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Demand for cape soars - Debenhams
22 Apr '10
2 min read
Debenhams announces that superheroes are taking to the streets, with the return of the cape.
Capes, once the preserve of superheroes and fictional detectives, have become popular again in Britain for the first time in over 50 years. Debenhams department store has seen demand soar for the first time since the 1960s.
So popular is the trend that Superman, Batman, and Sherlock Holmes have now been joined by Samantha Cameron, who regularly wears a cape on the election campaign trail.
Debenhams spokesman, Ed Watson, said: "In true Hollywood style, these difficult times seem to be producing a new generation of caped crusaders."
Sales began to rise after capes appeared on the catwalks last autumn. Cold weather and a determination to look stylish despite extremely low temperatures have seen shoppers snap up the style last made popular by Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton.
Ed Watson said: "This trend seems to suggest a longing for Britain as it used to be. Capes were last popular in the Swinging 60s when the country was at the forefront of fashion and everyone was optimistic about the future.
"Keeping up demand is a challenge, but with great power comes great responsibility, so we're doing all that we can to make sure that all of our stores remain fully stocked with our full range of capes.
"Currently, all of our capes are being bought by women. But if the craze catches on with men, we may have to produce matching underpants which can be worn outside their trousers to comply with the Superhero code."
Capes are the garment of choice for superheroes because they give warmth, allow freedom for sudden movement, yet swirl beguilingly while flying through the air.
Knee-length versions also have the advantage of covering a superhero's bottom, which, when dressed in bump revealing Lycra can often detract from an all-powerful image.
As well as being worn by comic characters, capes have been associated with other figures of power and mystery such as the Phantom of the Opera, Zorro, and Geoff Capes, the well-known 23-stone twice winner of the World's Strongest Man and budgie fancier. The recently released film "Kick Ass" also features characters dressing up as superheroes.
Capes, once the preserve of superheroes and fictional detectives, have become popular again in Britain for the first time in over 50 years. Debenhams department store has seen demand soar for the first time since the 1960s.
So popular is the trend that Superman, Batman, and Sherlock Holmes have now been joined by Samantha Cameron, who regularly wears a cape on the election campaign trail.
Debenhams spokesman, Ed Watson, said: "In true Hollywood style, these difficult times seem to be producing a new generation of caped crusaders."
Sales began to rise after capes appeared on the catwalks last autumn. Cold weather and a determination to look stylish despite extremely low temperatures have seen shoppers snap up the style last made popular by Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton.
Ed Watson said: "This trend seems to suggest a longing for Britain as it used to be. Capes were last popular in the Swinging 60s when the country was at the forefront of fashion and everyone was optimistic about the future.
"Keeping up demand is a challenge, but with great power comes great responsibility, so we're doing all that we can to make sure that all of our stores remain fully stocked with our full range of capes.
"Currently, all of our capes are being bought by women. But if the craze catches on with men, we may have to produce matching underpants which can be worn outside their trousers to comply with the Superhero code."
Capes are the garment of choice for superheroes because they give warmth, allow freedom for sudden movement, yet swirl beguilingly while flying through the air.
Knee-length versions also have the advantage of covering a superhero's bottom, which, when dressed in bump revealing Lycra can often detract from an all-powerful image.
As well as being worn by comic characters, capes have been associated with other figures of power and mystery such as the Phantom of the Opera, Zorro, and Geoff Capes, the well-known 23-stone twice winner of the World's Strongest Man and budgie fancier. The recently released film "Kick Ass" also features characters dressing up as superheroes.
Debenhams plc
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