c. 1948

Man's Dressing Gown and Belt

Luxurious robes or dressing gowns have been worn by fashion-conscious men to relax at home since the late seventeenth century. They became more common in the 1920s and 1930s, in part inspired by the sophisticated elegance of loungewear on the silver screen. The form allowed for flowing lines and gorgeous patterns like this flamboyant lily pad print. Such designs were a hallmark of Charvet, the famous Parisian haberdasher (a dealer in men's furnishings) founded in 1838, and the independent Charvet et Fils, Inc., of New York, started in 1919.