Elsa Schiaparelli established her eponymous luxury fashion house in 1927 in Paris. The Italian designer is celebrated for her avant-garde, boundary-pushing style which brought many ‘firsts’ into the fashion world. Often regarded as ahead of her time, Elsa Schiaparelli was influenced by Surrealists of the time, famously working with Salvador Dali on prints and collections. The designer introduced the women’s power suits, one piece bathing costumes, reversible gowns, and culottes, which were shocking in this era. She experimented with textures, silhouettes, colour and print, creating garments that challenged everything that was expected of fashion at the time. Her cutting-edge designs earned her global recognition, and in 1934, Elsa Schiaparelli was the first female fashion designer to grace the cover of the USA’s Time magazine. Her distinctive and creative style was challenged by the Second World War, and when the war was over, Elsa felt that the fashion world had changed. With this in mind, Elsa closed her iconic fashion house in 1954.
Almost 60 years after its closure, the Schiaparelli fashion house was reopened. Diego Della Valle acquired the house and in 2012, opened its doors once again as a womens ready-to-wear and Haute Couture label. In 2014, Schiaparelli showcased their first Haute Couture collection since 1954, and in 2017, Schiaparelli was awarded the official Haute Couture label by the French Ministry of Industry and the French Couture Federation.
In 2019, Daniel Roseberry was appointed Creative Director of Schiaparelli, who has shown strong commitment to honouring the avant-garde, experimental nature of the Schiaparelli legacy. Rather than imitate Elsa Schiaparelli’s iconic works, Roseberry instead looks to continue the spirit of the house, by placing emphasis on creating artistic and inventive designs. With this notion staying integral to the brand, Schiaparelli has produced many red-carpet looks for big names such as Beyoncé, Noah Cyrus and Kim Kardashian. These dramatic, statement designs by Schiaparelli seen in Haute Couture runways weld fashion and art together to create unforgettable garments. In ready-to-wear, the same artistic principles are applied, though with a more functional approach. Classic styles such as wide-leg trousers, cocktail dresses and blazers are given a signature twist, with asymmetric lines, chunky gold hardware, dramatic ruching and digital prints featured throughout. Whether in Haute Couture or ready-to-wear, Schiaparelli continues with the same offbeat and inspiring approach to fashion that it was founded upon almost a century ago.