Lunchtime Lectures: Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art Curator Talk

V&A South Kensington’s current exhibition on Elsa Schiaparelli charts the extraordinary arc of the maison from its avant‑garde beginnings in the 1920s to its bold reinvention today. Celebrating Schiaparelli’s enduring influence on fashion, the exhibition explores both the designer’s pioneering collaborations and the house’s contemporary revival under creative director Daniel Roseberry. 

In this illustrated talk, curators Lydia Caston and Rosalind McKever offer a behind‑the‑scenes look at how the exhibition came together — from shaping its central themes to selecting its star objects. They will share insights into the research, storytelling, and curatorial decisions that bring Schiaparelli’s legacy to life.

Rosalind McKever is V&A curator of paintings and drawings at the V&A. Rosalind specialises in modern European art and its relationship with fashion and design. She's published widely on 19th and 20th century art, including the V&A publications Vanessa Bell, Modern Living, and the Portrait Miniature, A New History.

 Lydia Caston is Project Curator at the Victoria and Albert Museum. She was one of the curators of Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collectionand the Assistant Curator of Tim Walker: Wonderful Things. She is currently Project Curator on Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art