in English, lol
Oh interesting! Thank you for sharing!
As a dutchie I aprove. Because of our cultural norms our fashion history isn't as extravagant as French and English. But it was pretty in its own very conservative (which we of course got from the Spanish at the time) way. With every picture you post I get more excited for this lookbook!
I think the gowns in Dutch portraiture are most excellent 🤩 So much black on black textured fabrics, my favorite 🖤
I can't wait for this look book! 🤩
Ooooooh!!!!
Impressive! 😁💕