Housecoat, Paul Poiret, fabric Atelier Martine, 1923. Courtesy Modemuseum Hasselt, all rights reserved.

The housecoat for man is made of cotton velvet, printed with a floral pattern in multiple colours. It was designed by Paul Poiret in 1923, and made using the fabric produced by the Atelier Martine, the designer’s atelier dedicated to interior and textile design.

The coat, reminiscent of the eighteenth-century banyan, has a straight line, extended shoulders width and low, kimono-like, sleeves. The wrap over neckline is embellished with a wide collar. A belt is used to tie the coat on the waist. Right under the waistline, two patch pockets are attached.

Interested in the works produced in the Wiener Werkstätte, Paul Poiret opened ‘Martine’ in 1911. He named it after one of his daughters; it consisted of École Martine, Atelier Martine and La Maison Martine. The École Martine was an experimental school for working-girls directed by Marguerite Gabriel-Claude Sérusier, where the students applied themselves to sketching plants and animals at parks and zoos. The best drawings were bought by Paul Poiret and printed on the textiles and wallpapers that were produced by the Atelier Martine. The atelier was very avant-garde in terms of motifs and production, and also featured collaborations with Raoul Dufy. Eventually, Poiret sold ‘Martine’ enterprise in 1925.

The object is part of Modemuseum Hasselt. Discover more on the Europeana Fashion Portal.