Spring 1981 Zandra Rhodes Runway & Book Piece 'Kenya & Zebras" Feather Trimmed Silk Chiffon Cape Piece

Zandra Rhodes is one of my favourite designers and I love the pieces that she did in the 1980s. This dress is from her Spring 1981 collection that featured the 'Kenya and Zebras' print through out and is referred to as her "African collection'. It was based on a trip to Kenya that she took in 1980. The twin if this piece walked the runway and appeared in both of the books on Zandra Rhodes that are referenced below. This is an extremely rare and special piece of her work. We have included references photo of it from the various sources we found so that you can see how wonderful it is on. It is an extraordinary find for the collector and a very rare piece of her work from this time period. 

This is one of those magical little pieces that you will only find in vintage, It is a piece that you just slip over just about anything and it instantly adds a little vintage magic. It is extremely light in weight and is made out of a printed silk chiffon. For the print Zandra wove sketched of zebra skins with stripes, and then, as a background filler, use the dashes and dots from the Kanga prints, to give the feel of Africa as she had experienced it. She also included the Chinese trellis as part of the design you'll see this often in her prints, where she'll link new and old prints together to form something uniquely Sandra. The edges of the piece are uneven, and again are meant to evoke the idea of with brown and beige, striped turkey feathers, and these are added all around the edges, and between them are her signature little pink beads that run throughout all of her collections. It was an homage to Kenya, the Messiah, and the animals that she saw on her trip and the pieces in the collection all reflected the beauty and power of what she felt once there. The final detail on this piece is the tie at the front, and each tie ends in a cluster of the same beads and one long single feather. It is dramatic and extremely beautiful and a joy to see. This is a valuable and rare piece that is very well documented. Excellent condition.

Unlined with a simple tie at the front and slits along the side for your arms. Hand painted and hand finished throughout. Unlabeled .

Width: 37" flat across from side seam to side seam at the widest point
Length: 50" from neck to longest point of hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: OSFA (one size fits all)

Item# DD4563

Reference Photos: (1-2) Spring 1981 Zandra Rhodes.  /  (3) Kaftan, 1981, Style 81/79. Kaftan jacket in “Zebra Skin” print on earth coloured silk chiffon, cut to shape of print; edges hand-rolled and trimmed with feathers. From the book “Zandra Rhodes: A Lifelong Affair with Textiles”.  /  (4-5) Zandra’s African Show, Olympia, 1981. From the book “The Art of Zandra Rhodes”.

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