Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli burst onto the fashion scene in the 1930s. Inspired by surrealist art, Schiaparelli entered with a ground-breaking way of designing clothes and a fresh approach to dressing the female silhouette.
Her creations became known for their innovative shapes and styles paired with eccentric designs and motifs that made the women of that time think outside of the box. Elsa collaborated with some of the world’s most influential surrealist artists including Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau, Man Ray, Giacometti and Marcel Vertès. In 1937 she introduced the Schiaparelli “shocking pink” hue which soon became synonymous with the brand as well as iconic motifs that have remained part of the house’s collections ever since, albeit with a new, modern approach.
Elsa Schiaparelli
In 1954 Elsa decided to close the Maison as she began to work on the autobiography of her life. After her passing in 1973, the brand lay dormant for several years until it was revived in 2012, opening a boutique at Hôtel de Fontpertuis at 21 Place Vendôme in Paris. This would begin a new chapter in the history of the Maison. In April 2019 Schiaparelli appointed American designer Daniel Roseberry as Artistic Director of the House. Daniel would become responsible for all collections and projects produced by the Maison, as well as reviving and realigning the vision of Elsa Schiaparelli, making it appropriate and relevant for today’s world.
Born in Texas, in The United States of America, Daniel grew up geographically distant from the world of Haute Couture, but even as a young boy he dreamt of these avant-garde-style creations. “My mum has always asked me: Daniel don’t you want to design clothes that would reach a wider audience? Clothes that people in the middle of America could buy, not just the super-rich, but more Democratic styles of fashion?’ And I told her that my life was not changed by going to Walmart and looking at the clothes in the store, my life was changed by dreaming of haute couture, this idea that romance and dreaming can set you free” And so, now at the helm of one of the most iconic Haute Couture houses in history, it seems Daniel has landed the perfect role. “I have always felt like I was called to do this and not to be over dramatic, but I have never once doubted or lost sleep over my job, I feel so perfectly placed in this House, in Paris, at this moment.” He explained.
Daniel’s first Haute Couture show in 2019, saw the Artistic Director being revealed to the world as he physically sat on the runway, sketching looks for the collection. It was a first for a designer to appear in the background throughout the show but it perfectly announced the comeback of the brand and highlighted that it was Daniel who would now be pulling the reigns and leading the direction, while of course honouring the legacy of Elsa. “From that first show, putting myself out there was like a way of introducing myself to this new community of people as an introduction, and I’ve been so lucky because the House has surrounded me with people who are committed to following my instincts and my dreams and making them come to life.” He said.
Schiaparelli FW22/23 Haute Couture
Over the past three years, Roseberry has been dedicated to reviving the eccentric yet beautiful world of Elsa Schiaparelli, while capturing today’s energy for fashion. His Haute couture collections have been a welcome addition to Paris Haute Couture Week and have brought an elevated sense of luxury and exclusiveness that many are craving today. Daniel has been given full creative direction over the brand which has allowed him to express his vision. “We have a very loud voice creatively, and I want this to become increasingly dominant, I want the house to acquire and maintain a position of authority because that’s where Elsa was in her time, and I think that’s important for the brand.” But it is not only about the legacy of Elsa; “I think that the vision of the house is adapting to where the world is going, and things are changing so quickly, and I think that part of our success is due to the fact that we have been agile and very reactive.”
Schiaparelli FW22/23 Haute Couture
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the House was quick to react. “We really assessed the way of not just how we communicated on the collections, but also the way they were being designed. I started to design different types of looks that I knew would work digitally because that’s how people were going to be experiencing them. And I don’t think everyone did that. I was thankfully given the freedom and support to do that. I think for so long, people have underestimated the relevance of the brand and now people are waking up, and it is more powerful and more captivating than people were expecting.”
Schiaparelli FW22/23 Haute Couture
Perhaps the most recent powerful moment was the Fall/Winter 2022-23 Haute Couture show which took place in Paris on 4th July 2022. The collection “Born Again” was a very personal moment for Daniel as it represented the rebirth of the brand and the well-respected position it now holds in the industry once again, but also took him back to those moments of his childhood when he would dream of fashion and the stories it can tell. “The show was another step and the next level in discovering what that vision looks like for Schiaparelli today and it is a lot of heart. I was never one of the cool kids in high school, but I’ve always been the most passionate and I think that’s maybe what these collections are; manifestations of that passion.” Said Daniel.
Schiaparelli FW22/23 Haute Couture
The collection celebrates romance, freedom, and love through the designer’s choice of exposed hearts and floral motifs. “We are in a period where the very foundations of what we thought was the norm are being questioned and I think that’s why I have such an appetite to see fashion as a source of comfort, peace, and reassurance and that’s why the unabashed romance started to come through with this collection. It just felt essential and necessary. Everything from the floral bouquets to the exposed hearts, to the soundtrack being one of my favourite soundtracks as a kid – it was all to bring myself back to a place where I felt safe again and a place where we all felt more soothed or comforted. We have talked a lot about the mission of Schiaparelli, and I talked to my team after this recent couture show and said, “we did something today, we put an enormous amount of love and beauty into the world and the world needs a little bit more love, beauty, and romance.”
Schiaparelli FW22/23 Haute Couture
And that’s what Haute Couture has the power to do, giving access to this universe and capturing that sense of romance and otherworldly dreaminess that Daniel so perfectly describes. Through the magic of the internet and social media millions have access to see Daniel’s designs from all corners of the world and it is the hope that it touches some of these people and gives them a moment of love and beauty. “Most of the time when I’m stopped on the streets, it is by fashion students who love what’s happening at Schiaparelli, and that for me is the biggest reward. Knowing that those kids who are so pure-hearted and so unaware of how hard it is to find a place in this industry see that you can have a voice that is unburdened by the machine of it all. That for me is an indication that we are doing something good, and I want to maintain, protect, and let that evolve.”
On a personal level, it is immediately obvious that Daniel is a deep thinker. Dedicated to his work he truly believes in this brand, and it is clear that his passion and ambition are driving his team and the brand as a whole into the future. “I think in terms of where the brand could go, the sky is the limit. It is more creativity, more romance, more beauty, and more luxury, and at the same time I think it’s the one house in the world where we can still be as surreal, creative, and as thematic as possible without sacrificing a single layer of luxury.”
Schiaparelli FW22/23 Haute Couture
Daniel left his home in the US to move to Paris for this role so of course there have been challenges. When asked about something he fears, he explains; “I do fear that sometimes that I’ve sacrificed too much of my personal life for my job because I am an intensely passionate worker. I am a Triple Virgo, I love to create and to put work out there, but it comes at a cost of being separated from people that I love and a life that I knew in New York or Los Angeles. I’ve truly given all of that up to be here and I never question it, but what I fear is probably that in fifteen years I will be looking at what I hope will potentially be a great career, but I worry that it would have come at the cost that I cannot at this point really quantify.” But the designer makes sure to take time out, to keep him grounded and to give him the space to continue his creativity. “One of the things I’m realising about myself as I’m getting older is that I must take two or three weeks a year to go somewhere alone. Two years ago, I went to live in a cabin in the Swedish countryside with no running water or electricity. A few months ago, I went to stay at a friend’s house in Ibiza – it rained every day, but it was perfect. So much of this job is about being extraverted and having to talk constantly about your work and lead your team and try and convert people to believe in your vision, so you need to take time out. Being in nature, either with some of my dearest friends or even alone can be really powerful.”
Looking to the future as Daniel explained how the sky is the limit for Schiaparelli. While the brand must remain niche and loyal to its existing client base there is of course room for expansion which has already begun with the launch of the ready-to-wear line. “I think the next big thing would be to become known also for our ready-to-wear.” Explains Daniel. “I think that couture is something that is naturally growing and is a natural and pure extension of what I’m passionate about, but I’m also passionate about establishing Schiaparelli’s voice as a brand. And when I think of what we could do in fragrance or beauty, it’s endless.”
The expansion will also be happening geographically as the House plans to have a greater presence in the Middle East, a region Daniel remembers for its beauty. When asked about a frame that stayed in his mind from that part of the world, he recalls: “I remember the sunsets in Jordan very vividly and I remember the generosity of the culture and the people the most. I don’t know if I’ve ever been to a region where I felt like what was theirs was mine in that way. There was a real overwhelming sense of generosity between the people themselves and especially to the people who were visiting, like me, who were so taken care of. And just the unique beauty of the region physically; the terrain, the light and I remember feeling like the light was from another time.” And with the designer’s love for the region, we can hope to see more of him in the near future.
Shocking! The Surreal World of Elsa Schiaparelli
“Schiaparelli is uniquely positioned to bring that in the most desirable, luxurious and precious way, to the people who can engage with the brand on a physical level, and I’m so excited to bring it to this part of the world.” He explained. “And I think also the aesthetic of the brand – the drama and the boldness – is so uniquely matched to the desires and the dispositions of the women who are looking for something that will really stand out.”
Shocking! The Surreal World of Elsa Schiaparelli is open for visitors until January 22nd 2023.
