A Trigère Coat

This vibrant and elegant coat is coming from my personal collection. I've loved her so dearly but the time has come to part ways. But let my loss be your gain because this baby is pure loveliness!

Pauline Trigère has such an interesting history. Firstly, she was born down the street from my own Parisian home! She was a bright and talented child who could have been a surgeon as easily as couturière. In the mid '30s she ended up living in New York as a mother of two and a wife to man who preferred she didn't work. They eventually divorced and she found herself needing to support her family. With the help of her brother, she packed a suitcase full of her creations and he showed them across the country traveling by Greyhound bus! Within a year she opened her own shop and the rest is history. She was the first high fashion house in the US to hire a Black model and received much backlash from department stores in the south. She stuck to her guns, however, and they had to give in because her designs were bestsellers. She never sketched her designs, but instead worked by draping fabric directly onto the mannequin. Pauline Trigère was known as a talented, determined, hands-on force to be reckoned with. Her influence in the fashion world goes far beyond what most people realize!

The "A Trigère Coat" label was born from a dancefloor encounter with garment manufacturer Abe Schrader in a Manhattan nightclub. Even though Trigère refused to sell out to licensing offers, she did see fit to create a line of more affordable coats in collaboration with Schrader.

Anyway, back to our baby! This bright red beauty is a newer take on one of her earlier check designs, as seen on the lady herself in 1973 in the last photo. It is made of a heavy wool, fully lined in a delicious satin, closes in the front with three hidden snaps and one large black button, and has pockets on either side. As seen in photo 2, this coat was made with a copious amount of material which lends itself to a gorgeous, swirling shape.

Apart from the Trigère label, there's a label that says Lynn Hayes, which I believe was a high end boutique on the east coast, and one saying 100% wool. There's no size tag but I'd say it's a solid S. Check out the measurements below and don't hesitate if you have any questions. 

Shoulders 15 in 

Bust up to 38 in

Waist and hips free up to 42 in

Sleeves 23 in 

Length 42 in