14th century

The 14th century brought the close-fitting cut — from this point on clothing gives shape rather than merely covering. This category holds the cotehardie in both close-fitting and skirted versions, the tippet-sleeved variants, the hood that can also be worn as a chaperon, and the gambesons with articulated sleeves and quilting.
The buttons are pewter or handmade textile buttons, and the lining is linen. The more ornate pieces — such as the noble cotehardie with alternating-colour textile buttons — are based on the depictions in the Stone Chapel at Visegrád, Hungary.

The Fitted Cut of the 14th Century

In the 14th century clothing starts to shape the body rather than simply cover it. The central piece of this category is the gonella (cotehardie), which we make in a close-fitting and a skirted version. The close-fitting version is very snug. We sew it from wool with a linen lining and pewter or fabric buttons, in one colour, two colours or brocade. One of the depictions we work from is the 1369 fresco in the Oratory of Santo Stefano in Lentate sul Seveso.

The striped gonella is a distinctly noble garment: the original is worn by a king in a depiction from the Stone Chapel at Visegrád, Hungary. Its alternating-colour fabric buttons are made by hand and stuffed with carded wool.

Coats, Gambesons and Headwear

The gonella coat with tippet sleeves is a close-fitting overcoat of roughly knee length, cut to be worn over the gonella. Its short, hanging tippet sleeves are very typical of the period. The gambeson with articulated sleeves has a special sleeve cut that gives a great deal of comfort, even though the garment itself is fully fitted. It is available laced or buttoned, and the buttonholes of the buttoned version are embroidered by hand.

The hood is made of wool with a linen lining, with a straight or a longer dagged hem, for head circumferences from 56 to 65 cm. It can also be worn as a chaperon by pulling the face opening over the head. The coat with battlement dagging and the houppelande with scalloped dagging belong to the late 14th and early 15th century, when decorated sleeves were in fashion.

Sizes and Ordering

Each piece is made to the size chart or to your own measurements, and a 10% deposit secures your order.

• Guide: how to measure for made-to-measure medieval clothing
• 13th-century clothing
• 15th-century clothing