Burgundian Women's Dress

Late Gothic Burgundian Women's Dress with Hennin and Fur Trim

Historical Context and Costume Usage

Burgundian fashion of the 15th century set the tone for all of civilized Europe and was the absolute symbol of luxury, extravagance, and immense wealth. This dress (known as a robe) perfectly represents the beauty ideal of the time. The tightly fitted bodice emphasizes the feminine silhouette, while the deep neckline cleverly reveals a placard made of luxurious brocade. The most striking features of courtly fashion, however, are the bag-like sleeves falling below the knees and the lavish fur trim, which historically demonstrated the high social status and wealth of the wearer. The ensemble is completed by a short hennin – the typical medieval conical headdress with a flowing veil, without which a noble lady of the era would not appear in public.

Material and Proper Care

To ensure the dress maintains its luxurious appearance and firm shape for a long time, it is made from premium materials. The base consists of 100% cotton velvet, which is soft to the touch and drapes beautifully. The placard and the lining of the extremely wide sleeves are made of decorative brocade, a lightweight yet densely woven and strong fabric resistant to tearing and fraying. The entire neckline, sleeves, and skirt hem are trimmed with fur.

• Washing and Cleaning: Due to the combination of velvet, brocade, and fur, professional dry cleaning is exclusively required. Machine washing would irreparably damage the fur trim and the velvet pile.
• Drying and Ironing: Never tumble dry the dress. Ironing velvet can be tricky; any creases are best smoothed out by careful steaming from a distance, or by ironing strictly on the reverse side on the lowest heat setting.
• Cleaning and care of costumes

We highly recommend accessorising this gown with period jewellery, such as a subtle pearl necklace, and historical leather shoes to bring your overall courtly look to absolute perfection.

Product Specifications

This costume is also manufactured in other colours upon request, according to our fabric swatches. Simply note your desired colour in your order in the comments field (please always state the swatch number, the colour letter, and its name, e.g., 03-A-Yellow). If a fabric with a different composition is selected, any potential price adjustment is always consulted before the order is processed.

The dress is available in standard sizes, or it is custom-tailored exactly to your measurements at no extra charge. For custom tailoring, simply fill out our measurement chart carefully after completing your order.