— SOLD —
This one-of-a-kind piece has found its owner and is no longer available. Browse our current Japanese vintage capes and mantles below.

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■ Item Details ■

• Era: Mid-Showa period (approx. 1950s–60s)
• Material: Wool / Velvet collar
• Length: Approx. 103 cm / 40.6 in (back neck to hem)

Never worn. Never washed. Decades passed — and this cape waited.

When Western culture swept into Meiji and Taisho-era Japan, the Inverness coat became the defining silhouette of the modern gentleman: a sleeveless, shoulder-draped outer garment that spoke of intellect, refinement, and a new world arriving. Over time, Japan absorbed that silhouette and made it its own — softening its edges, deepening its poetry — and what emerged was the manto: the Japanese cape.

Where the Inverness coat carried the weight of masculine authority and utility, this cape carries something else entirely: the lyricism of Taisho Roman and the composed elegance of Showa Moderne.

Crafted in the mid-Showa period, this full-length flared wool cape commands attention without demanding it. The silhouette wraps the wearer in a clean, sweeping line. A velvet collar lends quiet authority. The closure is a metal hook-and-eye with a collar flap — details that speak to the careful hand of a mid-century Japanese craftsperson.

And then there is the color.

Royal Blue.

Most surviving examples of this cape style are black. Royal blue is another matter entirely — deep, clear, and almost impossibly rare in this form. This is not simply a color. It is the defining character of this specific piece, and no other.

The Japanese wool cape remains one of the most undervalued categories in the vintage market. Those who collect Inverness coats, vintage outerwear, and Japonisme-influenced fashion are only beginning to look here.

The deadstock provenance speaks for itself. The buttonholes were never cut through. The wool showed no signs of washing or wear. The color and texture remained exactly as they left the atelier. There is no higher condition than this.

A piece for collectors of Taisho Roman and Showa Retro fashion, and for Inverness coat enthusiasts.

■ Size ■

Measurements are approximate. Please allow for minor variance.

■ Condition ■

• Overall: Deadstock / Unworn
• Note: Some soiling present on the lining.

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