Elsa Schiaparelli (1890 – 1973) redefined fashionable taste and perceptions of beauty in the 20th century. Born in Rome into a family of academics and aristocrats, she fled their conservative expectations, leaving Italy at the age of 23 to live a life that was anything but conventional.

With no formal training, she launched her first fashion collection in 1927. Her bold, often audacious, haute couture creations soon made her the designer of choice for a confident clientele. Within five years, Maison Schiaparelli employed 400 staff who created over 7000 couture garments each year.

Often designing to confront and shock, Schiaparelli’s radical approach embraced the new and experimental, resulting in clothes that were resolutely modern. At the same time, her impact extended beyond fashion. Embedded within Europe’s creative avant‑garde, she positioned her work in direct dialogue with art, design and performance.

Elsa Schiaparelli closed her business and retired in 1954. The 2006 acquisition of the Schiaparelli name and archive paved the way for the House’s revival. Since taking the helm in 2019, Creative Director Daniel Roseberry has extended the House’s reputation as a fashion disruptor, reinterpreting its heritage and contributing to a new aesthetic vocabulary.

Tombstone label:

Elsa Schiaparelli at 21 Place Vendôme

François Kollar

1935 (digitally reinterpreted 2026)

© GrandPalaisRmn‑ Gestion droit d’auteur François Kollar. Photo: © Ministère de la Culture‑ Médiathèque du patrimoine et de la photographie, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / François Kollar

AV label:

Hot off the press

Elsa Schiaparelli became the international fashion star of interwar Paris. Her daring design innovations were highly anticipated and eagerly reported in publications like Harper’s Bazaar and Women’s Wear Daily.

This compilation of press material comes from the leading research of the late Dilys Blum, Senior Curator of Costume and Textiles at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The V&A acknowledges a debt to her scholarship.

Elsa Schiaparelli press coverage

Dilys Blum research files

About 1927–1939 (digitally reinterpreted 2026)

Object label:

Bare bones

This dress, one of the most remarkable of Elsa Schiaparelli’s career, is indicative of her multi‑faceted legacy. Her collaboration with Salvador Dalí reflects her deep connections with the leading artists of the time. The padded construction that shapes the dress’s deathly form exemplifies her predilection for employing unusual techniques to create designs that shocked.

Elsa Schiaparelli with Salvador Dalí

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Silk crêpe with plastic zips

V&A: T.394‑1974

Given by Ruth Ford

Object label:

Deep breath

Disembodied fragments of anatomy bring a deeper psychological dimension to Roseberry’s garments, accentuating and reversing form. In this dramatic gown, internal organs appear to rise to the surface with a rhinestone‑encrusted brass necklace in the shape of lungs. By playing a game of concealing and revealing a low‑cut neckline, the piece creates a surrealist statement.

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/ Winter 2021

Paris

Wool (dress); brass, rhinestones (necklace)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

When Elsa Schiaparelli opened her first premises in 1928 on rue de la Paix, Paris, the sign read, ‘ Schiaparelli Pour le Sport ’ (Schiaparelli For Sport). She soon became a source of haute couture for all occasions, providing made‑to‑measure clothes for the modern urban woman. She expanded her range to include stylish yet practical daywear ‘ Pour la Ville ’ (For the City) and arresting eveningwear ‘ Pour le Soir ’ (For Evening). Schiaparelli garnered a loyal and assured clientele of women who, like her, were fashionably adventurous.

Elegant jackets became a signature design, characterised by their embroidery and witty details. Hats, gloves, bags and shoes completed the Schiaparelli look and revealed her innovative and playful approach to accessories.

Since his appointment in 2019, Creative Director Daniel Roseberry has continued the founder’s tradition, experimenting with new and unconventional textiles and offering distinctive and daring ensembles for the contemporary wearer.

Pour le Sport

Elsa Schiaparelli first made her name designing clothes for sport and leisure activities. Knitted sweaters, simple tops and skirts as well as swimsuits, beachwear and ski attire were her focus. These early collections reflected new ideas about modern living, exercise and outdoor pursuits.

Schiaparelli’s first collections were practical and easy to wear yet undeniably stylish. Within two years of launching her business, Vogue declared, ‘ Schiaparelli has greatly contributed to transforming today’s style into a thing of extreme elegance ’.

Place Vendôme

In 1935, Elsa Schiaparelli moved her couture salon to 21 Place Vendôme, one of the grandest squares in Paris, which she termed, ‘ the world’s centre of elegance ’. Schiaparelli now had space for a capacious ground‑floor boutique where she sold accessories, perfumes and cosmetics. Its window displays, innovatively staged by long‑standing American staff member Bettina Bergery (born Jones), became a visitor attraction. These theatrical scenes often featured two articulated, wooden figures, known as Pascal and Pascaline.

Pascal and Pascaline

Unknown maker

Late 19th century

France

Wooden mannequins owned by Elsa Schiaparelli

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Ashtray

Jean‑Michel Frank and Alberto Giacometti

1935

France

Painted wood

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Shocking de Schiaparelli cosmetics and makeup

Parfums Schiaparelli, Inc.

1938–47

Made in New York; sold in Paris

Cardboard, printed paper, copper alloy, ceramic, mirror

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Schiaparelli Shocking Eyelid Radiance for Sparkling Young Glam

Parfums Schiaparelli, Inc with illustration by Salvador Dalí

1947

Made in New York; sold in Paris

Glass, printed paper, wood, silk

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Image: Looking through the shop window of Elsa Schiaparelli on Place Vendôme, Paris, 1951 Photograph by Regina Relang. Münchner Stadtmuseum, Sammlung Fotografie, Archiv Relang

Zig‑zags and bow‑knots

It started with a sweater. Schiaparelli’s first solo collection, designed in January 1927, featured geometric patterned, black and white knitwear. A turning point came a few months later when she commissioned an Armenian maker, Aroosiag Mikaëlian, to knit a sweater with a jaunty bow‑knot motif. Part of Schiaparelli’s November 1927 collection, the sweater became an instant and much‑copied hit. The press remarked on its amusing trompe l ’oeil pattern and the complex two‑tone knitting technique which gave a tweed‑like appearance.

Black sweater with white bow‑knot

Elsa Schiaparelli

Designed 1927; made 1971

Paris

Wool

V&A: T.388‑1974

Given by Elsa Schiaparelli

Black and white sweater with geometric pattern

Elsa Schiaparelli

1927

Paris

Wool

Loan Courtesy of Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio: 86.64.293

Black sweater with red bow‑knot

Elsa Schiaparelli

1927

Paris

Wool

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1952‑9‑1

Gift of Vera White

Image: Elsa Schiaparelli wearing her bow‑knot sweater, 1928
Unknown photographer
Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Evening coat

Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1939, A Modern Comedy collection

Paris

Wool felt, fulled wool, silk thread embroidery

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑3

Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Evening coat

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1936 Paris

Wool tweed, cellophane

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑2

Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Pour la Ville

Elsa Schiaparelli’s chic and functional daywear was the talk of the town. In an interview with The New York Times in 1936, she advised on the crucial components of modern daywear, saying, ‘ the ideal wardrobe should include one fur coat, one tweed suit, a dark tailored suit, a silk dress for afternoon wear ’.

Her stylish day suits stood out from city crowds, identifiable by Schiaparelli staples such as intriguing textiles, bold buttons and unusually placed pockets. Lively novelty prints showed the designer’s skills at self‑promotion, with Parisian landmarks and newspaper cuttings referencing her own career.

Trousers

Trousers became a Schiaparelli signature at a time when most women wore them for sport or for informal home wear. With typical daring, Schiaparelli embraced this garment as stylish attire for day and evening, even donning a pair of wide‑legged culottes on a work trip to London in 1931.

Suit

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1939

Paris

Wool (suit); leather (buttons)

Metropolitan Museum of Art: 2009.300.1870a, b Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Arturo and Paul Peralta‑Ramos, 1955

Image: Elsa Schiaparelli (right) with client and entrepreneur Dilkusha de Rohan in London, 1931
Unknown photographer
Getty Images

Breaking news

Schiaparelli made fashion headlines with this textile. She capitalised on the press attention her garments and personal life received, designing a print with news cuttings about herself. The pattern was part of her Stop, Look and Listen collection and was seen across her day dresses, parasols, hats and even on men’s ties.

Newsprint textile

Manufactured for Elsa Schiaparelli by Colcombet

1935

Paris

Printed cotton

Allentown Art Museum: 1978.026.352

Group label

Printed textiles

In 1936, Schiaparelli created novelty prints for the American market, selling them to manufacturers and the fabric sections of department stores. Fourteen of these were made exclusive to American textile manufacturer Drucker‑Wolf, Inc. Among the designs were disembodied hands with floating red hearts and a skyline of famous Parisian landmarks including the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. The latter celebrated the upcoming 1937 Exposition Internationale in Paris.

A Hand to Kiss

Manufactured for Elsa Schiaparelli by Drucker‑Wolf, Inc.

1936

Paris

Printed silk crêpe

Allentown Art Museum: 1978.026.354

Paris Exposition 1937

Manufactured for Elsa Schiaparelli by Drucker‑Wolf, Inc.

1936

Paris

Printed silk crêpe

Allentown Art Museum: 1978.026.379

Pamela Carme

Centre stage

This coat was worn by Pamela Carme, a British socialite turned star of the stage. As the wife of Henry Sherek, a leading director and producer in London’s West End, she spent much of her married life in theatres. This was reflected in her wardrobe choices, such as this elegant garment with buttons shaped like comedy and tragedy masks.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1939, A Modern Comedy collection

Paris

Wool, velvet, silver fox fur (coat); painted metal (buttons)

V&A: T.233‑1964 Given by the Honourable Pamela Sherek

Image: Pamela Carme, 1928
Photograph by Yvonne Gregory
Camera Press London

Suit

Schiaparelli emphasised the importance of day suits for her Winter 1936 collection, proclaiming ‘ Simple suits, mandated apparel ’. This two‑tone example, made in her Parisian salon but sold by Lord & Taylor in New York, combines contrasting textures of leather buttons, tweed and velveteen. Prominent pockets, as seen on the jacket, became a frequent feature of Schiaparelli’s daywear.

Elsa Schiaparelli, sold by Lord & Taylor

Winter 1936

Paris

Tweed, velveteen ( jacket, skirt); leather (buttons)

Lent by The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology: 78.125.1

Gift of Mrs. Steward McDonald

Suit

This vibrant day suit highlights two typical Schiaparelli design devices – unusual fabrics and unexpected fastenings. The trompe l ’oeil textile in a kaleidoscope of jewel tones is made to look like woven material but is actually printed rayon crêpe. The blue plastic beetles on the buttons echo the Pagan collection themes that draw on imagery of flora and fauna.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Paris

Rayon (suit); plastic (buttons)

Metropolitan Museum of Art: 1974.338.5a, b

Gift of Mrs. J.R. Keagy, 1974

Suit

Schiaparelli continued designing seasonal collections for a short time after the start of the Second World War. Her Spring 1940 season was described as, ‘ a very small war collection essentially created for Parisians ’. Ever the promoter of novel solutions, Schiaparelli offered suits with large ‘cash and carry ’ pockets to replace the need for a handbag, practical during wartime.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1939,

Cash and Carry collection

Paris

Wool tweed

Lent by The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology: 68.151.4 Gift of Mr. Rodman A. Heeren

Suit

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1948

Paris

Wool ( jacket and skirt); plastic (buttons)

Lent by The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology: 77.17.5

Gift of Despina Messinesi

Suit

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1938

Paris

Wool ( jacket, skirt); metal, enamel, resin (buttons)

Fondation Azzedine Alaïa: FAA.SCH.0008.1 & 2

Pour le Soir – Part 1

Bold, dramatic, occasionally subversive, Elsa Schiaparelli’s gowns and evening suits made people look twice. From her beginnings as a designer of sportswear, she swiftly mastered the principles of formal attire. Clients adored the Schiaparelli look which could be seen at balls, theatres and restaurants in the world’s most cosmopolitan cities.

Perhaps more than any fashion designer of the era, Schiaparelli urged textile manufacturers to bring her their newest and best materials. In her hands, innovations such as crinkly tree‑bark textures, cellophane and even woven glass were transformed into startling and flattering eveningwear.

Crinkled and colourful

Schiaparelli was a daring colourist, relishing unexpected juxtapositions as seen in this dress’s beetroot tone complemented by salmon pink. The trim traces a sensuous line from the shoulder to the daringly‑deep back décolletage. The ribbon’s puckered texture was a Schiaparelli favourite. One newspaper headline declared this collection to be, ‘ Alive with interest, stressing crinkly effects ’.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1932

Paris

Silk crêpe (dress); silk (trim)

Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection at Drexel University: 55.33.12

Gift of Mrs. Rodolphe Meyer de Schaunensee

Evening dress

This dress belonged to Barbara ‘ Baba ’ Beaton, sister of photographer Cecil Beaton, a friend of Schiaparelli’s. The emphasis is on the sleeves. Prominent epaulettes decorate the shoulders. The sleeves’ multiple folds mimic the fashionable 16th‑century technique of textile slashing, then used for decorative effect.

Elsa Schiaparelli

1933

Paris

Silk satin

V&A: T.389‑1974

Given by Barbara Hambro

Image: Model wearing Schiaparelli evening dress, 1933

Photograph by Ilse Bing

© Estate of Ilse Bing

Emblematic elegance

When Schiaparelli began designing evening dresses, her early examples were simply constructed and sometimes finished with a jacket. Here, a dress of silk crêpe de chine is paired with a luxurious silk velvet cape accented with silk chiffon. It was worn by Australian‑born Molly Fink, later Rani of Pudukkottai, a prominent socialite and early Schiaparelli client.

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1930

Paris

Silk crêpe de chine (dress); silk velvet, silk chiffon (cape)

Fashion Museum Bath: BATMC I.09.105&A

Given by Martanda Sydney Tondaiman

Evening dress

This gown's plunging back décolletage creates a dramatic effect. The train could either be worn long or as shown here, wrapped around the body and fastened to a clip hidden at the waist. This alternative styling transforms the dress into a slim, columnar silhouette.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1931

Paris

Riboulding rayon crêpe

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1993‑39‑1

Gift of Anne Sayen in memory of Mrs Lucy B. Harvey

Collection in focus

Comedy of colours

From 1935, Elsa Schiaparelli designed around recognisable themes. She took inspiration from a range of unconventional sources and titled her collections accordingly. A central motif of her Spring 1939 collection, A Modern Comedy, was the diamond pattern of the Harlequin costume, seen in this multicoloured patchwork coat.

Evening coat

Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1939, A Modern Comedy collection

Paris

Wool felt, fulled wool, silk thread embroidery

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑3

Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Evening coat

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1936

Paris

Wool tweed, cellophane

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑2

Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Fair Weather

Soon after Schiaparelli showed her Modern Comedy collection, her long‑time friend Man Ray painted this work which he considered the culmination of his surrealist career. It features a mannequin with a colourful diamond pattern similar to a Schiaparelli coat (displayed nearby), and other nods towards her work and his own. Despite its upbeat title, the damaged wall and fighting creatures anticipate the coming war.

Man Ray

1939

Paris

Oil on canvas

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 2014‑1‑1 125th Anniversary Acquisition. Gift of Sidney and Caroline Kimmel, 2014

All that glitters

Evening coats and capes helped to finish a Schiaparelli look. For the Winter 1933 collection, she offered military style, hip‑length cloaks with raised collars. This example features a distinctive, looped‑pile textile. Originally, the metal threads would have shone brightly. While they have tarnished over time, their dense tactility remains.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1933

Paris

Looped lamé (cloak); skirt (prop)

V&A: T.390‑1974
Given anonymously

Evening suit

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1936

Paris

Silk satin, lamé

Fondation Azzedine Alaïa: FAA.SCH.0010.1 & 2

Object label

Liquid gold

Sinuous and glistening, this ensemble stands out in a collection often remembered for embellished evening suits. It exemplifies Schiaparelli’s Winter 1937 embrace of shimmering textiles. Metal threads are woven into a subtle pattern of alternating diagonal gold and silver bands, punctuated by a joyful scattering of multicoloured stars. A fitted jacket ties at the waist and completes the look.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1937

Paris

Woven, printed lamé

Robert and Penny Fox Historical Costume Collection at Drexel University: 55.33.13 a,b
Gift of Mrs. Rodolphe Meyer de Schaunensee

Molly Fink

Evening dress with hood

Australian‑born Molly Fink was an early Schiaparelli client. Her marriage, in 1915, to Martanda Bhairava Tondaiman, Raja of the princely Indian state of Pudukkottai, was considered controversial by some. The couple travelled widely and lived lavishly. As this unusual ensemble suggests, Fink was a bold dresser. She revelled in public attention and her personal wardrobe reflected a cosmopolitan life.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1935

Paris

Wool crêpe (dress); wool crêpe, metal (hood)

Fashion Museum Bath: BATMC I.09.110; BATMC I.09.110 A
Given by Martanda Sydney Tondaiman

Image: Rani Molly of Pudukkottai (Molly Fink) wearing Schiaparelli at the Deauville Races, France, 1937
Unknown photographer
© Fashion Museum Bath

Evening dress

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1940

Paris

Silk crêpe, pearls, sequins, metal strip

V&A: T.48‑1965
Given by Elsa Schiaparelli

Object label

Collection in focus

Evening dress

Schiaparelli’s Pagan collection celebrated nature and the classical past. This dress alludes to the ancient world. Fashioned like a doric column, its thick, padded folds create the illusion of carved fluting. A geometric collar, reminiscent of an abacus (column top), frames the wearer’s head which becomes the column’s capital. The dress transforms the wearer into an animate element of classical architecture.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Paris

Silk satin

V&A: T.335‑1987
Bequeathed by Katherine Raine

Collection in focus

Evening dress

For Summer 1936, Schiaparelli took inspiration from a childhood memory of jumping from a window using an umbrella to slow her descent. Watching parachutists during a trip to Russia was another reference. The sheer textile of this dress, combined with a seamed panel construction, produces a parachute effect. The vibrant purple sash and skirt trim anchor the cloud‑like dress.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1936, Parachute collection

Paris

Silk organdie (dress); silk velvet (trim); silk satin (sash)

V&A: T. 42:1 to 3‑2010

Suit

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1936, Parachute collection

Paris

Silk satin (skirt, jacket); net (blouse)

V&A: T.391, T.391A,B‑1974
Given anonymously

Pour le Soir: Daniel Roseberry

Daniel Roseberry, Creative Director of Maison Schiaparelli since 2019, continues to create spectacularly crafted garments that challenge perceptions and incorporate wit and the unexpected. Sparks of inspiration can range from a texture, a button, an accessory, a colour or more literal references that entirely reimagine an Elsa Schiaparelli silhouette to extreme exaggeration.

Innovation is a constant, channelling the founder’s daring experiments with textiles and techniques. In Roseberry’s words, it is about creating a tension, ‘the pebble in the boot, that thing that’s going to make it memorable… that thing that gets under your skin’.

Evening jacket and trousers

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/ Summer 2022

Paris

Cotton, lurex, metal thread, sequins, synthetic pearls, Swarovski rhinestones ( jacket); wool (trousers)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Saddle corset top and skirt

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/ Winter 2025

Paris

Silk velvet, silk satin, lambskin, foam

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Red evening dress

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/ Winter 2025

Paris

Silk satin, silk mousseline

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Group label (central plinth)

Suit with corset

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry; hat by Stephen Jones Millinery

Autumn/ Winter 2022

Paris

Silk velvet ( jacket, trousers); silk satin, synthetic pearls, lurex (corset); straw, silk lace (hat)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Painted dress

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/ Winter 2023

Paris

Cotton crochet, painted PVC, rhinestones

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

White wedding ensemble

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/ Winter 2024

Paris

Silk crêpe, silk satin ( jacket); tulle, sequins, crystals (skirt)

Tia Fine Art Limited

Black dress dotted with gold

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/ Winter 2024

Paris

Silk velvet, brass leaf

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Group label (central plinth)

Dress with green bow

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/ Winter 2024

Paris

Silk knit, lace, silk satin

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Silver winged cape

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/ Winter 2024

Paris

Silk velvet, leather

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Versailles revisited

Roseberry expands the extravagance of Elsa Schiaparelli’s Winter 1938 Zodiac collection with this full‑length cape. Embroidered and sequined patterns of galloping horses and sparkling sunbursts replicate the original motif of the Apollo Fountain from the Park of Versailles. The reverse of the garment also references Schiaparelli’s legacy, with a tuxedo collar designed to look as if worn backwards.

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/ Summer 2022

Paris

Silk, metal thread, synthetic pearls, Swarovski crystals, wool

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Image: Interior designer and actress Elsie de Wolfe wearing Elsa Schiaparelli’s Apollo of Versailles evening cape, 1939
Photograph by Cecil Beaton
Getty Images

Mille‑feuille

For his Autumn/Winter 2024 Phoenix collection, Roseberry celebrated ‘the range of what the ateliers can do’, showcasing exquisite haute couture craftsmanship. He was also inspired by silhouettes of the 1950s, emphasised by the hourglass structure of this gown and the swirling mille‑feuille circle trimmings.

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/ Winter 2024

Paris

Silk satin, silk organza

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Pour le Soir – Part 2

Bold, dramatic, occasionally subversive, Elsa Schiaparelli’s gowns and evening suits made people look twice. From her beginnings as a designer of sportswear, she swiftly mastered the principles of formal attire. Clients adored the Schiaparelli look which could be seen at balls, theatres and restaurants in the world’s most cosmopolitan cities.

Perhaps more than any fashion designer of the era, Schiaparelli urged textile manufacturers to bring her their newest and best materials. In her hands, innovations such as crinkly tree‑bark textures, cellophane and even woven glass were transformed into startling and flattering eveningwear.

AV label:

Shining personalities

Bettina Ballard, the Paris correspondent for American Vogue from 1935 to 1940, described the Schiaparelli client as a particular ‘type’ who was noticed ‘wherever she went and [was] protected by an armour of amusing conversation‑making smartness’. These women recognised the transformative power of distinctive clothing, worn with panache.

Running time: approximately 4 minutes
This AV has no sound

Credits

Peggy Guggenheim
Estate of Rogi André Photo: Bibliothèque nationale de France

Gala Dalí
Bettina Bergery Papers. General Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University

Lady Jane Clark
© 2025 Man Ray 2015 Trust/DACS, London. Photo: ©2025 Man Ray Trust/ADAGP, Paris and DACS Images, London

Maud Russell
Courtesy of the Maud Russell estate/Cecil Beaton Archive ©Condé Nast © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Marie‑Laure de Noailles
© 2025 Man Ray 2015 Trust/DACS, London Photo: ©2025 Man Ray Trust/ADAGP, Paris and DACS Images, London ©2025 Salvador Dalí, Fundació Gala‑Salvador Dalí, DACS Photo courtesy Fundació Gala‑Salvador Dalí

Ruth Ford
Cecil Beaton Archive ©Condé Nast

Helena Rubinstein
© Studio Lipnitzki/BHVP/Roger‑Viollet

Diana Vreeland
Photograph by Louise Dahl‑Wolfe © Center for Creative Photography, Arizona Board of Regents Photo: Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Rani Molly of Pudukkottai
© Fashion Museum Bath

Rosalinde Gilbert
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Lady Alexandra Haig
Horst P. Horst/Condé Nast via Getty Images © Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Frances Rodney
© Estate of John Everard.Courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar UK

Elsie de Wolfe
Cecil Beaton/Condé Nast via Getty Images

Daisy Fellowes
Cecil Beaton/Condé Nast via Getty Images

Wallis Simpson
Cecil Beaton/ © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Millicent Rogers
Horst P. Horst/Condé Nast via Getty Images

Princess Jean Poniatowski
Horst P. Horst/Getty Images

Dilkusha de Rohan
Fox Photos/Getty Images

Lilí de Álvarez
Fox Photos/Getty Images

Amy Johnson
Sasha/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Marlene Dietrich
RGR Collection/Alamy Stock PhotoDeutsche Kinemathek – Marlene Dietrich Collection Berlin (Inventory Number: 4.2‑199316‑1_0234)

Josephine Baker
Bettmann/Getty ImagesChronicle/Alamy Stock Photo

Arletty
George Hoyningen‑Huene Estate Archives

Joan Crawford
Photo by Edward Steichen/Condé Nast via Getty Images

Vivien Leigh
George Hoyningen‑Huene Estate Archives

Katharine Hepburn
Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Ina Claire
George Hoyningen‑Huene/Getty Images

Zip me up

Here, two evening dresses exemplify the designer’s enthusiasm for prominent zips, a Schiaparelli design signature at a time when this still novel fastening was usually reserved for utilitarian garments. In a gown from Winter 1935, a black zip cuts almost surgically across the body. In another from Spring 1939, a zip in bright, notice‑me blue plastic is a distinctive feature.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1939, A Modern Comedy collection

Paris

Silk crêpe with plastic zip

Courtesy of Fondation Azzedine Alaïa: AA.SCH.0056

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1935, Crowns or Republics collection

Paris

Silk taffeta with plastic zip

Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection at Drexel University: 55.33.1a Gift of Mrs. Rodolphe Meyer de Schaunensee

Day and Night

Schiaparelli’s metamorphic designs inspired her friend and collaborator, the artist Salvador Dalí. The angular silhouette, prominent zips and transformable panels of the blue dress in this painting identify it as a Schiaparelli. Dalí’s double depiction of the dress framed in a dream‑like environment reveals body parts that are usually concealed.

Image: Day and Night Clothes, Salvador Dalí, 1936 Gouache on paper
© 2025 Salvador Dalí, Fundació Gala‑Salvador Dalí, DACS.
Photo: Private Collection/Bridgeman Images

Fashion in focus

Schiaparelli’s eveningwear gave photographers license to create adventurous fashion images, visually matching the artistic language of her garments. Cecil Beaton shifted towards a more surrealist aesthetic, with stark spaces cast in dramatic lighting. Horst P. Horst’s tightly cropped format echoes the strict tailoring of a collarless jacket from Schiaparelli’s Summer 1937 collection. The high camera angle accentuates the matching hat’s texture and the butterfly buttons.

Lyla Zelensky and Ruth Ford, Schiaparelli Evening Dresses

Cecil Beaton

1936

London

Gelatin silver print

V&A: 193‑1977

Collarless jacket and hat with butterfly trimmings, British Vogue, 15 March 1937

Horst P. Horst

1937

Paris

Gelatin silver print

Private Collection

Collection in focus

The circus comes to town

Schiaparelli announced the Summer 1938 Circus collection as a dazzling spectacle, ‘ A circus on Main Street with elephants, apples and toffee… and prints which challenge Barnum’s title [as] the greatest show on Earth ’. Showcasing the designer’s irrepressible creativity, the collection was popular with her fashionably adventurous clients and it received wide press coverage. The New York Times highlighted an ‘ elephant jacket, with small pachyderms appliquéd in silver on a Shocking Pink background ’.

Pink, plum suit with acrobat fastenings

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Silk twill ( jacket); metal (buttons); silk crêpe (dress)

V&A: T.395&A‑1974
Given by Ruth Ford

Plum suit with horse fastenings

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Wool, glass ( jacket); metal (buttons); silk (dress)

V&A: T.37‑1964, T.38‑1964
Given by Dorothy Otway Smithers

Pink suit with elephants

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Silk, rayon cord, metal floss, silk floss, rhinestones ( jacket); rayon (dress)

ASU FIDM Museum, Los Angeles: 2021.1796.1AB
Gift of Liz Forster in memory of Dorothy Rasmussen

Lamp

When Schiaparelli moved her couture house to 21 Place Vendôme, she hired Jean‑Michel Frank to design the interior. In turn, Frank invited sculptor Alberto Giacometti to help create the light fixtures. These shell‑like lamps perched atop simplified doric columns were dramatic focal points of a modernist scheme.

Jean‑Michel Frank and Alberto Giacometti

Wood, plaster

1935

Paris

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Evening coat

In response to the looming threat of war, Schiaparelli’s Summer 1939 collection captured a retrograde mood. Her reprise of the 19th‑century bustle resulted in a focus on the back of garments, with the House announcing, ‘ Fullness appears cunningly in unexpected places ’. In this evening coat, volume is achieved with a train which can be fastened into bustle‑like gathers.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1939, Bustle collection

Paris

Silk grosgrain

V&A: T.52‑1965
Given by Elsa Schiaparelli

Screen

Schiaparelli favoured screens painted by her artist friends as part of her interior décor. This example by her long‑standing collaborator Marcel Vertès references the Italian theatrical tradition and its influence on ballet. It shows Harlequin, in diamond patterned tights, serenading Colombine, who wears a tutu. Vertès painted these Commedia dell’arte characters around the same time as Schiaparelli launched her Modern Comedy collection.

Marcel Vertès

About 1939

Paris

Gouache on paper, laid down on wood

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

The Harlequin figure’s black mask in the Commedia dell’arte theatre tradition has been interpreted as depicting a racist stereotype.

Evening dress

After returning to Paris from New York in July 1945, Schiaparelli designed collections for the next eight years. This dress of heavily ruched silk jersey probably dates from the Autumn 1949 collection, which featured form‑hugging silhouettes achieved through shirred and gathered fabric. An exposed zip fastening runs down the front.

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1949

Paris

Silk jersey with metal zip

V&A: T.49‑1965
Given by Elsa Schiaparelli

Object label

Collection in focus

Looking back to fashion’s past

Schiaparelli’s Summer 1939 season is often posthumously referred to as the Bustle collection, suggestive of the 19th‑century padded undergarment by the same name. It included evening dresses like this, with a fullness at the small of the back. The collection’s nostalgic designs contrasted with the dark political undercurrents that were drawing Europe closer to war.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1939, Bustle collection

Paris

Silk satin, silk moiré

V&A: T.231‑1964
Given by the Honourable Pamela Sherek

Birds of a feather

Schiaparelli wore this dress to the Eiffel Tower 50th anniversary ball of June 1939. The textile print of swallows in flight suggests hope and renewal. The skirt’s cascading gathers offset a form‑fitting line. Many of the designer’s friends and clients attended the same event wearing Schiaparelli gowns, including socialite Patricia López‑Willshaw and Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1939, Bustle collection

Paris

Printed silk

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑47a,b
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

A Schiaparelli ‘sari’

Schiaparelli’s Summer and Autumn 1935 collections included European‑style evening dresses worn with head scarves, inspired by the sari wardrobe of Princess Karam of Kapurthala who visited Paris that year. Confusion ensued. The House mislabelled these dresses as ‘ ihrams ’, garments worn by Muslims during the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Harper’s Bazaar called them ‘ Hindu ’ dresses, while Vogue inaccurately used the term ‘ sari ’.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1935

Paris

Silk

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin
Vintage Luxury N.Y.

Simply heaven

Mystical, spiritual and celestial motifs are common Schiaparelli details. This dress features delicately embroidered crossed keys, the Christian symbol of the Keys of Heaven. Perhaps in reference to pending war, the House declared of this garment, ‘Things can’t be so bad after all. Life is simply heaven!’

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1939, Bustle collection

Paris

Rayon crêpe, metal thread, seed pearls, beads

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑33
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Object label

Collection in focus

Butterfly effect

A kaleidoscope of colourful butterflies, a surrealist symbol of metamorphosis, flutters across the surface of this dress. The garment embodies that season’s spirit, described by Schiaparelli as, ‘A song of birds, bees and butterflies woven on summer prints’. The shorter waltz‑length skirt, raised 15 centimetres above the floor, was a trend Schiaparelli promoted.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1937

Paris

Printed silk organza

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑49
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Evening dress

Schiaparelli’s designs for early 1950s eveningwear reflect an evolving fashionable silhouette. For this dress from her Spring 1952 collection, she explored asymmetric drapery, contributing volume to the otherwise slim skirt. Contrasting colours heighten the quintessential Schiaparelli drama.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1952

Paris

Silk satin

V&A: T.50‑1965
Given by Elsa Schiaparelli

A glittering future

Harper’s Bazaar described Schiaparelli’s Autumn 1934 collection as ‘going into dead, pure black’. This ink black evening dress is distinguished by an unusual, apron‑style over‑tunic, covered with round paillettes (sequins) radiating down to an undulating hem. Vogue, referencing this gown, declared that one could ‘look forward to a glittering future’.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1934

Paris

Silk crêpe, silk tulle (dress); cellulose acetate (paillettes)

Courtesy Fondation Azzedine Alaïa: FAA.SCH.0054

Image: Model wearing Schiaparelli’s evening dress
French Vogue, August 1934
Photograph by Horst P. Horst
Condé Nast via Getty Images

Millicent Rogers

Camouflage couture

Heiress Millicent Rogers was among Schiaparelli’s most devoted American clients. An inimitable arbiter of style, she became a philanthropist and jewellery designer. The audacious pattern of this evening dress resembles camouflage, then uncommon in fashionable attire. Four contrasting‑coloured, oversized plastic zips ensure a snug fit.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1937

Paris

Silk woven with metal thread (dress); plastic (zips)

Metropolitan Museum of Art: 2009.300.1168a‑c
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art,
Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009;
Gift of Millicent Huttleston Rogers, 1951

Image: Millicent Rogers wearing a Schiaparelli jacket,
British Vogue, 1938
Photograph by Horst P. Horst
Condé Nast via Getty Images

Evening dress

Schiaparelli’s Winter 1935 collection was a study in contrasts. Some evening dresses featured dramatically sculptural, full‑skirted silhouettes. Other, slim‑skirted designs included this brown columnar dress with horizontal gold strips. It shows off one of the collection’s most startling details, embroidered and padded round panels which accentuate the breasts.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1935

Paris

Wool crêpe

V&A: T.36‑1964
Given by Dorothy Otway Smithers

Veil

Schiaparelli closed the presentation of her Circus collection with a wedding dress paired with this extraordinary veil. The net surface is embroidered with blue beads sewn to resemble snaking tendrils of hair. The motif suggests the serpent‑haired Medusa, lending a sinister tone to this spectacular design.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Rayon net, glass beads

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑26
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

The Schiaparelli Jacket

Dazzling and daring, Elsa Schiaparelli’s jackets completed her striking evening suits, combining lavish embroidery, sumptuous textiles and unusual fastenings. Often simple in silhouette but exceptional in their embellishment, these jackets offered a canvas on which to display exquisite haute couture skills. Her tailored jackets for daywear were equally distinctive, with bold buttons and oversized pockets.

Season after season, Schiaparelli entrusted her embroidery to Maison Lesage to realise her vision, taking her collections ’ themes to adventurous heights. Lesage’s use of flat metal strips as well as playful motifs of flowers, starbursts and musical instruments, made the pieces instantly identifiable as Schiaparelli designs.

A modern twist

Roseberry collages together artistic styles and Elsa Schiaparelli’s distinctive jacket designs in this colourful piece. Fractured anatomical elements appear, motifs seen in both surrealist and cubist canvasses and in Schiaparelli garments. Eyes, lips and noses float on the wide sleeves, while gold and tasselled breasts protruding from the bodice are accentuated by swirling baroque coils.

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/ Winter 2021

Paris

Silk satin, silk faille, rhinestones, synthetic pearls, lurex, resin, metal thread

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Evening jacket

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1939

Paris

Silk satin, metal thread ( jacket); plastic, metal (buttons)

ASU FIDM Museum, Los Angeles: 2010.5.24
FIDM Museum Purchase: Funds generously donated by Barbara Bundy and Bloomingdale’s

Day jacket

Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1940

USA

Wool, velvet ( jacket); enamel (buttons)

Private Collection

Schiaparelli in America

For her 30 city lecture tour of the USA in 1940, Vogue described Schiaparelli as having arrived with ‘limited luggage, unlimited chic’. She paired jackets with both day and eveningwear, such as this one with ‘cash and carry’ pockets. The tour featured an ‘American Designed Wardrobe’ that selected US manufacturers could reproduce. The jacket with enamel globe buttons (right) represented a united world at a time of war.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1940

Paris

Rayon crinkle crêpe, silk crêpe, gilded metal thread embroidery

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑71a
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Evening jacket

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Wool, glass beads, mirrored paillettes ( jacket); painted metal (buttons)

V&A: T.392‑1974
Given by Ruth Ford

Evening jacket

Elsa Schiaparelli

1937

Paris

Wool, metal coil ( jacket); painted metal (buttons)

V&A: T.63‑1967
Given by Lady Glenconner

Evening jacket

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1939, Music collection

Paris

Silk chiffon, silk and metal thread, pearl beads ( jacket); silver (buttons)

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑23
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Hall of Mirrors

The rococo hand mirrors on this jacket were inspired by the Galerie des glaces (Hall of Mirrors) at the Palace of Versailles. They also evoke the surrealist preoccupation with mirrors as portals to a dreamworld. Schiaparelli often visited Versailles and the Villa Trianon, in its grounds, where her friend and client Elsie de Wolfe (Lady Mendl) lived and hosted grand events.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Designed Winter 1938; made Spring 1939

Paris

Silk velvet, silk crêpe, glass, faceted beads, mirror, plastic

Francesca Galloway collection, London

Home grown

Schiaparelli’s colourful pantry of carrots, cauliflowers and radishes offered a witty observation on the changing role of women during the war. Under the German occupation of France (1940–44), French women helped to contribute to their country’s economic recovery by growing fresh produce. This dinner jacket was from the last collection Schiaparelli designed before leaving Paris for the USA in May 1941.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1941

Paris

Rayon crêpe, cellulose acetate velvet, silk embroidery

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑17
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Evening jacket

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1936

Paris

Fulled wool, metal thread, paillettes

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑12
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Evening jacket

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1937

Paris

Silk velvet, metal strip

V&A: T.51‑1965
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Evening jacket

Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1947

Paris

Silk crêpe, silk taffeta, paillettes, seed pearls ( jacket); jet (buttons)

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑24
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Evening jacket

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1938, Zodiac collection

Paris

Silk crêpe, metal thread, metal strip, crystals

V&A: T.211‑2016
Given by Penny Mellor

Evening jacket

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1938, Zodiac collection

Paris

Silk velvet, metal strip, metal thread, beads, crystals

Courtesy Fondation Azzedine Alaïa: FAA.SCH.0001

Finishing Touches

Elsa Schiaparelli’s fashion accessories were utterly unconventional. Whether hats shaped as plaited hair or sized for a doll, shoes featuring stripes or leopard fur, gloves like manicured hands or whimsical bags, they acted both as conversation starters and as finishing touches. Artists designed them and looked to them for inspiration.

Today, Daniel Roseberry continues this tradition of crafting unexpected and beguiling accessories to enhance the full ensemble. A gold wig forms a glistening millinery flourish. Bags are objects of surprise, fashioned like bejewelled faces or oversized padlocks. These fashion details are repositioned as ornaments upon which to project creative imaginings.

Stockings for Schiaparelli

For the surrealists, the lowly position of legs and feet invited elevation. Drawing on Finnish traditions, Schiaparelli dressed them in brightly coloured stockings, captured here by Gisèle Freund, an advocate for colour photography celebrated for her portraits of writers and intellectuals. The photograph was published in Life magazine, alongside an article about wartime fashion in Paris.

Gisèle Freund

1940

Paris

Chromogenic print facsimile from digital negative, 2026

© Imec, Fonds MCC, Dist. Rmn / Photo Gisèle Freund. AM 1992‑189

Object lessons

When surrealist artist Meret Oppenheim needed money, she offered ideas for accessories to couturiers. Schiaparelli bought her design for a fur bracelet. Wearing it to a café, accompanied by Pablo Picasso and Dora Maar, Oppenheim was inspired to cover a teacup in fur, which resulted in the artwork Object. Maar, who had also photographed Schiaparelli looks in her commercial work, captured Object in a surrealist exhibition at the Charles Ratton Gallery.

Object by Meret Oppenheim

Dora Maar

1936

Paris

Inkjet print facsimile from digital negative, 2026

© ADAGP, Paris © Centre Pompidou, MNAM‑CCI, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn / image Centre Pompidou, MNAM‑CCIAM2004‑0163 (975)

Meret Oppenheim

Man Ray

1933

Paris

Gelatin silver print

V&A: PH.68‑1984

Nusch Éluard

Model behaviour

Nusch Éluard modelled for Schiaparelli and wore her couture. As a central figure in the surrealist movement, she made photocollages, sat for Man Ray and Picasso, and inspired poetry by her husband Paul Éluard. Man Ray photographed her holding Schiaparelli’s gleaming egg‑shaped purse (displayed nearby) and a reflective fan, which he wired to Harper’s Bazaar for immediate publication.

Angel clips

Designed by Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

1937

Paris

Gilt bronze

Collection of William Wain

Image: Nusch Éluard wearing Schiaparelli evening dress from the Summer 1935 collection, 1935

Photograph by Man Ray

Centre Pompidou: AM 1994‑393 (4994)

Hand in glove

Schiaparelli’s gloves often exploited their uncanny similarity to disembodied human hands. She made her first gloves with faux fingernails in 1928. After Man Ray photographed hands painted to resemble gloves by Pablo Picasso, Schiaparelli revisited the idea for her Winter 1936 collection. Hands also appear in her brooches. In an otherworldly portrait of fellow photographer Dora Maar, Man Ray superimposed a Schiaparelli brooch featuring two entwined hands, echoing the position of Maar’s own hand and disrupting the sense of scale.

Hands painted by Pablo Picasso

Man Ray

1935

Paris

Gelatin silver print

Centre Pompidou: AM 1994‑394 (2444)

Dora Maar

Man Ray

1936

Paris

Gelatin silver print

The Collection of Sir Elton John and David Furnish

Hand brooch

Possibly made by Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

1937

Paris

Bakelite, gilt metal

Collection of William Wain

Nusch Éluard

When Nusch Éluard arrived at Pablo Picasso’s studio wearing a Schiaparelli hat with a horseshoe motif and a pair of angelic clips on her lapels, Picasso immediately painted her portrait. He was fascinated by the hat’s angular form which he compared to an anvil. Schiaparelli admired Picasso’s work and owned his painting, Birds in a Cage, from the same year as the portrait of Éluard.

Pablo Picasso

1937

Paris

Oil on canvas

Musée national Picasso‑Paris: MP 1990‑19

1 Four stocking samples

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1940

Paris

Nylon, card

ASU FIDM Museum, Los Angeles: 2023.1832.3A‑D
Gift of the Jimmy Raye Collection, Salem, MA

2 Pink striped gloves

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1950

Paris

Silk

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑59b,c
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

3 Pink and orange gloves

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1939, Music collection

Paris

Silk velvet

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑70a,b
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

4 Pink gloves

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Silk crêpe

V&A: T.393:B,C‑1974
Given by Ruth Ford

5 Pair of hair combs

Elsa Schiaparelli

1935

Paris

Tortoiseshell, gilt metal

V&A: T.409&A‑1974
Given by Lady Frieda Valentine

6 Bag

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Rayon satin (bag); silk velvet (drawstrings); cotton, rayon, silk velvet (flowers and leaves)

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin Vintage Luxury N.Y.

7 Egg‑shaped minaudière

Elsa Schiaparelli

1935

Paris

Hard enamel, chrome, silvered leather

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin Vintage Luxury N.Y.

8 Dragonfly diadem

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Paris

Glass, horn, brass, bronze, cold enamel

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin Vintage Luxury N.Y.

9 Pink and white boots

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1939

Paris

Leather (boots); mother‑of‑pearl (buttons)

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑58a,b
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Image: Elsa Schiaparelli bowling in St. Moritz wearing her leopard fur boots, 1949
© Lee Miller Archives, England 2026
All rights reserved. leemiller.co.uk

10 Leopard fur boots

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1939

Paris

Leopard fur, leather (boots); mother‑of‑pearl (buttons)

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑56a,b
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

11 Mittens

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Silk, metal

V&A: T.412&A‑1974
Given by Ruth Ford

12 White gloves

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1939, Music collection

Paris

Silk georgette, metal and silk thread, stones, seed pearls, sequins, metal

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑64a,b
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

13 Purple gloves

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1939, Music collection

Paris

Silk crêpe, metal and silk thread, pearls

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑67a,b
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

14 Black gloves

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1939, Music collection

Paris

Silk georgette, metal thread, beads

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑65a,b
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

1 Hat

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/Winter 2025

Paris

Black wool felt, synthetic pearls

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

2 Bag

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2022

Paris

Calf leather, lambskin, gold brass, enamel

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

3 Hat

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/Winter 2025

Paris

Silk velvet, washed satin faille

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

4 Bag

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2022

Paris

Gold brass, Swarovski rhinestones, lambskin

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

5 Bag

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/Winter 2023

Paris

Golden brass, Swarovski rhinestones

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

6 Hat

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2021

Paris

Painted resin

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

7 Bag

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2023

Paris

Schima superba wood, golden brass, enamel

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

8 Gloves

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2023

Paris

Calf leather, Swarovski rhinestones, resin

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

9 Mask

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2021

Paris

Golden brass, resin, Swarovski crystals

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

10 Bag

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2021

Paris

Golden brass, enamel

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

11 Hat

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/Winter 2024

Paris

Silk velvet, goat hair

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Hats

At a time when hats were required daytime wear for women, Elsa Schiaparelli offered provocative options. Schiaparelli hats were made from materials as varied as wool felt, plant fibre or fur. Some of her more surprising millinery designs included a birdcage, a circus tent and even a lambchop. Referencing such flourishes, she once said, ‘ The spirit of infectious good humour can be created even through women’s hats. I like to amuse myself through some of my creations. If I didn’t, I should die.’

Black doll‑sized hat with lace

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Paris

Wool felt, lace

V&A: T.411‑1974
Given by Ruth Ford

White large‑brimmed hat with insects

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Paris

Polyvinyl acetate fibre, metal

V&A: T.427‑1974
Given by Lady Alexandra Trevor‑Roper

Burgundy hat

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1940

Paris

Silk taffeta, silk velvet

ASU FIDM Museum, Los Angeles: 2017.5.22 FIDM Museum Purchase: Funds raised by the FIDM Museum Fashion Council, 2017

Red plait‑shaped hat

Elsa Schiaparelli

1951

Paris

Wool

Courtesy Fondation Azzedine Alaïa: FAA.SCH.0089

Black folded hat

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1935

Paris

Waxed satin

Courtesy Fondation Azzedine Alaïa: FAA.SCH.0093

Plaited straw hat with flowers

Elsa Schiaparelli

1939

Paris

Straw, cotton

ASU FIDM Museum, Los Angeles: 2014.5.5 FIDM Museum Purchase in honor of Ken Weber

Brown plant fibre hat

Elsa Schiaparelli

1930

Paris

Woven plant fibre

V&A: T.271‑1975
Given by Lady Moorea Black

Hat with yellow, pink and blue feathers

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1945

Paris

Silk satin, feathers

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑62
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Black straw hat

Elsa Schiaparelli

1938

Paris

Straw

V&A: T.415‑1974
Given by Lady Frieda Valentine

Hats

At a time when hats were required daytime wear for women, Elsa Schiaparelli offered provocative options. Schiaparelli hats were made from materials as varied as wool felt, plant fibre or fur. Some of her more surprising millinery designs included a birdcage, a circus tent and even a lambchop. Referencing such flourishes, she once said, ‘The spirit of infectious good humour can be created even through women’s hats. I like to amuse myself through some of my creations. If I didn’t, I should die.’

Black doll‑sized hat with lace

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Paris

Wool felt, lace

V&A: T.411‑1974
Given by Ruth Ford

Pink striped hat

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1950

Paris

Silk

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑59a
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Black hat with fur trim

Elsa Schiaparelli

1930s

Paris

Wool felt, mink fur

V&A: T.44‑2000
Given by the Right Honourable Mrs Drummond, in memory of her mother Frances Farquarson

Blue plaited straw hat

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1951

Paris

Straw

Courtesy Fondation Azzedine Alaïa: FAA.SCH.0094

Black hat with feathers

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1935

Paris

Black felt, corded silk, cockerel feathers

Fashion Museum Bath: BATMC 1.12.209
Given by Lady Moorea Black

Green hat with pleated brim

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1935

Paris

Wool

Courtesy Fondation Azzedine Alaïa: FAA.SCH.0090

Black and orange hat

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1935

Paris

Wool

Courtesy Fondation Azzedine Alaïa: FAA.SCH.0060

Pink and green hat

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1955

Paris

Silk

V&A: T.284‑1991
Given by Ruth Walton

Fur‑trimmed hat with blue and yellow feathers

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1948

Paris

Wool felt, mink fur, net, kingfisher and gull feathers

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑60
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Head over heels

Surrealism turned the world on its head. Allowing the subconscious mind to express itself, surrealism explored the erotic potential of clothing from head to toe. The Shoe hat was inspired by Gala Dalí placing a shoe on her husband, Salvador’s, head. Gala owned this version of the hat with a Shocking Pink heel, while others are completely black. She posed for a photograph in the Shoe hat alongside Dalí’s mannequin‑like sculpture, Retrospective Bust of a Woman.

Shoe hat

Elsa Schiaparelli with Salvador Dalí

1937–38

Paris

Wool felt, silk velvet

V&A: T.2‑2009

Image: Gala Dalí wearing the Shoe hat, with Salvador Dalí's sculpture titled Retrospective Bust of a Woman, 1938
Photograph by André Caillet
Photo: André Caillet.
Provided by the archive of Fundació Gala‑Salvador Dalí

Art fascinated Elsa Schiaparelli and shaped her social circle and design philosophy. She worked at the centre of a constellation of painters, sculptors, photographers, writers and artisans. In Paris in the late 1920s and 1930s, she found affinity with the surrealists who embraced the absurd, erotic and subversive – qualities they often found in clothing. Both at her invitation and on their own initiative, artists created designs for Schiaparelli garments, accessories, perfume bottles and jewellery. Skilled artisans realised their visions through techniques from embroidery and silkscreen printing to glassblowing and metalsmithing.

Schiaparelli also commissioned artists to design her advertising and boutiques. Her taste was eclectic, as reflected in numerous portraits of her in a range of styles, made by her artist friends.

Schiaparelli’s collaborations enhanced her reputation. While rival designer Gabrielle ‘ Coco ’ Chanel dismissed Schiaparelli as ‘ that Italian artist who’s making clothes ’, her work with other creatives resulted in some of her most memorable designs.

Artist Collaborations

Two artists stand out for their fantastical collaborations with Elsa Schiaparelli over multiple seasons. Spaniard Salvador Dalí was a leading proponent of Surrealism, known for precisely painted dreamlike images, and Jean Cocteau was a French avant‑garde writer, artist and intellectual who blurred modernity and classicism, fantasy and reality.

Both were interested in metamorphosis and they recognised the transformative power of Schiaparelli’s work. While Dalí lauded her premises on Place Vendôme as the beating heart of surrealist Paris, Cocteau characterised it as an otherworldly laboratory.

Artist’s model

Schiaparelli made herself the face of her fashion house and worked with artists to shape its visual identity. She favoured photographers like long‑time friend Man Ray who used uncanny props and darkroom techniques such as solarisation which reverses tones to create halo effects. In one photograph, Schiaparelli wears a dress from her Autumn 1931 collection with trompe l’oeil pleats painted by Art Deco designer Jean Dunand. In others, she sports a fanciful wig by hairdresser Antoine de Paris. Man Ray superimposed a plaster torso onto the portrait he published in the surrealist magazine Minotaure.

1 Elsa Schiaparelli, New York

Irving Penn

1948

New York

Gelatin silver print

The Irving Penn Foundation

2 Elsa Schiaparelli

Man Ray

1931– 33

Paris

Gelatin silver print

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

3 Elsa Schiaparelli

Teddy Piaz

1940

Paris

Gelatin silver print

Musée Jean Cocteau Collection Séverin Wunderman: 2005.1.1006

4 Elsa Schiaparelli

Horst P. Horst

1937

Paris

Gelatin silver print

Private Collection

5 Elsa Schiaparelli with a torso

Man Ray

1933

Paris

Gelatin silver print

Collection SFMOMA The Helen Crocker Russell and William H. and Ethel W. Crocker Family Funds purchase: 80.348

6 Elsa Schiaparelli with a wig

Man Ray

About 1934

Paris

Gelatin silver print

Musée Cantini de la Ville de Marseille

7 Elsa Schiaparelli

Man Ray

1938

Paris

Gelatin silver print

Centre Pompidou: AM 1994‑394 (3839)

8 Elsa Schiaparelli

Cecil Beaton

1944

New York

Gelatin silver print

Private Collection

Elsa Schiaparelli

Schiaparelli wore her own designs for portraits by artist friends. Art Deco designer Jean Dunand painted her in an evening gown made of Rayesca, a crêpe fabric with a distinctive herringbone pattern, favoured by Schiaparelli and ideally suited to Dunand’s crisp, modernist style. The dress was one of her most popular designs from the Autumn 1933 collection.

Jean Dunand

1933

Paris

Lacquer on wood

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Torn apart

The trompe l'oeil print on this dress gives the impression of torn fabric, perhaps even flesh. The disquieting design becomes three‑dimensional on the accompanying tent veil. It is connected to a series of unsettling paintings by Dalí featuring women in dresses torn to varying degrees. One of these (shown opposite) was in Schiaparelli’s own art collection. The head of flowers may reference Schiaparelli’s claim that, as a child, she planted flower seeds in her nose and mouth in order to grow more beautiful.

Torn dress and veil

Elsa Schiaparelli with Salvador Dalí

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Viscose rayon, silk

V&A: T.393&A‑1974
Given by Ruth Ford

Necrophiliac Spring

Salvador Dalí

1936

Paris

Oil on canvas

Private Collection

Direct dial

Dalí and Schiaparelli’s collaborations started small. In typically surrealist style, they exploited the tactile intimacy of a rotary telephone dial by transforming it into a pressed‑powder compact. This was one of the attention‑grabbing accessories Schiaparelli added to her first themed collection — Stop, Look and Listen — which marked the opening of her new premises on Place Vendôme. The compact could be personalised with an engraved monogram. The design proved so popular that it was long reproduced.

Black compact

Elsa Schiaparelli with Salvador Dalí

1935

Paris

Lacquer, glass, golden brass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Tortoiseshell compact Elsa Schiaparelli with Salvador Dalí

1935

Paris

Lacquer, paper, glass, golden brass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Blue compact

Elsa Schiaparelli with Salvador Dalí

About 1950

Paris

Metal, paper and plastic

ASU FIDM Museum, Los Angeles: 2016.1250.2A‑C
Gift of Joan Beer Damask & Donald Damask

Wallis Simpson

Wedding feast

American socialite Wallis Simpson gained international fame in 1936 when King Edward VIII abdicated the British throne to marry her. A Schiaparelli client, in 1937 she ordered an avant‑garde wedding trousseau which included a version of the Lobster dress. She was photographed wearing the dress — with the provocatively placed lobster — by official royal photographer Cecil Beaton.

Lobster dinner dress

Elsa Schiaparelli with Salvador Dalí

Summer 1937

Paris

Printed silk organza, synthetic horsehair

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑52
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Image: Wallis Simpson wearing the Lobster dress, 1937
Photograph by Cecil Beaton
V&A: PH.2843‑1987
Bequeathed by Eileen Hose, secretary to the photographer, 1987

Shellfish desire

Lobsters were a prevailing motif for Salvador Dalí, who considered them sexually charged. For Schiaparelli beachwear, he drew a lobster among parsley, which was transferred to silk by designer Paul Sache (shown opposite). Dalí then proposed applying the design to a simple high‑waisted dinner dress, suggestively positioning the creature on the skirt. He also planned to add real mayonnaise. When poet Edward James commissioned Dalí to make the Lobster Telephone, it reflected the free flow of ideas between artist, designer and writer.

Lobster Telephone

Salvador Dalí

1938

Europe

Steel, plaster, rubber, resin, paper

Tate: Purchased 1981. T03257

Lobster print textile

Elsa Schiaparelli with Salvador Dalí; silk printing by Paul Sache

Spring 1937

Paris

Printed silk organza

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑52
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Lobster print textile

Elsa Schiaparelli with Salvador Dalí; silk printing by Paul Sache

Spring 1937

Paris

Printed silk organza

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑52
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Group label

Exquisite corpse

The macabre beauty of skeletons fascinated the surrealists. Schiaparelli collaborated with Dalí on this dress, bringing a skeleton to life using the trapunto quilting technique, stitching the outline through two layers of fabric with wadding. The sheer material, combined with the padded spine, ribcage, collarbones and hip joints, suggests we are seeing the wearer’s own flesh and bones. This is the only known original of the Skeleton dress. In Dalí’s drawing (displayed nearby) skeletons pose like fashion models.

Skeleton dress

Elsa Schiaparelli with Salvador Dalí

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Silk crêpe with plastic zips

V&A: T.394&A‑1974
Given by Ruth Ford

Skeleton Woman

Salvador Dalí

About 1938

Paris

Ink and pencil on paper

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Desk job

Schiaparelli’s navy‑blue and black velvet Bureau suit for Winter 1936 featured drawer‑shaped pockets with hard plastic pulls. The soft sculpture transformed the wearer into an animate item of furniture. It was inspired by this drawing by Salvador Dalí who, in this period, added drawers to figures in paintings, sculptures and this cover for the surrealist magazine Minotaure. Cecil Beaton photographed models wearing the Bureau suit against a Dalí‑inspired backdrop for Vogue, with one model holding a copy of Minotaure.

Anthropomorphic Cabinet

Salvador Dalí

1936

Paris

Ink and pencil on paper

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Minotaure

Cover designed by Salvador Dalí

June 1936

Paris

Colour halftone print on paper

Chelsea College of Arts Library, University of the Arts London

Schiaparelli Bureau suit

Cecil Beaton

1936

Paris

Inkjet print facsimile, 2026

Condé Nast via Getty Images

Ruth Ford

Top billing

American actress and model Ruth Ford wore some of Schiaparelli's most theatrical designs. Surrealist patron and poet Edward James paid for many of them, amassing this astronomical bill for 86,237 French francs in about 6 months. He bought neckties featuring small zebras for himself while everything else was for friends, including the Torn dress and the Skeleton dress (displayed nearby) for Ford. Her later donation of Schiaparelli garments to the V&A was the largest from a single client.

Schiaparelli invoice

Maison Schiaparelli

1938

Paris

Ink on paper

On loan from West Dean
(The Edward James Foundation): EJA/1/82/1

Image: Ruth Ford wearing an evening cape by Elsa Schiaparelli, about 1935

Photograph by Cecil Beaton

Cecil Beaton Archive © Condé Nast

Object label

Elsa Schiaparelli

Artist, playwright and filmmaker Jean Cocteau appreciated the theatricality of Schiaparelli’s dramatic capes and coats. These were often embellished with eye‑catching details like the silk roses stitched onto an evening coat (shown nearby). Cocteau’s simple outline drawing shows a cape with a hand protruding from the garment. For surrealists, disembodied hands held symbolic, often sexual, meaning.

Jean Cocteau

1937

Paris

Pencil on paper

Musée Jean Cocteau, Collection Séverin Wunderman: 1.514

Harper’s Bazaar

Illustrations by Jean Cocteau

July 1937

Drawn in Paris; printed in New York

Colour halftone print on paper

V&A: NCOL.419‑2025

Drawings

Jean Cocteau

About 1936

Paris

Pencil and coloured pencil on cardboard

On loan from West Dean (The Edward James Foundation): EJA/ 1/ 22/ 8a; EJA/ 1/ 22/ 9a

Mirror, mirror

Schiaparelli launched her Spring 1937 collection to mark the Exposition Internationale in Paris, where she exhibited alongside other artists and designers, many reviving an aesthetic inspired by ancient Greece and Rome. Jean Cocteau blended classical motifs and surrealist techniques in his drawings of mirrored, kissing faces which, in profile, trace an urn of roses and a draped cloth (shown nearby). The image was embroidered onto the reverse of this coat, with stitched golden lines creating an illusionistic fluted column below.

Evening coat

Elsa Schiaparelli with Jean Cocteau

Spring 1937

Designed in Paris; made in London

Silk jersey, gilded metal and silk thread, appliquéed silk

V&A: T.59‑2005
Given by the American Friends of the V&A

Drawings

Jean Cocteau

About 1936

Paris

Pencil and coloured pencil on cardboard

On loan from West Dean (The Edward James Foundation): EJA/ 1/ 22/ 8a; EJA/ 1/ 22/ 9a

Hand crafted

Cocteau’s whimsical, linear drawing style complemented Schiaparelli’s clean tailoring. Following his design, Maison Lesage embroidered this jacket with a figure in profile, its face appearing on the shoulder with hair flowing down one sleeve in a cascade of golden bugle beads. The floating hand uncannily holds a sequinned handkerchief around the waist. Cocteau drew an illustration of this look for Harper’s Bazaar (shown nearby) in which the figure’s profile mirrors that shown on the jacket, its hand clutching a scarf.

Dinner jacket

Elsa Schiaparelli with Jean Cocteau

Spring 1937

Paris

Linen, gilded metal and silk thread, beads, paillettes

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑22
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Harper’s Bazaar

Illustrations by Jean Cocteau

July 1937

Drawn in Paris; printed in New York

Colour halftone print on paper
V&A: NCOL.419 ‑2025

Fashion illustrations

As eccentric as he was talented, Christian Bérard drew fashion illustrations for the leading magazines. His lyrical style animated the figure‑hugging ‘cigarette’ silhouette of these evening dresses from Schiaparelli's Winter 1939 collection. Affectionally known as Bébé, Schiaparelli said of him, ‘To be approved and admired – and sometimes befriended – by Bébé was a consecration in the artistic, social and intellectual world of Paris’.

Christian Bérard

1939

Gouache on paper

Paris

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Object label

21 Place Vendôme

The column at the centre of Place Vendôme, erected by Emperor Napoleon I, has become a distinctive landmark associated with Schiaparelli. In this collage of Elsa Schiaparelli’s greatest moments, created by her long‑standing collaborator Marcel Vertès, fashion models rather than soldiers twist up the monument. These are interspersed with other recognisable motifs, including eyes, lips and a measuring tape.

Marcel Vertès

1953

Paris

Paper and watercolour on wood

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Dress and hat

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry; hat by Stephen Jones Millinery

Autumn/ Winter 2021

Paris

Wool, silk, velvet (dress); felt, vinyl (hat)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Perfume

Elsa Schiaparelli launched her first perfume, S, in 1928, shortly after establishing her fashion collections. This unisex fragrance marked the beginning of a series of successful scents, driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and described by the press as sharing ‘ the same tangy, unexpected quality of Schiaparelli clothes ’.

At the premises on Place Vendôme, a large golden birdcage, conceived by interior designer Jean‑Michel Frank, enclosed the perfume section of the ground‑floor boutique. Frank was one of many skilled specialists among Schiaparelli’s network of creative perfume partners who, along with Salvador Dalí, Leonor Fini and Marcel Vertès, produced striking bottles and advertisements.

Advertisement for Salut de Schiaparelli

Schiaparelli hired avant‑garde photographer Ilse Bing to create advertisements for her new trio of fragrances – Schiap for daytime, Soucis for late afternoon and Salut for evening. This solarised image depicts Bettina Bergery, Schiaparelli’s right hand at Place Vendôme. She poses surrounded by lilies to evoke the perfume’s floral scent.

Ilse Bing

1934

Paris

Gelatin silver print from solarised negative, 1988

V&A: E.3073‑2004
Bequest of Ilse Bing Wolff

Salut

For Salut, Schiaparelli turned to Jean‑Michel Frank who designed a bottle with clean lines and contrasting cork packaging. The fragrance was a success with one journalist commenting, ‘ This is what Salut does for a girl… A drop behind each ear and you feel you ’ve had good news. A spray around your neck and Marlene Dietrich had better look out ’.

Jean‑Michel Frank for Elsa Schiaparelli

1934

Paris

Glass (bottle); cork (packaging)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Schiap

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

1934

Paris

Glass (bottle); card (packaging)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Object label

Snuff

Snuff was Schiaparelli’s only perfume for men. The bottle, shaped like a pipe and sold in a tobacco box, references artist René Magritte’s 1929 painting The Treachery of Images, which depicts a pipe with the contradictory phrase, ‘ This is not a pipe ’. By alluding to this artwork, Schiaparelli reflects its playful approach to perceptions of reality.

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939

Paris

Glass (bottle); paper (box); celluloid (filling)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Image: La Trahison des images, René Magritte, 1929
Oil on canvas
Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Le Roy Soleil

This fragrance was an homage to Louis XIV, the Sun King. It was produced in a limited edition of 2,000 crystal bottles created by historic French glassmaker Baccarat and packaged in oversized, gilded metal seashells. Salvador Dalí, who designed the bottle, created an illusionistic effect on the flacon’s stopper where sun, sky and birds converge to form a face.

Salvador Dalí for Elsa Schiaparelli; manufactured by Baccarat

1947

Paris

Baccarat crystal (bottle); enamel gold lacquer (stopper); silk satin, velvet, card, metal (shell)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Advertisement for Le Roy Soleil de Schiaparelli

Marcel Vertès

About 1947

Paris

Off‑set lithograph

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Shocking

Schiaparelli commissioned her friend, artist Leonor Fini, to design the bottle of her most famous perfume, Shocking. Its shape was modelled on the dress form of actress Mae West, then in Schiaparelli’s atelier (workshop), and featured a measuring tape around the shoulders. Fini, whose surrealist artworks often referenced clothing, was disappointed by the addition of small flowers to her design by Schiaparelli’s commercial director. Schiaparelli called on illustrator and costume designer Marcel Vertès to create the advertisements for Shocking. He breathed humour onto the magazine page, often animating the bottles by depicting them in unusual locations such as a painter’s studio or a horseracing track.

Shocking de Schiaparelli, window display bottle

Leonor Fini for Elsa Schiaparelli

1937

Paris

Glass, cardboard, paper, cotton

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Shocking de Schiaparelli

Leonor Fini for Elsa Schiaparelli

1937

Paris

Glass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Shocking, artist’s studio

Marcel Vertès

About 1937

Paris

Off‑set lithograph

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Shocking, horseracing track

Marcel Vertès

About 1937

Paris

Off‑set lithograph

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Sleeping

Sleeping debuted in Schiaparelli’s collection of Summer 1940 with a bottle and packaging designed to look like a lit candle and a snuffer. Marketed as a nighttime scent to be spritzed on before bed, the perfume alluded to the surrealist fascination with dreams and the unconscious. The turquoise cone also announced the new Schiaparelli colour for that season, Sleeping Blue.

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

1940

Paris

Glass (bottle); paper, card, metal (packaging)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Advertisement for Sleeping de Schiaparelli

Marcel Vertès

About 1940

Paris

Off‑set lithograph

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Succès Fou

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

1952

Paris

Glass, enamel, gold leaf (bottle); card (packaging)

V&A: C.86:1 to 4‑2025
Given by Susan Marks in Memory of Diana June Simons née Davies

Sport

Schiaparelli’s entrepreneurial flair extended to her perfume business. In addition to commissioning artists to create the packaging and advertisements, she also initiated partnerships with high profile companies. For the eau de toilette edition of her Sport scent, Schiaparelli and champagne house G.H. Mumm imagined this festive miniature replica bottle design.

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

1952

Paris

Glass, aluminium (bottle); card (packaging)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Zut

Fernand Guéry‑Colas for Elsa Schiaparelli; manufactured by Verreries Brosse

1937

Paris

Glass (bottle); silk (ribbon); card (packaging)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Bijoux

Like her fashion accessories, Schiaparelli’s buttons and jewellery were designed to be noticed. They often expressed, in miniature, the essence of each collection. Acrobats and bears complemented the Circus collection, while leaves and insects accompanied Pagan.

To produce these pieces, Schiaparelli collaborated with many talented specialists, including Jean Clément, François Hugo and Jean Schlumberger.

Working with artists gave Schiaparelli ‘ a sense of exhilaration ’. Jean Cocteau, Alberto Giacometti and Elsa Triolet were also among those who made imaginative proposals.

Daniel Roseberry continues to embrace the absurd and amusing. His jewellery can reference doves in flight, golden padlocks and bejewelled anatomy such as hearts, eyes and ears.

Buttons (side 1)

Cat

Elena Izcue for Elsa Schiaparelli

1929

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Mother‑of‑pearl rim

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Mother-of-pearl, silver, metal

V&A: T.127‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Coiled chain

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver, enamel

V&A: T.123‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Black and Gold star

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

1942

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Gold swirl

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver

V&A: T.126‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Red and white profile

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

1930s

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Red, white and blue enamel

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Metal, enamel

V&A: T.132‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Adam and Eve

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

Late 1930s

France

Ceramic, brass, enamel

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Profile with hand

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

1930s

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Twisted wire and blue enamel

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Metal, enamel

V&A: T.134‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Dog’s head

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1950

France

Leather, brass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Horn and metal

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Horn, gilt silver

V&A: T.136‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Padlock

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

1940

France

Wood, brass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Stag’s head

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1950

France

Leather, brass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Marbled blue enamel

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Copper, enamel

V&A: T.138‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Door knocker

Possibly made by Line Vautrin for Elsa Schiaparelli

1930

France

Gilt bronze

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Diamanté flower

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

Paris

Metal, celluloid, diamanté, paste

V&A: T.149‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Plumed hat

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1937–38

France

Plaster

V&A: T.428‑1974

Given by Lady Alexandra Trevor‑Roper

Hazelnut

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1930s

France

Wood, brass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Blue and purple enamel

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Silver-gilt, enamel

V&A: T.149A‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Peanut

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

1930s

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

White, red and blue circle

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Silver-gilt, enamel

V&A: T.105‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Butterfly

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

1937

Paris

Resin, metal

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Yellow S

Gisèle Favre for Elsa Schiaparelli

1940

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Enamelled with concentric rings François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver, enamel

V&A: T.148‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Woman’s head

Possibly made by Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

Early 1930s

France

Painted resin

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Turquoise and gold flower

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver, enamel

V&A: T.104‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Looped wire

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver, wire

V&A: T.122‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Black head

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1940–49

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Three‑leafed clover

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver

V&A: T.117‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

White head

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1940–49

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Black star

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

1930s

Paris

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Green spiral

Elsa Triolet for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1928–32

Paris

Glass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Bee on a flower

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

1930s

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Yellow leather

Ardor Atelier for Elsa Schiaparelli

Early 1930s

France

Leather

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Cat eye

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

Late 1940s

France

Glass, metal

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Red leather

Ardor Atelier for Elsa Schiaparelli

Early 1930s

France

Leather

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

The Hunter (Figure with raised arms)

Alberto Giacometti for Elsa Schiaparelli

1935–39

Paris

Bronze

Greens of Cheltenham Ltd

Ram’s head

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

1930s

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Pink leather

Ardor Atelier for Elsa Schiaparelli

Early 1930s

France

Leather

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Blue eye

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

Late 1940s

France

Brass, enamel

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Buttons (side 2)

Lizard

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Metal, enamel

V&A: T.146‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Daisy

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Metal, enamel, plaster, silver foil

V&A: T.142-1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Black petals

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Glazed ceramic

V&A: T.125‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

The Hunter (Figure with raised arms)

Alberto Giacometti for Elsa Schiaparelli

1935–39

Paris

Bronze

Greens of Cheltenham Ltd

Snake and apple

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

Late 1930s

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Femme aux Bras Levés (Woman with raised arms)

Alberto Giacometti for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1938

France

Bronze

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Stone

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1941

France

Granite, metal

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Green leaf

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Metal, enamel

V&A: T.143‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Gold cherub

Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

1937–38

France

Leather, velvet, brass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Honeycomb

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1943

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Gold swirls

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

Gilt silver

France

V&A: T.120‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Grey and red flower

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Glazed earthenware, silver, enamel

V&A: T.137-1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Blue and gold

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver, enamel

V&A: T.141‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Green bird

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Glazed earthenware

V&A: T.116‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Dragon

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Glazed earthenware

V&A: T.145-1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Gold lattice

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver

V&A: T.121‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Spotted blue motif

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver, enamel

V&A: T.144-1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Leaf

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver

V&A: T.113‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

S shape

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

1942

France

Enamelled ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Turquoise dragon

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

Late 1930s

France

Ceramic

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Gold and red pattern

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver, felt

V&A: T.129‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Red petals

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Glazed earthenware, silver

V&A: T.111-1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Round turquoise

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Foil, metal, enamel

V&A: T.140‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Braided border

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver, wire, enamel

V&A: T.109‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Black and blue pricked motif

François Hugo for Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Glazed earthenware, enamel

V&A: T.147-1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Enamel cream

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Metal, enamel

V&A: T.114‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Duck

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver, enamel

V&A: T.107-1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Golden flower

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver, metal

V&A: T.131‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Drums

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1939, Music collection

France

Plaster

V&A: T.429&A,B-1974

Given by Lady Alexandra Trevor‑Roper

Duckling

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver, enamel

V&A: T.103-1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Concave gold

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt silver

V&A: T.118‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Translucent with foliage

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

Paris

Glass, resin, brass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Turquoise with twisted wires

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Gilt metal, enamel

V&A: T.139‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Pelican and fish

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Glazed clay

V&A: T.112‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Translucent with bird motif

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1930s

Paris

Glass, resin, brass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Fossil

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Glazed clay

V&A: T.110‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Colourful S

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

1940

France

Brass, enamel

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Grey with ridges

François Hugo for Elsa Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Metal, enamel

V&A: T.133‑1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Turquoise with diamanté

François Hugo for Schiaparelli

1939–45

France

Metal, foil, diamanté

V&A: T.130-1965

Given by Dr L.V. Beck

Jewellery

1 White necklace

Elsa Triolet for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1930

France

Glass, chrome, cotton

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin

Vintage Luxury N.Y.

2 Rabbit brooch and clips

Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

France

Brass, bronze, cold enamel

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin

Vintage Luxury N.Y.

3 Elephant clip

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

France

Gilt metal, Bakelite, imitation pearls

William Wain Collection

4 Bear brooch

Jean Schlumberger for Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Brass, glass, imitation pearls

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

5 Leopard paw brooch

Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1939

France

Metal, enamel

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin

Vintage Luxury N.Y.

6 Bat brooch

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

1938

France

Brass, bronze, cold enamel, glass

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin

Vintage Luxury N.Y.

7 Dog and donkey brooches

Lucien Neuquelman for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1938

France

Glazed ceramic, metal

Collection of Jennifer Anne Gibson

8 Squirrel brooch

Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

France

Gilt bronze, enamel

William Wain Collection

9 Royalists and Republicans necklace

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1935, Crowns or Republics collection

France

Brass, bronze, cold enamel

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin

Vintage Luxury N.Y.

10 Acrobat necklace with matching brooch

Attributed Roger Jean Pierre for Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1939, A Modern Comedy collection

France

Gilt metal, coloured pastes, enamel

William Wain Collection

11 Necklace with bows

Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Paris

Gilt metal, enamel

William Wain Collection

12 Miniature hand clip

Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1936-37

Enamel and metal

Paris

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin

Vintage Luxury N.Y.

13 Mirror brooch

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

1935

France

Gilt metal, mirror

William Wain Collection

14 Green hat brooch

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1935, Crowns or Republics collection

France

Leather, gilt metal, glass

William Wain Collection

15 Ostrich hair pins

Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

Paris

Brass, bronze, cold enamel, glass

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin

Vintage Luxury N.Y.

16 Blue bird brooch

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1939, Bustle collection

France

Brass, bronze, cold enamel, glass

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin

Vintage Luxury N.Y.

17 Parrot brooch

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1939, Bustle collection

France

Brass, bronze, cold enamel, glass

William Wain Collection

18 Gallic rooster brooch

Possibly made by Jean Schlumberger or Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1935, Crowns or Republics collection

France

Gilt metal, enamel, glass, paste pearls

William Wain Collection

19 Duck hat pins

Lina Baretti for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Paris

Gilded metal, suede, paste, imitation pearls, wire

William Wain Collection

20 Parachute brooch

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1936, Parachute collection

Possibly France

Brass, bronze, cold enamel

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin

Vintage Luxury N.Y.

21 Hot air balloon brooch

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1940

France

Metal, enamel, rhinestones

Lent by The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology: 84.173.3

Gift of Simeon Braguin

22 Harlequin head clip

Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1939, A Modern Comedy collection

Paris

Gilt metal, coloured pastes, enamel

William Wain Collection

The Harlequin figure’s black mask in the Commedia dell’arte theatre tradition has been interpreted as depicting a racist stereotype.

23 Clown brooch

Possibly made by Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1939, A Modern Comedy collection

Paris

Gilt metal, enamel

William Wain Collection

24 Drummer brooch

Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

France

Gilt metal, enamel, glass

William Wain Collection

25 Harlequin brooch

Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1939, A Modern Comedy collection

France

Gilt metal, enamel

William Wain Collection

The Harlequin figure’s black mask in the Commedia dell’arte theatre tradition has been interpreted as depicting a racist stereotype.

26 Jester clip

Possibly made by Max Boinet for Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection

France

Gilt metal, clear paste

William Wain Collection

27 Leaf necklace

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Paris

Gilt metal on fabric mount

William Wain Collection

28 Choker

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Paris

Silk and velvet ribbons with gilt pine cones

Given by Ruth Ford

Museum no. T.413‑1974

29 Succès Fou perfume brooch

Unknown designer for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1953

France

Brass, glass (bottle); imitation stone

William Wain Collection

30 Leaf bracelet

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

France

Gilt metal, enamel

William Wain Collection

31 Leaf brooch

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

France

Gilt metal, enamel

William Wain Collection

32 Flower brooches

Maison Gripoix for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1938

France

Gilt metal, glass paste

Lent by The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology: 74.135.222

Gift of Janet Chatfield-Taylor

33 Acorns and leaves clip

Jean Clément for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

France

Gilt metal, Bakelite

William Wain Collection

34 Blue stars brooch

Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli; made by Maison Gripoix

Winter 1938, Zodiac collection

France

Gilt metal, glass

William Wain Collection

35 Star cascade brooch

Degorce Frères

Winter 1938, Zodiac collection

France

Gilt metal, enamel

William Wain Collection

36 Roi soleil clips

Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1938, Zodiac collection

France

Brass, bronze, gold plate, glass

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin

Vintage Luxury N.Y.

37 Flower basket brooch

Possibly made by Max Boinet for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

France

Gilt metal, enamel, tourmaline paste

William Wain Collection

38 Pansy brooch and cuff worn by fashion editor Diana Vreeland

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

France

Brass, bronze, cold enamel

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin

Vintage Luxury N.Y.

39 Beehive brooch

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Possibly France

Brass, bronze, straw raffia

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin

Vintage Luxury N.Y.

40 Camelia clip

Attributed to Jean Schlumberger for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Paris

Enamel, imitation pearls, rhinestones, metal

William Wain Collection

41 Ladybird brooch

Degorce Frères for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

France

Gilt metal, enamel, resin, rhinestones

William Wain Collection

42 Grasshopper brooch

Attributed to Degorce Frères for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Possibly France

Lucite, metal, rhinestones

William Wain Collection

43 Snail brooch

Designed for Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

France

Gilt metal, shell

William Wain Collection

44 Dove pendant

Alberto Giacometti for Elsa Schiaparelli

1935–39

Paris

Gilt bronze

Greens of Cheltenham Ltd

45 Winged bird

Alberto Giacometti for Elsa Schiaparelli

1935–39

Paris

Gilt bronze

Greens of Cheltenham Ltd

46 Eye with a teardrop brooch

Jean Cocteau for Elsa Schiaparelli

1937

Paris, France

Enamelled metal, melted glass, mother-of-pearl coated resin

Musée Jean Cocteau Collection Séverin Wunderman:

2005.1.1119

47 Angel of the Annunciation brooch

Alberto Giacometti for Schiaparelli

About 1935–39

Paris

Gilt bronze

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

48 Aspirin necklace

Elsa Triolet for Schiaparelli

1929

France

Glass (beads); metal (clasp); cotton (thread)

Département des Médiathèques-Ludothèque, Saint Etienne du Rouvray

Writer Elsa Triolet’s trompe l’oeil necklace represents an early example of Schiaparelli’s collaborations and exploration of surrealist themes. It is made from glass beads that resemble the common aspirin tablet. Between 1928 and 1930, Triolet and her partner, poet Louis Aragon, created jewellery to sell within the boutique of Schiaparelli’s Paris headquarters.

49 La Langouste (lobster) brooch

Ralph de Rosa Company for Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1954

Designed in Paris; made in USA

Cabochon glass, crystal glass, metal

William Wain collection

50 Hand-shaped leaf brooch

Possibly made by Salvador Dalí for Elsa Schiaparelli

1951

Made in USA

Gilt metal, paste, ruby cabochon

William Wain collection

Jewellery

1 Necklace

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/Winter 2023

Paris

Silver plated brass, Swarovski crystals, synthetic pearl

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

2 Bracelet

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2024

Paris

Golden brass, Swarovski crystals, resin

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

3 Cuffed bracelet and disc-shaped bracelet

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/Winter 2023

Paris

Silver plated brass, Swarovski crystals

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

4 Earring

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2025

Paris

Silver plated brass, synthetic pearl

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

5 Necklace

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2024

Paris

Silver plated brass, Swarovski crystals

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

6 Ring

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2024

Paris

Golden brass, glass, Swarovski crystals

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

7 Earrings

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2024

Paris

Silver plated brass, Swarovski crystals, electronic chips

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

8 Earrings

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2024

Paris

Silver plated brass, Swarovski crystals

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

9 Necklace

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/Winter 2025

Paris

Silver metal, synthetic pearls, Swarovski crystals

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

10 Earring headdress

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/Winter 2022

Paris

Golden brass, Swarovski crystals, resin

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

11 Earring

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2025

Paris

Silver plated brass, tainted resin

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

12 Earring

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2025

Paris

Golden brass, tainted resin

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

13 Earrings

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2023

Paris

Calf leather, glass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

14 Earrings

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Aumtum/Winter 2021

Paris

Gold brass, Swarovski crystals, white resin, synthetic pearls

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

15 Necklace

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Aumtum/Winter 2022

Paris

Silk velvet, golden brass, Swarovski crystals

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

16 Earrings

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2021

Paris

Resin, golden brass, Swarovski crystals

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

17 Earrings

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2022

Paris

Golden brass, Swarovski crystals, vintage crystals

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

18 Necklace

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autum/Winter 2025

Paris

Treated silver

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

19 Earrings

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2022

Paris

Golden brass, resin, glass

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

20 Brooch

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autum/Winter 2023

Paris

Golden brass, crystals

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

21 Ring

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autum/Winter 2021

Paris

Golden brass, enamel, synthetic pearls

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

22 Earrings

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2023

Paris

Golden brass, glass, foam, calf leather, enamel, Swarovski crystals

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

23 Earrings

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2021

Paris

Golden brass, resin, enamel

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

24–29 Schiaparelli vous invite…

Each season, invitations to Schiaparelli fashion shows are accompanied by these bijoux‑like souvenirs. Now a Schiaparelli signature, some pieces, such as the spiral seashell, can even be worn as jewellery. These keepsakes reflect design motifs the guests will see at the presentations. A shimmering apple from the Autumn/Winter 2023 invitation appeared on the runway as a small bag, while a golden feather evoked the Icarus‑themed collection of Spring/Summer 2025.

24 Feather invitation

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2025

Paris

Pleated gold

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

25 Key invitation

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/Winter 2024

Paris

Pleated gold

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

26 Shell invitation

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/Winter 2025

Paris

Pleated gold

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

27 Apple invitation

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/Winter 2023

Paris

Pleated gold

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

28 Disc invitation

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2024

Paris

Pleated gold

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

29 Triangular face invitation

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2023

Paris

Pleated gold

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Beyond Paris

From her headquarters in Paris, Elsa Schiaparelli’s reputation and style extended across Europe, the United States and beyond. A high‑profile public figure with a flair for self‑promotion, she attended the many glittering events in her busy social calendar wearing her own latest designs. Wherever she went, what she wore made headlines.

The 1933 opening of Schiaparelli’s London salon in Mayfair gave her a presence in one of the world’s most elegant shopping districts. Nearby commercial galleries made tentative steps in showing surrealist art and, in 1936, the sensational London International Surrealist Exhibition stopped traffic.

Throughout the 1930s and into the 1950s, Schiaparelli gained further recognition by costuming British, French and American films and plays, the latter reaching a theatre audience of more than three million people. In parallel, Schiaparelli was the preferred designer for the personal wardrobes of the most notable performers of the day.

Stage and Screen

Between 1931 and 1953, Elsa Schiaparelli costumed more than 60 theatre and film productions in London, Paris and New York. In 1934 alone, her designs featured in seven shows in London’s West End, with one production, Vintage Wine, drawing an audience of 235,000 people. In Hollywood, Schiaparelli dressed the leading ladies of award‑winning films, notably Zsa Zsa Gabor in Moulin Rouge (1952).

Schiaparelli capitalised on the celebrity power of her famous followers. In her autobiography, Shocking Life, she described her couture salon as a meeting place where ‘ all the stars came ’, including Greta Garbo, Josephine Baker, Arletty and Marlene Dietrich.

Metamorphosis

Filmmakers often chose Schiaparelli costume designs for their characters involved in narratives of masquerade, disguise and transformation. Her garments played a key role in a film’s plot. In Every Day’s a Holiday, Mae West’s character, Peaches O’Day, hides tools in the folds of her Schiaparelli gown. In Pygmalion, Wendy Hiller’s costume changes, from simple day dresses to dramatic eveningwear, convey Eliza Doolittle’s move from a working‑class to a high‑society woman. For Schiaparelli’s last film Moulin Rouge, she created six historic costumes for Zsa Zsa Gabor as performer Jane Avril. At director John Huston’s request, the designs were inspired by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s advertisements for the Parisian cabaret and showcased Schiaparelli’s daring colour palette in brilliant technicolour film.

Couture for cinema

The inclusion of a Schiaparelli design acted as a marker of luxury and fashionable taste in a film. In Artists and Models Abroad, a parade of haute couture includes a sumptuous, ruffled Schiaparelli gown, emphasising its designer’s title as a leading couturier of interwar Paris. For Le Vagabond Bien Aimé or The Beloved Vagabond, the designer showcased looks made in her Parisian and London salons for the French and English versions of the film. Schiaparelli’s headquarters became the backdrop for films too. In one scene from Aventures à Paris, two characters pay a visit to Place Vendôme, now recognised as the epicentre of style in the French capital, and stand beside a van advertising the designer’s garments Pour le Sport, Pour la Ville and Pour le Soir.

Running time: approximately 3 minutes This AV has no sound

Artists and Models Abroad (1937)

Mitchell Leisen

Paramount Pictures

Le Vagabond Bien-Aimé (1936)

Curtis Bernhardt

Toeplitz Productions Ltd.

Aventures à Paris (1936)

Marc Allégret

Productions André Daven

Moulin Rouge (1952)

John Huston

Studio Canal

Pygmalion (1938)

Anthony Asquith, Leslie Howard

Janus Films, ITV Global Entertainment

Un Certain Monsieur (1950)

Yves Ciampi

Eclectiques-Films

Every Day’s a Holiday (1937)

Edward Sutherland

Paramount Pictures/Universal Studios

Marlene Dietrich

Femme fatale

Marlene Dietrich was among Schiaparelli's preeminent celebrity clients who purchased garments from the Paris and London salons. Her wardrobe conveyed her public persona and challenged conventional ideas of glamour and femininity. Dietrich embraced a more masculine look by wearing trousers both on and off screen, prompting Schiaparelli to recall her ‘ famous legs ’. The sharply tailored silhouette of these two suits, one with buttons by sculptor Alberto Giacometti, became synonymous with Dietrich’s style.

Image: Marlene Dietrich wearing Schiaparelli for the film Angel, Paramount Pictures, 1937
Unknown photographer
RGR Collection / Alamy Stock Photo

Suit

Elsa Schiaparelli with buttons by Alberto Giacometti

1938

Paris

Wool, silk, velvet ( jacket); bronze (buttons); wool (skirt)

Deutsche Kinemathek – Marlene Dietrich Collection Berlin: TX‑70624

Suit

Elsa Schiaparelli

1937

Paris

Silk, velvet, glass, sequins ( jacket); velvet (trousers)

Deutsche Kinemathek – Marlene Dietrich Collection Berlin: TX‑70330; TX‑70125

Every Day’s a Holiday

For the film Every Day’s a Holiday, the lead actress and co‑writer Mae West requested that Schiaparelli design the look for her role as beguiling con artist, Peaches O ’Day. These extravagant garments took centre stage as O ’Day changed her look at almost every scene and adopted an alter ego in an attempt to evade police capture.

Elsa Schiaparelli

1937

Paris

Wool

Collection of John H. Davey

Image: Film still from Every Day's a Holiday, 1937
Moviestore Collection Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

Schiaparelli London Ltd

When Schiaparelli opened her London premises at 6 Upper Grosvenor Street, Mayfair, it became the capital’s first surrealist space, ushering the art movement into the city. There she employed around 80 workroom staff, hosted fashion presentations and sold pieces from her Paris collections. The interior included ice‑blue panelled walls, blue and white striped curtains and glass accessory cabinets.

Schiaparelli was familiar with the UK from regular textile scouting trips and through her relationship with English businessman and theatre‑backer Henry Spence Horne. Despite a loyal clientele, with war fast approaching, Schiaparelli closed her London premises in July 1939.

Frances Rodney

Working wardrobe

These chic ensembles and hats exemplify the working wardrobe of American‑born editor of British Harper’s Bazaar Frances Rodney (later Farquharson) who purchased them at Schiaparelli London. Their colour may indicate mourning for her husband, James, who died in 1933. As a trusted friend, Rodney chaperoned Schiaparelli’s daughter, Gogo, during her 1938 debutante season. When Rodney remarried, she moved to her new husband’s Scottish ancestral home, embracing the local tartans.

Coat

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1935

Designed in Paris; made in London

Wool

On loan courtesy of National Museums Scotland: A.1994.1023

Suit

Elsa Schiaparelli

Summer 1938, Circus collection Designed in Paris; made in London

Wool

Aberdeen City Council (Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums collections): ABDMS024946.1+.2

Evening dress

Possibly Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1939

Designed in Paris; made in London

Satin‑backed silk crêpe

On loan courtesy of National Museums Scotland: A.1994.1020

Straw hat with ribbon

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1939

Designed in Paris; made in London

Straw (hat); silk (ribbon)

On loan courtesy of National Museums Scotland: A.1994.1010

Hat with curled brim

Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1937

Designed in Paris; made in London

Wool

On loan courtesy of National Museums Scotland: A.1994.111

Hat with feathers

Elsa Schiaparelli

Late 1930s

Designed in Paris; made in London

Wool, feathers

On loan courtesy of National Museums Scotland: A.1994.1015

Image: Frances Rodney, British Harper’s Bazaar, September 1941 Photograph by John Everard

Tartan skirt

Schiaparelli was a career‑long proponent of British textiles. The pattern of this skirt’s French silk taffeta reflects her enthusiasm for Scottish tartans. She incorporated them into a range of garments, including coats, sports clothes and hats.

Elsa Schiaparelli

1949

Paris

Silk taffeta (skirt); blouse (prop)

Musée des arts Décoratifs: UF 73‑21‑2

Evening coat

Although the textile of this vivid Schiaparelli London evening coat was made by French manufacturer Ducharne, its dense weave and deep red hue resemble the heavy wool twill used for the tunics of the Life Guards, part of the British Army’s Household Cavalry. The gold buttons underline the military reference, their curlicue shape adding a touch of Schiaparelli humour.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1935

Designed in Paris; made in London

Wool (coat); metal (buttons)

V&A: T.35‑1964 Given by Dorothy Otway Smithers

Lady Mount Temple

British aristocrat Molly Mount Temple strikes a formidable pose in this portrait. A keen follower of modern art and design, Temple chose to wear Schiaparelli and be portrayed by British painter Gluck. The artist, who rejected gender norms of the day, understood the power of dressing and picked out sartorial details, like the undulating white collar and bright red fingernails.

Gluck

1936

London

Oil on canvas

Collection of Mr. Cary Stevens and Allen Green, M.D.

Sheila Legge as Surrealist Phantom

To mark the opening of the London International Surrealist Exhibition, artist Sheila Legge staged an innovative performance. She stood in London’s Trafalgar Square in a white silk dress with long black gloves and a mask of paper roses. The performance, and photographs taken by Claude Cahun, reference Dalí’s painting Necrophiliac Spring (displayed in Artist Collaborations) with Schiaparelli as the artwork’s inspirator and owner.

Claude Cahun

1936

Inkjet print facsimile from original negative, 2026

London

Jersey Heritage Collections

Discussing Dress

John Banting shared a fascination with mannequins and clothing with the surrealists he met in Paris in 1930. He explored their metamorphic potential in this work which blends surrealist techniques with a fashionable pink and blue palette. Banting, who participated in the London International Surrealist Exhibition of 1936, briefly worked as a window dresser and often wore bold clothing and dyed‑green hair.

John Banting

1937

London

Paper, gouache, pencil on paper

V&A: P.16‑1971

Gala and Salvador Dalí

Gala Dalí wears a Schiaparelli London dress with a glittering bodice, likely a gift from poet and surrealist patron, Edward James. The photograph was taken on the occasion of Salvador Dalí’s first UK solo exhibition, where James bought the painting seen here. Exploiting the accompanying publicity, the Schiaparelli London Winter 1936 collection was shown alongside drawings by Dalí.

Cecil Beaton

1936

London

Gelatin silver print from original negative, 1971

Collection of Anthony Leigh

Glove hat

Artist Eileen Agar wore gloves with scarlet nails to René Magritte’s 1938 exhibition opening in London. They imitated a Schiaparelli design from Winter 1936. Agar later pinned them to this hat to create an artwork. She recalled that surrealist women juxtaposed ‘ a Schiaparelli dress with outrageous behaviour or conversation… simply carrying the beliefs of Surrealism into public existence ’.

Eileen Agar

About 1938

Straw, leather

London

V&A: T.169‑1993
Given by Jenny Fraser

Eileen Agar at Brighton Pavilion

Lee Miller’s photograph of her friend’s shadow may be the only visual evidence of Agar wearing Schiaparelli. The distinctive elongated hat, typical of Schiaparelli headwear, had caught the attention of the French surrealists when it appeared in the magazine Minotaure in 1933. In Britain, surrealists wore noteworthy hats to exhibition launches at the London Gallery, which opened in 1937.

Lee Miller

1937

London

Chromogenic print facsimile from original negative, 2026

Lee Miller Archives, East Sussex, England

Gold leaf

Lady Alexandra Haig wore Schiaparelli designs to attend the whirlwind of social events enjoyed by London’s smart set. For a Christmas carolling party at the residence of the Marquess of Londonderry, she chose this evening suit from the Pagan collection. The golden leaves winding round the lapels soften the jacket’s neatly tailored line.

Evening suit

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1938, Pagan collection

Designed in Paris; made in London

Rayon marocain, metal strip, beads, crystals ( jacket); painted resin (buttons); rayon marocain (dress)

V&A: T.399&A‑1974
Given by Lady Alexandra Trevor‑Roper

Evening suit

British art collector and patron Jane Clark wore this suit, one of Schiaparelli’s more extravagantly embellished examples. The embroidery’s placement and meandering, stylised floral pattern are reminiscent of an 18th‑century man’s habit à la française or court suit. Such elaborate garments illustrate the readiness of British clients to embrace Schiaparelli’s most spectacular designs.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Spring 1938

Designed in Paris; made in London

Silk velvet, metal strip, crystals ( jacket); resin (buttons); silk velvet (dress)

Fashion Museum Bath: BATMC: I.109.298
Given by Lady Jane Clark

Lady Alexandra Haig

High society

Lady Alexandra Haig (later Trevor‑Roper) was a prominent British Schiaparelli client who shopped for several seasons at the designer’s London premises. Haig favoured Schiaparelli’s evening suits. She chose this burgundy velvet ensemble from the Autumn 1937 collection to wear for her portrait, published in society magazine, The Tatler, in January 1938.

Evening suit

Elsa Schiaparelli

Autumn 1937

Designed in Paris; made in London

Silk velvet, metal strip, silver‑gilt thread, crystals, sequins ( jacket); metal (buttons); silk velvet (skirt)

V&A: T.398&A–1974
Given by Lady Alexandra Trevor‑Roper

Image: Lady Alexandra Haig wearing her Schiaparelli burgundy velvet evening suit, 1938 Photograph by Canons of Hollywood

Mary Evans Picture Library

Evening ensemble

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1939

Designed in Paris; made in London

Printed silk ( jacket); silk crêpe (skirt)

V&A: T.232&A‑1964
Given by the Honourable Pamela Sherek

Maud Russell

In bloom

These two dresses, with patterns reminiscent of lush summer gardens, are from the wardrobe of art collector Maud Russell (born Nelke). She defied convention both through her avant‑garde taste and secret wartime work for the British Naval Intelligence Division. Her friends included photographer Cecil Beaton, art critic Clive Bell, art historian Kenneth Clark and V&A curator, and later director, John Pope‑Hennessy.

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1938

Designed in Paris; made in London

Silk

V&A: T.148–1969
Given by Maud Russell

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1938

Designed in Paris; made in London

Silk

V&A: T.149 ‑1969 Given by Maud Russell

Image: Maud Russell, 1935
Photograph by Cecil Beaton
Cecil Beaton Archive © Condé Nast

Evening dress and coat

The coronation of King George VI was the most high‑profile British event of 1937. Many female guests favoured British couture for this important national occasion. In contrast, Jane Clark, married to art historian Kenneth Clark, chose a look by Elsa Schiaparelli. Her ensemble was elegantly understated except for one subversive detail, a mermaid button with naked, nipple accented breasts.

Elsa Schiaparelli

1937

Designed in Paris; made in London

Silk (dress); silk velvet (coat); ceramic (button)

Fashion Museum Bath: BATMC I.06.105, BATMC I.09.291
Gift of Lady Jane Clark

Rosalinde Gilbert

And the bride wore…

For her north London wedding at Golders Green Synagogue, Rosalinde Gilbert purchased this wedding dress at Schiaparelli London. The textile’s crinkled texture was a favourite of the designer’s. Removable sleeves (now lost) allowed the bride to also wear the gown as an evening dress. Gilbert probably altered the train herself. She ran a wholesale fashion house and, with her husband Arthur, amassed a renowned art collection, now held at the V&A.

Wedding dress

Elsa Schiaparelli

1934

Designed in Paris; made in London,

Rayon with metal thread (dress); silk (veil); wax, metallic fabric, metal (circlet)

The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
LOAN: GILBERT.18:1 to 3‑2025
Given by Sir Colin Gilbert

Image: Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert on their wedding day, London, 1934

Unknown photographer

© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

A Golden Thread

In 1954, Elsa Schiaparelli officially retired and closed the doors of her couture salon at 21 Place Vendôme. She left an enduring mark on the world of fashion and a creative legacy that combines fearless imagination, surrealist sensibilities and an intuitive design rigour.

Since 2019, Daniel Roseberry has furthered the design heritage of the House by crafting garments that embrace innovation and the unpredictable. Maison Schiaparelli continues to celebrate the talents and techniques of Parisian haute couture, featuring skilful draping, intricate embroidery and lavish embellishment. On today’s red carpet, it remains one of the leading choices for prominent personalities and daring tastemakers.

The House’s heritage and its founder’s subversive spirit are powerful sources of inspiration, a golden thread connecting past and present. Roseberry’s unique design signatures include sculptural silhouettes and references to American western wear and cowboy styling. For him, this reinterpretation and reinvention is ‘ a story that only Schiaparelli can tell ’.

The next step

Nominated Best Supporting Actress for her role in the musical Wicked, Ariana Grande took centre stage in this glittering gown at the 2025 Oscars. The heel at the back pays homage to Dorothy’s ruby slippers from the original film, The Wizard of Oz (1939). It also alludes to Elsa Schiaparelli’s Shoe hat created in collaboration with Salvador Dalí (displayed in Artist Collaborations).

Custom couture gown worn by Ariana Grande

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

2025

Paris

Silk, tulle, sequins, beads

Courtesy of Ariana Grande

Image: Ariana Grande performing at the Oscars, 2025
Photograph by Frank Micelotta
Disney via Getty Images

Back to the future

Microchips, motherboards and mirrors. For this collection, Roseberry fused inspiration from retro technology and science fiction films such as Alien (1979). Wearing a simple vest and cargo trousers, model Maggie Maurer walked the catwalk cradling this bedazzled baby on her hip, causing a media sensation. For Roseberry, this melange of cultural references is ‘a handwriting that feels unique to the house’.

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2024

Paris

Cotton jersey (vest); silk faille, horsehair (trousers); calf leather, plastic, golden brass, silver brass, Swarovski crystals (boots); foam, Swarovski crystals, electronic chips (doll)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Americana

Roseberry’s designs pay homage to his Texan roots by offering a contemporary twist on American western wear. Silver‑tipped belt buckles flank these voluminous trousers paired with a structured biker jacket, subverting a typically masculine cut. Denim too has become a surprising staple in his collections, elevating a more casual style to luxurious couture. The jacket and jeans are a patchwork of sources, made from vintage denim and embroidered with rich, evocative patterns.

Black jacket and trousers with belt buckles

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/ Summer 2024

Paris

Vinyl ( jacket); wool twill, silver plated brass (trousers); acrylic resin, Swarovski crystals, silver brass (necklace)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Embroidered denim jacket and trousers

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Autumn/ Winter 2021

Paris

Cotton denim, metal thread, resin, enamel, calf leather ( jacket); cotton denim, metal thread, resin (trousers)

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Body bijoux

Glittering galaxies and astronomical symbols orbit around this intricate ensemble. Shaped like radiating sunrays, the dress and headpiece from Spring/ Summer 2022 are made of leather and gold leaf with Schiaparelli emblems – a dove, padlock and lobster – encrusted with cabochon stones from the 1930s. Displaced anatomical elements feature too with sparkling eyes, lips and pierced nipples across the bodice.

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2022

Paris

Moulded calf leather, resin, golden leaf, Swarovski crystals, vintage crystals

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Scorpion sister

For this collection, Roseberry crafted garments that were ‘explosive in silhouette’. Their structural shapes took inspiration from Elsa Schiaparelli’s fascination with animal life and the natural world. Here, a scorpion tail protrudes from a sheer bustier. The blooming flowers suspended across the bodice are also reminiscent of Schiaparelli’s claim that, as a child, she planted seeds in her nose and mouth to grow more beautiful.

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/Summer 2026

Paris

Synthetic crinoline, polyamide tulle, cotton, synthetic beads, synthetic crystals, silk, steel, virgin sheep wool

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Group label (left-hand plinth)

Sculpting the body

For his Icarus collection, Roseberry soared to new heights and sought inspiration in the ‘ great chapters of great couturiers ’. He embraced past designers – including Elsa Schiaparelli, Paul Poiret and Madame Grès – to create sculptural silhouettes. Here, nipped‑in waists are emphasised by corseted bodices and padded hips. Further inspiration came from the original Schiaparelli couture salon interior, where Alberto Giacometti’s shell‑like lamps suggested the undulating waist of this gown’s scalloped bustier.

Embroidered corset dress

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/ Summer 2025

Paris

Silk duchesse satin, silk mesh

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Scalloped corset dress

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/ Summer 2025

Paris

Silk satin, silk tulle

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Through the keyhole

Keyhole shapes, a Schiaparelli feature, can be found across jewellery, accessories and eye‑catching gowns such as this. A cut out reveals the wearer’s skin, perhaps evoking the surrealist preoccupation with doors as thresholds to a dreamworld or as portals to another state of consciousness. Roseberry adds another uncanny element with the trompe l ’oeil feather fabric and matching mask.

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

Spring/ Summer 2024

Paris

Polymer clay, rhinestones, resin

Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris

Black and gold

Elsa Schiaparelli’s Autumn 1938 press release announced designs in ‘ black sprinkled with purest gold ’. This colour combination remains a signature, aptly revealed in this take on the Skeleton dress (displayed in Artist Collaborations). Here, the protruding padded ridges of the original gown glitter in three‑dimensional embroidery against a dark bodice. This custom piece was made for singer Dua Lipa for the 2024 Golden Globes.

Custom couture gown worn by Dua Lipa

Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry

2024

Paris

Silk velvet, silk taffeta, golden brass

Courtesy of Dua Lipa

Image: Dua Lipa at the Golden Globes, 2024
Photograph by Jon Kopaloff
Getty Images

Padlocks

This embroidery sample by Maison Lesage shows the decadent gold thread passementerie (decorative trimmings) that would have adorned Schiaparelli eveningwear. The padlock motif first appeared in Elsa Schiaparelli’s 1935 Stop, Look and Listen collection as a striking suit fastener. A design feature across her garments and accessories, it remains an inspiration for Daniel Roseberry today.

Maison Lesage for Elsa Schiaparelli

1938

Paris

Satin appliqué, thread, metal strip, wire, cabochons

Lesage Heritage: Ref.26914

Porcelain pockets

As well as astrology, Elsa Schiaparelli’s Zodiac collection took inspiration from the Palace of Versailles and the reigns of Louis XIV and his successor in the 18th‑century Louis XV. The porcelain flowers on this coat’s pastel pockets reference the rococo ornaments of the Sèvres ceramics factory. Sèvres ’ signature pale pink was admired among Versailles courtiers, including Madame de Pompadour, an influential confidante of Louis XV.

Elsa Schiaparelli

Winter 1938, Zodiac collection

Paris

Wool, velvet, porcelain, metal thread, paillettes, beads

Philadelphia Museum of Art: 1969‑232‑6
Gift of Elsa Schiaparelli

Colourful contrasts

Elsa Schiaparelli demonstrated a fearless use of colour. Exciting new tones with amusing titles – such as Pirate Red, Pierrot Blue or Ocean Green – became seasonal signatures. This ensemble, made in Schiaparelli’s London salon, contrasts both colour and texture with its emerald cock‑feather cape and shimmering brown gown. The bright lining traces a daring split up the skirt.

Elsa Schiaparelli

1936

Designed in Paris; made in London

Silk satin (dress); cock feather (cape)

Collection Mark Walsh Leslie Chin Vintage Luxury N.Y.

Golden glow

Dramatic, sculptural, vibrant, Elsa Schiaparelli combined shimmering gilt braid with large, bulbous sleeves to create this theatrical evening coat and stole. Strips of this golden plaiting are reminiscent of the soutache (decorative trimming) applied to military uniforms. By using a material typically reserved for ornamental accents to create an entire garment, Schiaparelli broke with tradition.

Elsa Schiaparelli

About 1937

Paris

Gilt braid

V&A: T.235 & A‑1976
Given by Brenda Gurschner

Shots of style

Roseberry’s theatricality and playfulness fire the imagination of fashion photographers. Just as Cecil Beaton, Man Ray and Horst P. Horst drew inspiration from Schiaparelli’s eveningwear, today’s image‑makers stage striking scenes to interpret contemporary looks. Tim Walker and Nick Knight conjure dreamlike worlds, expanding the surrealist themes of the garments, combining romantic backdrops and distorting lenses. Steven Meisel, Jack Davison and Nick Thompson capture dynamic portraits of Schiaparelli’s celebrity wearers, including Lady Gaga, Zendaya and Gillian Anderson.

1 Hunter Schafer for W Magazine, Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2024

Tim Walker

2024

2 White Over Real, British Vogue, Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2019

Tim Walker

2020

3 Gillian Anderson, London

Nick Thompson

2022

4 Zendaya for W Magazine, Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2022

Jack Davison

2022

5 Emma Corrin for W Magazine, Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2021

Tim Walker

2021

6 Ariana Grande, Haute Couture Spring/ Summer 2024

AB+DM (Ahmad Barber and Donté Maurice)

2024

7 Lady Gaga for Vogue Italia, Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 2021

Steven Meisel

2021

8 Model Lulu Tenney for Harper’s Bazaar Italy, Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2025

Nick Knight

2025

9 Model Sora Choi for V Magazine, Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2025

Nick Knight

2025

10 Nadia Lee Cohen, Ready to Wear Spring/ Summer 2022

Nadia Lee Cohen

2022

11 Victoria Fawole, Isle of Sheppey

Charlotte Wales

2024

12 Model Ajah Angau Jok for Vogue Italia, Schiaparelli Ready to Wear Spring/Summer 2023

Gabriel Moses

2023

Shots of style

The theatricality and playfulness of Roseberry’s collections have continued to fire the imagination of fashion photographers. Nadine Ijewere and Campbell Addy emphasise the sculptural silhouettes of Roseberry’s work with tightly cropped compositions and a dramatic play of shadow. Oli Kearon references the neoclassical themes of 1930s photography by Cecil Beaton and Horst P. Horst, surrounding the studio setting with props of busts and columns. Light and texture converge in Louie Banks’ portrait of Daphne Guinness, her Schiaparelli corset and skirt contrasting with the gritty background.

1 Zoë Kravitz

Campbell Addy

2022

2 Liminal, Primrose Archer for Tatler

Oli Kearon

2024

3 Daphne Guinness, Interview Magazine

Louie Banks

2023

4 Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2023, styled by Nell Kalonji and modelled by Divine Mugisha for Luncheon Magazine issue 15

Nadine Ijewere

2023

All photographs are inkjet prints and have been supplied courtesy of the artist.