Turning away from the “quiet luxury” movement that shrouded the trend cycle in neutral colourways for a number of seasons, the fashion crowd now finds itself captivated by extroverted opera coats. Camel- and toffee-hued outerwear has been cast aside and usurped by jacquard, velvet and embroidered styles, adorned with oscillating feathers and fur trims.

Outerwear can be a repetitive business; a conveyor belt of trenches, bombers and structured black coats that serve as trusty favourites every year. But shoppers are getting more adventurous with their layers this season, and BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund winner Conner Ives is, in part, responsible. Trend shepherdesses Kendall Jenner, Zoë Kravitz and Hailey Bieber possess enormous market influence, and all three women – alongside the original It-girl, Kate Moss – have been keen supporters of Ives’s repurposed opera coats, one of which was worn by Tish Weinstock to open the designer’s autumn/winter 2026 show.

Conner Ives AW26.

Conner Ives AW26.

They were also quick to replicate the way this bestselling coat (the most expensive proposition on Ives’s line sheet) was styled on the runway. Paired with jeans, a tee and pumps, this example of simple high-low styling has allowed opera coats to resonate with a wider audience – those who may not otherwise see themselves wearing an intricate, antique-leaning jacket to the pub.

Like Ives, London-based Bulgarian designer Viktor Gichev enjoys it when his one-of-a-kind opera coats are worn “in a way that’s effortlessly messy, personal, undone”, as he previously told my colleague Anna Cafolla. A testament to the versatility of such capes, his antique designs – inspired by historical opera cloaks and early-20th-century silhouettes – would pair just as well with jeans as with his signature slips. They also work as standalone items – a complete “one and done” outfit – as demonstrated by Alexa Chung.

Unless made from repurposed tapestries, modern interpretations are, of course, a far cry from true opera robes, proliferated by House of Worth and Paul Poiret in the early 20th century, and by John Galliano in the latter half of the era (as recently seen on Margot Robbie’s press circuit). Today, the most unique iterations can be found in vintage stores, resale sites and even packed away in a relative’s attic, but, as is the case with any trend, there’s been a trickle down into the high street.

The parameters of what classifies an opera coat are relatively loose. Decadent patterns and maxi lengths are defining factors – since they were originally designed as a layer to wear over gowns and shelter from the cold – but retailers are also stocking shorter styles, labelled “opera” for their decadent patterns, fuzzy trims or brocade fabrications.

A craving for individuality, alongside an appetite for “dressing up for daytime”, has inspired a surge in statement-making trends. “Right now, it is century-old antiquity – rather than designer vintage – that is speaking to the impulses of London’s most instinctive dressers seeking a sartorial detox from the algorithm,” contributing editor, Osman Ahmed, recently noted in an article about the belle époque mood sweeping the city’s wardrobes. And while “there is something thrilling about an object that refuses easy identification” in this information-drowned digital world, the very feeling of something antique is enough for certain consumers.

When buying new, rather than vintage, it is, of course, important to consider quality. As proven by Ives and Gichev, ornate fabrics have a century-long shelf-life – for this reason, pricing can be high. It is possible to find less price prohibitive pre-loved versions, made from velvet and embroidered materials, meanwhile newer iterations around the £100-£200 mark are often made from blends. But whatever the composition, it’s the buying mentality that matters: it’s crucial that you love it for as long as you would a real-deal vintage piece, rather than buying something simply because it’s circulating on social media. Either way, it’s sure to be a conversation-starter.

How to style an opera coat this autumn

1stDibs

1930s Velvet Coat