‘BOG’ Coat

This design traces its roots back to the Iron Age, its name derives from the peat bog in which it was found preserved in Denmark and is constructed from a single rectangle with just two seams.

I first came across the design during a visit to the V&A Museum in London back in 2018 at the ‘Balenciaga: Shaping Fashion’ exhibition. Here it was presented as a flat piece of patterned paper which visitors were invited to cut and fold into a ‘one seam’ coat.

My prototype is woven in once piece with slits arranged where the cuts are needed to avoid cutting the fabric off-loom. Two seams are needed joining the sleeve and front edges.

As a first test it worked fine although the sizing was too small for half scale. Next I’d like to add deep pockets, possibly by using a doubleweave structure, and some more design interest. Shaping options seem limited without adding darts off-loom, but I’ll mull on that.