{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O16825"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O16825/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HJ6930/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2015HJ6930/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2015HJ6930","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HJ6931","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HJ6932","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HJ6933","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HJ6934","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HJ6935","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HJ6936","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HJ6937","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BF2619","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2020MU2086","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2020MU2087","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2020MU2090","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2020MU2091","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PF6800","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PF6801","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O16825","accessionNumber":"T.185 to E-1969","objectType":"Evening cape","titles":[{"title":"Butterfly","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"This crisply pleated double-layered cape is made up from red and black rayon grosgrain ribbons. The richly coloured ribbons were sewn together, and then the fabric was accordion-pleated. The main body of the cape is one continous length of fabric, pleated into a band that acts both as pleating support and as a means of anchoring the garment upon the wearer, who would have slipped their arms through the  band and then moved their shoulders/arms forward to fix the garment in position. The pleated fabric would then have settled into shape upon the wearer's body, the bottom layer moulding naturally to the wearer and the top layer hanging in stiff, rigidly sculptural folds. \n\r\nMatilda Etches is now almost entirely forgotten except as a theatre, ballet and opera costume-maker. However, she was an extremely talented couturier, whose fashionable clothes were innovative and very carefully made. The design for the 'Butterfly' cape was patented in 1953 - this is a 1949 prototype. When she donated a selection of her work to the Museum in 1969, this cape and a dress, 'West African' (see T.186-1969) were shown to senior Museum officials as key acquisitions. They were the first modern fashion items to be accorded this honour.","physicalDescription":"Evening cape made of rayon grosgrain ribbons in red, maroon and black, stitched together and then knife-pleated to create a one-piece and double-layered cape with a collar. Elasticated band of fabric connects the front facings of the collar and the arms are threaded through it,and an elastic band goes across back. Splits in fabric on underlayer for arms.\n\nWith the patent document and four pieces of toile.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Matilda Etches","id":"A2136"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"rayon","id":"AAT14059"},{"text":"ribbons","id":"AAT14668"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Rayon grosgrain ribbons stitched and pleated, paper","categories":[{"text":"Formal wear","id":"THES48950"},{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Evening wear","id":"THES48999"},{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"},{"text":"Theatre","id":"THES250537"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2015HJ6930","2015HJ6931","2015HJ6932","2015HJ6933","2015HJ6934","2015HJ6935","2015HJ6936","2015HJ6937","2006BF2619","2020MU2086","2020MU2087","2020MU2090","2020MU2091","2025PF6800","2025PF6801"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES404282"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES385566"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES305629"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES305629"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES305629"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES305629"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Cape","id":""}],[{"text":"Documentation","id":""}],[{"text":"Toile","id":""}],[{"text":"Toile","id":""}],[{"text":"Toile","id":""}],[{"text":"Toile","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"United States","id":"x29333"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"},{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"possibly"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1949","earliest":"1949-01-01","latest":"1949-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Mrs Matilda Etches-Homan","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Matilda Etches Patent Pending'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"The original version of this cape was created in 1949 for the ballerina Dame Ninette de Valois, who founded the Royal Ballet.\r\n\r\n<i>From correspondence of Madeleine Ginsburg to Matilda Etches-Homan, letter written 9 June 1969, following acceptance of the Etches collection & dossier</i>\r\n<br>\r\n\"The image of our 20th century costume collection has received a great boost through you! For the first time clothes from this century have been chosen to show the meeting of our advisory committee - a honour usually reserved only for medieval embroideries. They are to see the Butterfly cape and the West African cotton dress.\"\n\nHistorical significance: This was the first 20th century V&A fashion donation to be shown to the advisory committee, along with Etches' dress, \"West African\"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Evening cape 'Butterfly' made from pleated rayon grosgrain ribbons, pieces of toile and paper document, designed by Matilda Etches, possibly made in London or United States, 1949","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Haute couture","id":"THES48861"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"[Fashion Gallery Display]\n\n<b>'Butterfly' evening cape\n1949</b>\n\nThis cape was originally designed for the prima ballerina Ninette de Valois(1898-2001). It is ingeniously made from accordion-pleated ribbons sewn together in a wide, continuous loop which clings to the torso on the bottom layer, but hangs rigidly on the outside. The garment was designed to be stored rolled tightly in a bag. \n\nLondon\nStitched and pleated rayon grosgrain ribbons\n\nGiven by Mrs Matilda Etches-Homan\nMuseum No. T.185-1969","date":{"text":"2017","earliest":"2017-01-01","latest":"2017-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["T.185-1969","T.185A-1969","T.185B-1969","T.185C-1969","T.185D-1969","T.185E-1969"],"accessionNumberNum":"185","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1969,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Cape","Documentation","Toile [1]","Toile [2]","Toile [3]","Toile [4]"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-07-09","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":false}}