A fearless and radical vision
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Elsa Schiaparelli’s elegant and theatrical designs were among the most.mes morable fashions of her day. Rebellious and free-spirited, the Italian couturiere drew heavily on artistic influences, collaborating famously with Salvador Dalí and translating the marvellous ethos of surrealism into pieces renowned for their wit and fantasy. The V&A, which holds one of the largest and most significant fashion collects ions in the world — including Britain’s foremost collects ion of Schiaparelli garments — mounts the U.K.’s first exhibition devoted to the groundbreaking designer. More than 200 objects, including garments, accessories, jewelry, paintings, perfumes and archival material, chart the history of the imaginative fashion house from the 1920s to present day, where Daniel Roseberry, creative director since 2019, has reinvented Schiaparelli’s vision for a new century. Some of her most iconic and radical pieces, such as the “Skeleton” dress with its black padded bones and the veiled trompe l’oeil “Tears” gown, both designed in collaboration with Dalí, feature in this revelatory show.
Kuba Dabrowski’s portrait of Awar Odhiang, Paris, 2025, wearing Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry, Schiaparelli Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2024. © Kuba Dabrowski, photo courtesy of Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris
