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Woollands Coat

Discussion in 'PUBLIC Show and Tell - Share your treasures' started by Avantbo, Oct 26, 2020.

  1. Avantbo

    Avantbo Registered Guest

    Thought I would share this.

    Woollands of Knightsbridge

    This coat was in a suit bag with another item of clothing, a dress.

    I made the silly assumption both went together and the same label.

    Woollands is a well documented brand, a Google or Wiki search will reveal all about this company and its history.

    Knightsbridge archives among others were my friends.

    In brief, two brothers, ( family of four in all, there being a Moses and sister Mary ), Samuel and William started the company from a small established drapers shop in Knightsbridge in 1869 mainly serving those in service, maids, butlers, shop workers and others.

    In the years that followed, the company and the original shop premises encompassed several other businesses and all were eventually rebuilt as one.

    Hard work and success followed Woollands.

    Its shop window displays were known and liked and the company received patronage from High Society and Royalty.

    Woollands was purchased in 1947 by Debenhams, the company stopped trading under its name in 1967.

    During my research, I came across a lift man Woollands employed in the 1900s to ferry its customers to its various floors was referred to as " Grimly " and on the children's floor, a seamstress referred to as No 10.

    Images of my Woollands coat below, still not sure if it is late 50s--60s but can't be later then 1967 and would like to know what type of material it is made from?

    It is in perfect as new condition and a size 14.
     

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    Last edited: Oct 28, 2020
    lkranieri likes this.
  2. Vintage Runway

    Vintage Runway VFG Member

    I had a coat with that fabric once and found out it was Ottoman Silk.
     
  3. poppysvintageclothing

    poppysvintageclothing VFG Board Member Staff Member VFG Past President

    It looks 1950s to me. Great find! It also looks like a heavyweight silk faille.
     
  4. Avantbo

    Avantbo Registered Guest

    Thank you both.,

    It does have a 50s aura about it but have seen a similar early 63 coat.

    Am I correct in thinking it referred to as a " swing coat "?

    I could find no example of silk faille that resembled the coat/material used but Ottoman Silk, a few examples.

    Woollands was clearly the retailer but got to wonder who actually made it and would it have been made in the UK? Late this afternoon it dawned on me, somewhere I have a green jacket with the same ribbed silk with a Hattie Carnegie label, I will have to try and find it.

    Mary Jane, coat is not as heavy as it looks but that's subjective, I must weigh it.
     
  5. MagsRags

    MagsRags VFG President Staff Member

    To me a Swing Coat has a triangular shape, getting gradually wider from the underarm area to the hem. This looks more like a sack or cocoon shape. Balenciaga introduced the Sack Dress in 1957, so late 50s early 60s would be about right. And this kind of structured fabric would lend itself to that kind of silhouette.
     
  6. Avantbo

    Avantbo Registered Guest

    Hello Maggie,

    Cristóbal Balenciaga, Oh my!, Gosh!, Hells Bells!, Bloody Hell!-----------Cor!
    :)
     
    MagsRags likes this.

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