Cowl neck

A cowl neck is a neckline consisting of a loose draped fabric collar.[1] The term can describe the neckline of a wide variety of garments, from the draped neckline of an evening gown to a raised neckline of knitwear similar to a turtleneck.[2] The neckline was introduced in the 1920s by Madeleine Vionnet based on her study of ancient Grecian sculptures.[3] The style is named for the cowl, a feature of monastic dress that serves as both a collar and a hood.

Cowl-necked pajamas created circa 1930 by Denise Vandervelde-Borgeaud based on designs by Madeleine Vionnet

History

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20th century

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Inspired by the draped garments of antiquity, Madeleine Vionnet created the cowl neckline in the 1920s using the bias cut technique that she helped to popularize.[3] The cowl neck enjoyed the peak of its popularity in the 1930s.[1]

Cowl neck sweaters were popular in the 1970s.[4] Dresses of the disco era also frequently had cowl necks.[5]

Cowl necklines were a common feature of slip dresses made in the 1990s by designers such as John Galliano.

21st century

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Pippa Middleton in her cowl-necked bridesmaid gown.

Two of the most notable garments of the early 2010s featured a cowl neckline. Lady Gaga's cowl-necked meat dress, created by Franc Fernandez, caused a stir at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards.[6] At the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, Pippa Middleton attracted media attention for wearing a form-fitting dress featuring a cowl neck.[7] Designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, the dress quickly generated demand for high street replicas.[8]

The cowl neck experienced a resurgence in the late 2010s as part of renewed interest in 1990s fashion.[2] Vivienne Westwood has been cited as an important driver of the trend.[9][10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Morton, Camilla. "Fashion A-Z". Business of Fashion. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b Montgomery, Joy. "Everyone's Favorite Teenage Trend Is Back and All Over Instagram Already". Who What Wear. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b Taylor, Kerry (2017). Vintage Fashion & Couture (2 ed.). Octopus Books. ISBN 9781845338565.
  4. ^ Butler, Grant. "Back-to-school fashion: How many of these looks from the 1970s-2000s do you remember?". The Oregonian. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  5. ^ Bramley, Ellie. "Tommy Hilfiger and Zendaya rock the Apollo for NY fashion week". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  6. ^ Graddon, Frankie. "Raising the steaks: The impact of Lady Gaga's meat dress 10 years on". Independent.co.uk. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  7. ^ Carter, Claire. "Pippa Middleton: my bridesmaid dress fitted a little too well". Telegraph.co.uk.
  8. ^ Bergin, Olivia. "Debenhams produce £170 copy of Pippa Middleton's bridesmaid dress". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2013-11-10. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  9. ^ Freeman, Ellen. "Red Carpet Trend: Return of the Cowl Neck". The Fashion Spot. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  10. ^ Leitch, Luke. "Vivienne Westwood Red Label Fall 2015 Ready-to-Wear".
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