The name Bonnie Cashin may not be as recognizable as those of other fashion greats, like Tom Ford, Donna Karan or Bill Blass, but few designers have made as profound an impact on American sportswear. She created convertible garments using ingenious engineering and is even credited with the modern concept of layering, which won her a Neiman Marcus award in 1950. So, although her work might be a bit under the radar, those in the know covet Cashin treasures, like this incredible basket-weave knit coat from the late 1960s.
“In my nearly 40 years of collecting, this is the first time I’ve had this style,” says Lisa Hyams, founder of Monalisa Creations, who is offering the coat on 1stDibs. “I once had over 100 Bonnie Cashin pieces in my collection, but these dramatic trailing sleeves are incredibly hard to find nowadays.” Collectors have evidently snapped up other examples of the statement piece, which is documented in Stephanie Lake’s 2016 monograph, Bonnie Cashin: Chic Is Where You Find It (Rizzoli).
The coat is made of a chunky mohair yarn woven in a vibrant lime-green-and-black oversize houndstooth pattern and trimmed with delicate black leather piping. Despite the garment’s bold pattern, the sleeves are its real focal point. Cashin’s work was informed by global influences. Her travels in Japan, for instance, inspired this design’s traditional kimono wrap, silhouette and elegant T-shaped sleeves.
Born in 1907, Cashin began her career as a costume designer in the late 1920s, founding her own line, Bonnie Cashin Designs, in 1952. She created uniforms for American Airlines flight attendants and American servicewomen during World War II and collaborated with more than 35 brands, including Ballantyne and Hermès. Perhaps best known for her work as lead designer at Coach from 1961 to 1974, she also had a fruitful collaboration, from 1951 to 1977, with the leather manufacturer Sills, which is where she conceived this exceptional coat.
Vintage Cashin pieces have sparked fervent online discussions, with a growing community of enthusiasts sharing tips on sourcing and thoughtful restoration of her timeless designs, particularly her Coach bags. Fifty years after her departure, her contributions to Coach’s identity remain commercially successful and beloved by collectors. The brass turnlock, introduced by Cashin in 1961, is now a hallmark of the brand. And her clever antique-style metal kiss-lock clasps and inset coin-purse pockets were prominently featured in Coach’s recent New York Fashion Week presentation.
Nearly a quarter century after her death, in 2000, Cashin’s designs remain strikingly original. This coat is a rare surviving example of work produced during the height of her career, bearing an interior label that proudly declares itself “Sills: A Bonnie Cashin Design.” Ironically, a designer frequently overlooked in discussions of mid-century fashion is the visionary talent behind a piece that, once seen, is completely unforgettable.
