Men's Houppelande with Hood

Late Gothic Men's Houppelande with Dagged Sleeves and Hood

Historical Context and Fashion Evolution

This garment is detailedly inspired by the Late Gothic fashion of Western and Central Europe, set at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries. A coat of this type was an incredibly popular outer garment across the upper echelons of society at the time. A prominent fashion element of this era was dagging (the decorative cutting of fabric edges into the shapes of leaves, flames, or battlements), which you will find on this costume on the sleeve hems, the bottom hem, and also on the edge of the hood. The long hanging sleeves served a purely aesthetic function and acted as a clear indicator of wealth – demonstrating that the wearer had an abundance of expensive fabric, lived in luxury, and did not have to engage in manual labour. The hood with a long tail (liripipe) was a fundamental part of period equipment, protecting the head and neck.

Usage and Recommended Accessories

To achieve an absolutely perfect and historically accurate silhouette, we strongly recommend belting the coat at the waist, which creates the typical rich folds. Please note that the leather belt with a brass buckle and the historical leather shoes shown in the photographs are not included in the delivery. A long leather ring belt perfectly complements this attire. For footwear, we recommend acquiring Gothic pointed shoes (known as poulaines or crakows), which excellently accentuate the extravagant fashion of the 15th century.

Care and Maintenance of Duvetyne

The garment is made of duvetyne (100% cotton), which is a firm, densely woven fabric with a fine, brushed nap. To ensure your costume lasts a long time and retains its beautiful appearance and vibrant colours, it requires gentle care. We recommend leaving the cleaning exclusively to a professional dry cleaner. This will prevent unwanted shrinkage of the fabric or the contrasting lining colours bleeding into the outer material. Never wash the costume in a washing machine and under no circumstances tumble dry it. Dust and minor dirt on the surface can be easily removed with a soft clothes brush, always brushing in the direction of the nap.

Sizes, Colours, and Custom Tailoring

We offer this Late Gothic houppelande as standard in ready-to-wear sizes according to our size charts. However, we will gladly tailor it exactly to your measurements at no extra charge. In this case, please carefully fill out our measurement chart after completing your order (measurements 8a, 8c, 8d, 8e, 8q, 8r, and 8x will be sufficient). Furthermore, upon your request, the garment can be sewn in other colour combinations (for example, with a different colour for the outer fabric or contrasting lining) according to our fabric swatch books. Simply note your desired colour in the comment field of your order (always include the swatch book number, the letter of the colour, and the name, e.g. 03-A-yellow). If you choose a fabric with a different composition, the price may be adjusted, which we will, of course, consult with you before processing the order.

Technical Parameters of the Costume