1985 Chanel Haute Couture Purple Tweed Velvet Three-Piece Suit

This is an early Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel haute couture ensemble from Fall 1985 and numbered '64851'. Couture clients often request bespoke adaptations from the runway presentations but this appears to be the exact suit shown in the picture. The tweed is lovely and thick with a great weight to it, in an oversized houndstooth pattern in shades of purple, white and black. It is cut in an 80s box fit style and lined with purple silk, complete with bold shoulder padding. It has a notched collar and dropped sleeves, each finished with a rolled back gathered cuff finish and concealed button closure. The inside hem is weighed down with a sewn in gold chain - a signature Chanel trait. The jacket features four patch pockets, also lined in purple silk and finished with gold plated copper 'coin' buttons, each stamped with Coco Chanel's profile and 'Coco Chanel, Paris, France'. The rear section features a thick waist cinch, trimmed with a button at each end which allows the jacket to hang beautifully and tapers the waist ever so slightly to create a streamlined look.

The inner tunic is cut in a sumptuous purple velvet and we initially believed that this may have been a separate piece from the same collection. Having researched and reviewed the whole collection, we now feel that the three were originally intended to be worn together, but work equally well worn separately. The tunic has a simple rounded neckline with dropped sleeves and narrowed cuffs just like the exterior jacket. Each cuff has three gold coated copper buttons and the tunic fastens down the back with alternating coin buttons and popper fastenings. The front has two breast patch pockets, each also finished with a coin button. It is fitted at the waist and flares out slightly from the hip, in an almost peplum like shape whilst the lining is in a deep plum coloured silk crepe.

The skirt has a wide purple silk waistband, incredibly soft to wear, and transitions into tweed from around the hip point, fastening at the side with a zip and hook and eye closure. It is cut in a very traditional pencil shape, and designed with the jacket in mind - the extended waistband ensures that the skirt, tunic and jacket meet at the perfect point when worn together as an ensemble.

All three pieces are in fabulous vintage condition, all couture labelled and with no observable marks or flaws. Though the jacket is oversized, the small size of the skirt waistband makes it most suitable for up to a size 8 UK, or 4 US. Our model is a UK 8-10 and 5ft 11in (180 cm), the jacket fit her well, the skirt and top fit her well. 

MEASUREMENTS:

SKIRT:
WAIST: 25 in. ( 63.5 cm )
HIP: 35 in. ( 88.9 cm )
LENGTH: 24.5 in. ( 62.23 cm )

JACKET:
BUST: 42 in. ( 106.68 cm )
WAIST: 40 in. ( 101.6 cm )
SHOULDER: 19 in. ( 48.26 cm )
HIP: 40 in. ( 101.6 cm )
LENGTH: 31 in. ( 78.74 cm )

TUNIC:
BUST: 35 in. ( 88.9 cm )
WAIST: 27 in ( 68.58 cm )
HIP: 38 in. ( 96.52 cm )
SHOULDER: 17 in. ( 43.18 cm )