Delphine Bellini, CEO of Schiaparelli, has announced the house will showcase a never-before-seen exhibition at the V&A in London
Designer Elsa Schiaparelli wearing black silk dress with crocheted collar of her own design and a tuban. (Photo by Fredrich Baker/Condé Nast via Getty Images)
The Victoria and Albert Museum in London will stage the UK’s first ever exhibition dedicated to Schiaparelli from the 21st of March to the 1st of November 2026. Titled “Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art”, the exhibition will be held in the property’s Sainsbury Gallery and will chart the legacy of the Italian fashion house from its foundation in the 1920s to the present day.
Elsa Schiaparelli, known for her radical vision and surrealist collaborations, will be the focus of the show. New research conducted by V&A curators highlights her influence at the intersection of fashion and art. The exhibition will explore her creative partnerships with major 20th-century artists such as Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Man Ray. Her groundbreaking garments, including the V&A’s own ‘Skeleton’ and ‘Tears’ dresses, will be on display alongside more than 200 objects, from garments and jewellery to furniture, sculpture and perfume.
The exhibition will also showcase little-seen pieces from private collections and mark the first time the London branch of Schiaparelli has been examined through the lens of its clientele and the founder’s personal involvement.
Schiaparelli’s artistic flair and ability to transform ordinary items into fashion statements will be presented alongside her contributions to what is now called merchandising. The show will trace how she redefined the boundaries between fashion, commercial success and creative innovation. Her influence on theatre and film will also be explored.
Today, under the creative direction of Daniel Roseberry, the house of Schiaparelli is based at 21 Place Vendôme in Paris. Roseberry’s bold sculptural designs will be part of the exhibition, which situates his work as both a continuation and reinterpretation of Schiaparelli’s vision. Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A, said the exhibition will celebrate “one of the most ingenious and daring designers in fashion history”.
Bellini said Elsa Schiaparelli’s “fearless imagination and radical vision” redefined the boundaries between fashion and art. She highlighted the exhibition as a celebration of the designer’s influence and a fusion of creativity and commerce.
