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The Art of Couture: From Paul Poiret to Elsa Schiaparelli
Join author and cultural historian Mary E. Davis in conversation with Justine Picardie for a look at the life and legacy of couturier Paul Poiret, who led the way for Dior, Chanel, Schiaparelli and more
Known in his time as ’The King of Fashion’, the couturier Paul Poiret offered generous encouragement to Elsa Schiaparelli, and would be a key influence on her career. Dazzled by his daring designs when they met in Paris in the 1920s, she was equally inspired by his radical insistence that fashion should be situated within the broader cultural landscape and at the heart of a network of related enterprises. By engaging with artists, enlisting celebrities as brand ambassadors, hosting extravagant parties, and developing perfumes and accessories, he created a blueprint for today’s global luxury business — a model that Schiaparelli continued and expanded.
Join Justine Picardie, author of Fashioning the Crown, and Mary E. Davis, author of Paul Poiret: Inventing Modern Luxury, for a discussion of these two visionary designers and their roller-coaster careers.
Header image: Fashion Plate : Création Paul Poiret; from Les Succès d`Art, Goût, Bon-Ton; published by Édition d`Art; Christmas 1922. Image credit © Victoria and Albert Museum, London