Thank you very much Guys....
The cowl fabric is different than the cape fabric.
The cape fabric is a satin silk. I've had silk samples sent from all over the world and finally found one that has the right weight and sheen of the original.It'll be dyed shortly.
The cowl fabric is quite heavy and is the modern version of the original fabric.It has the same weight and weave of the original but instead of elastic threads made from latex, this gets its stretch from elastic threads made with a lycra.
The rayon content is also more modern and holds the dye where the original fabric would eventually fade.
This type of fabric has pretty much disappeared in the U.S. in favor of heavy spandex powerknit.The woven satin version was originally used as support panels in undergarment construction in the '50s and '60s.It only came in white,black and beige back in the sixties.The rayon fibers and the dye process they used back then was not that great and it would fade rather quickly.
I'll post some cape fabric shots in a bit.
Thanks again Guys.
Chuck...
I'm looking to have the suit ready for a show later this year.This month marks the 40th anniversary of the shows premier by the way.