Jacket

Capsule Collection: Three Victorian haute couture jackets in velvet and lace, Madrid, 19th century

Doña Pilar Pérez’s Workshop, Plaza del Ángel 22, Madrid.

Gathered like a small treasure of historical fashion, these three jackets form a coherent, intimate, and exceptionally well-preserved ensemble born from the refined Madrid workshop of Doña Pilar Pérez, a designer whose signature—though today almost secret—reveals a sensibility ahead of its time. Each piece embodies a distinct nuance of women’s dress from the last third of the 19th century, when the silhouette was refined, the torso structured, and adornment spoke its own language.

The first jacket, in a deep, nearly mineral green, showcases meticulous work of appliqué and embroidery that runs along the chest and high collar, creating a textile jewelry effect. It is a garment designed to impress in interiors lit by gas lamps, where the relief of the thread and the sheen of the fabric came to life. Its condition allows appreciation of the workshop’s steady, elegant hand, as well as the precision of the patterning.

The second, in striped velvet in brown and black tones, is perhaps the most theatrical: a snug bodice, decorative buttons, and a play of textures that alternates velvet’s softness with a stiffer, more structural weave. It is a jacket with presence, conceived to accompany full skirts and cinched waists, and today preserves its aesthetic force intact. The velvet, still vibrant, speaks of high-quality materials and careful use over more than a century.

The third piece, in deep black, is a study in sobriety and sophistication. The ruffles and laces that frame the front add movement and delicacy, while the bodice’s structure maintains the elegance characteristic of late Victorian fashion. It is the most versatile of the set, capable of suggesting both an afternoon outfit and a more formal wardrobe. Its preservation is remarkable: the laces retain their pattern, and the fabric retains its original drape.

As a lot, these three jackets form a small archive of Madrid haute couture from the 19th century, testimony to Doña Pilar Pérez’s talent and to women’s fashion at a moment of aesthetic transition. They are pieces that dialogue with one another: color, texture, ornament, and silhouette complement each other, creating a capsule collection that could have been found in a bourgeois wardrobe of the period. An ideal set for collectors, museums, or lovers of historical fashion seeking authenticity, rarity, and a well-woven story.

Includes spare parts for one of the jackets, the blue velvet one. This is unusual in the market.

Certified shipping and careful packaging.