THE MET
Golden Yellow Silk Brocade Redingote Coat
Empire / Regency · 1810s · French
Production
handmade
Material
silk brocade
Culture
French
Influences
Empire waistline · military-inspired redingote styling
This French redingote displays the characteristic Empire silhouette with its high waistline positioned just below the bust and straight columnar skirt extending to the floor. The golden silk fabric features an elaborate woven or embroidered pattern running vertically down the center front, creating a decorative panel effect. The sleeves are dramatically puffed at the shoulders, tapering to fitted cuffs at the wrists - a signature detail of 1810s fashion. The wide, flat collar frames the neckline, while the coat-dress construction allows it to function as outerwear. The surface treatment shows intricate floral or foliate motifs worked into the silk, demonstrating the period's preference for rich decorative elements on formal garments.
coatstraighthigh neckfloor length
Connected To
Influences·Empire waistlineTechnique·brocade-weaving
SHARED150 years · cross-culture · cross-category
Both gowns speak the same Empire language—that high waistline that sits just under the bust, creating the long, lean silhouette Napoleon's court adored. The pale mint dress with its scattered motifs and the golden redingote with its elaborate front closure both rely on silk brocade's ability to catch light and create texture, though the American piece whispers where the French one declaims.
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