Few fashion houses embody the blend of fantasy and craftsmanship as powerfully as Schiaparelli.
Founded in 1927 by the audacious Elsa Schiaparelli, the Maison has long stood at the intersection of art, fashion, and imagination. From her early days crafting sweaters embroidered with trompe-l’œil bows to her revolutionary collaborations with artists like Salvador Dalí and Jean Cocteau, Schiaparelli built a legacy rooted in the surreal, the spectacular, and the subversive. Today, under the visionary direction of American designer Daniel Roseberry, the house has found a new, modern voice, one that pays homage to its rich heritage while embracing a daring, contemporary glamour.
A Revolutionary Beginning
Elsa Schiaparelli was born into an aristocratic Italian family in 1890 and moved to Paris in the 1920s, where she immersed herself in the avant-garde intellectual and artistic circles of the time. Inspired by the Dada and Surrealist movements, she began designing fashion that pushed boundaries and provoked conversation. Her first real breakthrough came in 1927 with a hand-knitted sweater featuring a trompe-l’œil bow that became an instant hit after it was featured in French Vogue.
Schiaparelli officially established her couture house at 21 Place Vendôme in 1935, steps away from the Ritz, and quickly became one of the most celebrated names in fashion. She challenged conventions with her imaginative designs, such as the Lobster Dress (created with Dalí), the Skeleton Dress, the Shoe Hat, and the Tears Dress, all of which are now icons of 20th-century fashion. Her use of shocking pink, now synonymous with the brand, was revolutionary; vibrant, unexpected, and unapologetically bold.
Schiaparelli was a true pioneer. She was the first designer to use zippers as a visible design element in couture and introduced the concept of themed collections, a now-standard practice in fashion. In 1934, she was the first female fashion designer to grace the cover of Time magazine, a testament to her cultural impact.
A Dormant Legacy, Reawakened
The house closed its doors in 1954, shortly after Elsa published her autobiography Shocking Life. For decades, the brand lay dormant, its influence visible in fashion but the label itself inactive. In 2006, Tod’s Group acquired the Schiaparelli name, and in 2012, the brand reopened its historic salon at Place Vendôme.
Several designers attempted to revive Schiaparelli in its early 21st-century iterations, including Christian Lacroix and Bertrand Guyon. However, it was not until 2019, with the appointment of Daniel Roseberry as creative director, that the house truly found its rhythm again.
Daniel Roseberry: A Modern Surrealist
Roseberry, the first American to lead a French couture house, arrived at Schiaparelli with no formal couture background but a deep reverence for the brand’s theatricality and artistry. Since his debut, he has infused the house with fresh energy, redefining its codes while preserving its rebellious soul. His couture shows are consistently among the most anticipated during Paris Haute Couture Week, often drawing standing ovations for their artistry, boldness, and breathtaking craftsmanship.
From the sculptural bustiers and golden breastplates to hyper-exaggerated silhouettes, Roseberry’s designs are modern odes to Elsa’s surrealist legacy. He references the past – lobsters, padlocks, body parts, and shocking pink – but reframes them for a new era. The results are opulent, otherworldly, and unforgettable.
Roseberry’s vision transcends clothes; it’s about creating a universe where fantasy and fashion collide. His work challenges the divide between ready-to-wear and couture, often incorporating whimsical motifs (like third eyes, gilded noses, and hands) that echo Schiaparelli’s surrealist past.
Celebrities and the Schiaparelli Effect
Schiaparelli has emerged as a go-to brand for celebrities who want to make a bold, artistic statement. Beyoncé wore a gilded Roseberry creation for the 2023 Grammy Awards, while Lady Gaga’s bulletproof Schiaparelli ensemble at President Biden’s inauguration, featuring a Dove motif, became instantly iconic. Adele, Cardi B, Kim Kardashian, and Zendaya are among the many who’ve embraced the drama, artistry, and individuality of Schiaparelli on global stages.
Doja Cat’s unforgettable look at Paris Couture Week, drenched in over 30,000 hand-applied red Swarovski crystals, made headlines around the world, while Kylie Jenner’s lion-head gown turned every head at the same show. These aren’t just outfits; they are moments, capturing the theatrical DNA of the house.
Icons and Innovations
Some of Roseberry’s most talked-about designs include the anatomical gold bustiers inspired by ancient armour, surrealist face jewellery, and the ever-evolving reinterpretation of Elsa’s signatures. Schiaparelli’s accessories have also become cult items; padlock handbags, sculptural sunglasses, and statement earrings all infused with a boldness that defies fashion norms.
The house’s ateliers continue to uphold the highest standards of craftsmanship, using traditional techniques to realise fantastical visions. Each piece feels alive with detail, imagination, and narrative, all hallmarks of Elsa’s philosophy that fashion should provoke, delight, and transform.
The Schiaparelli Universe
Schiaparelli’s revival is more than a return; it’s a renaissance. With Roseberry at the helm, the brand has re-established its identity as couture’s boldest dreamer. It doesn’t just offer garments; it presents a vision, a world where art, imagination, and elegance coexist in technicolour.
Whether it’s through celebrity collaborations, art-inspired collections, or its distinctive aesthetic codes, Schiaparelli has once again become a house that sets trends rather than follows them. It is fearless. It is fantastical. It is couture at its most unapologetically expressive.
As the house continues to shape its future, one thing is certain: Elsa Schiaparelli’s spirit, audacious, artistic, and utterly original, lives on in every stitch.
