How the cape went casual

Last summer, I saw Stevie Nicks in concert for the first time. It was magical for many reasons: her anecdotal interludes, moving tributes to the late Tom Petty and former bandmate Christine McVie, and also her wardrobe. Throughout the evening, the Fleetwood Mac star donned several of her signature capes; from the resplendent blue fringed piece she wore on the back cover of her solo album Bella Donna to her metallic “Gold Dust Woman” ensemble.

Capes – adjacent to a shawl, but different to a poncho, which is slipped on over the head – were once used in ancient military uniforms for protection against the elements. In the medieval period, they became more closely associated with church regalia. In the 20th century, they reached their apex in haute couture, central to the futurist designs at Pierre Cardin and the experimental embroidered iterations at Schiaparelli.

Burberry wool check cape, £1,090 

Marni wool leopard-print cape, £6,500, farfetch.com

Typically, a cape gives off of high-drama messaging. Angelina Jolie, for instance, is a longtime fan; a predilection only enhanced by her recent turn as Maria Callas, who wore opera cloaks. Capes have also dominated the red-carpet of late: the Dune: Part Two press tour brought many a cape-detailed gown to the party, as actors looked to method-dress through the promotional schedule. But look closely at new-season styles, and you’ll discover an unexpected daytime charm. 

Where Chloé’s AW24 collection boasts plenty of knee-length examples, as well as shorter “capelets”, in cotton, leather and a warm winter plaid, Burberry’s SS25 cape offering is more akin to a mackintosh, with the addition of a hood and a distinct wax-like effect. Alaïa’s Pieter Mulier included several pleated versions in his New York Fashion Week debut at the Guggenheim last September. Gabriela Hearst has made a trench-cape hybrid, and Japanese brand Auralee offers a similar one with its homage to the Ulster coat. Meanwhile, at Chanel, capes featured heavily for SS25: wisps of chiffon and frequently paired with denim. 

Maria de la Orden wool Clery cape, £246

Chloé cotton gabardine cape, £1,665, mytheresa.com

London-based designer Isa Arfen returned to womenswear last year having paused her eponymous brand in 2019. The new line specialises in knitted capes (from £732) which she styles with a “daily uniform” of jeans and ankle boots. 

“What I love about capes is that there is a certain decadence to their silhouette and movement, but at the same time there is a sense of ease and a relaxed attitude to them,” she says. “You don’t have to be a particular age, size or shape to feel great”. 

Toteme wool double-scarf coat, £1,140, harrods.com

Sacai wool-felt and denim cape, £1,670, net-a-porter.com

Loro Piana wool-cashmere Daisy cape, £3,585

Cos merino-wool cape, £135

Edel Kelly, a “cape obsessive” and founder of Noble Daughters, an accessories brand based in Donegal, Ireland, is currently preparing to launch her own capsule of Noble Daughter capes, drawing on the colourful appliqué technique she uses for her handbags. While conscious to design for a more casual customer, she admits to an ecclesiastical-leaning. “It’s my long abandoned Catholic upbringing sneakily seeping through”. I suppose sometimes a little drama is no bad thing. 

For styling tips, Bacelona-based designer and cape aficionado Blanca Miró Scrimieri suggests pairing with “simple, well fitted basics like straight-leg jeans, tailored trousers, or a midi skirt”. And for shoes? “Loafers and boots work perfectly,” she says, “but the trick is to let the cape be the star of the look”.