My coat was inspired by the 1930s. Over the summer, I was influenced by the aesthetics of the men's bomber jacket. Upon further research, I learned that the A-2 bomber was created in 1931 for the Air Force. That same decade, the zipper was invented. Elsa Schiaparelli was famous for believing closures were not to be hidden, and showcased them in many designs. I decided to merge these two important elements from the 1930s and channel them into a softer, more feminine shape. I kept the cropped silhouette of the jacket, with a wide waistband and cuffs, and the color, all from the original bomber jacket. Due to the popularity of bias cut garments during that time period, I wanted to utilize the diagonal shapes found in many bias cut gowns on the front of my jacket where the collar attaches. To create a softness to the design, I pleated the collar, added fullness through a dolman sleeve, and beaded the waistband. The beads were inspired by 1930s beaded evening bags. Underneath the coat is a silk shell and wide silk pant, matching the silk of the coat lining. The pant silhouette comes from the 1930s beach pajama, an impractical garment meant to be worn swimming or to the beach for women.
