Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art: Inside the V&A’s Landmark Retrospective

Just moments from the doors of The Egerton House Hotel, our proud cultural partner the V&A Museum unveils its landmark exhibition Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art — the first major UK retrospective dedicated to this creative genius. To explore the stories behind the show, we spoke with Sonnet Stanfill, Senior Curator of Fashion at the V&A, whose expertise brings fresh insight into Elsa Schiaparelli’s creative world, her artistic collaborations, and the enduring influence of her extraordinary designs.

 

How did the idea for this exhibition first come about?

I first discussed the idea of a Schiaparelli exhibition seven years ago with our newly arrived Director of Exhibitions, Daniel Slater. That conversation planted the seed, which took a few years to germinate and then resulted in the exhibition Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art. We didn’t know then what an incredible success story the brand’s relaunch would become.

What makes this Schiaparelli exhibition particularly timely right now?

This is the first major Schiaparelli retrospective in the UK, so it is an exciting opportunity to celebrate her outstanding career and long-lasting influence. Elsa Schiaparelli was the most high-profile designer of interwar Paris. Despite having no formal training, she made her way to the vibrant heart of the Paris haute couture trade. She first became known for stylish sportswear (clothing for taking part in sport and for spectating), then for hard chic day suits and dramatic evening gowns. Unusual textiles and silhouettes lent the wearer of Schiaparelli’s clothes an aura of modernity. Inventive finishing touches (buttons, hats, gloves) caused comment. So much of the social and aesthetic change of the mid-twentieth century is reflected in her career and designs.

Her work still inspires contemporary creatives, with generations of couturiers referencing her silhouettes, inventive use of materials, and collaborations with artists. Part of her legacy comes from being a rule breaker and a designer who helped her clients to dare to dress differently, in a way that demanded that people look twice. This legacy is reprised by Maison Schiaparelli now, as it reasserts its position as a leading choice for today’s prominent personalities and daring tastemakers.

How did you approach telling Schiaparelli’s story to a contemporary audience?

We started with the objects themselves, and began with the garments in the V&A’s collection. This includes some extraordinary pieces: a bow-knot jumper from her first major collection (1927); a circus collection dinner suit (Summer 1938); the only surviving skeleton dress (Summer 1938); and a rare shoe hat (Winter 1937). These garments served as the foundation of the exhibition. Inherently, Elsa Schiaparelli’s clothes are narratives in themselves – often with recognisable patterns, motifs, and buttons – and are so visually compelling that they display extremely well.

Do you see her work more as fashion, art, or something in between?

Art fascinated Elsa Schiaparelli and shaped her social circle and design philosophy. She worked at the centre of a constellation of the most important artists of the day, including Jean Cocteau, Salvador Dalí, Alberto Giacometti, and Man Ray.

In Paris in the late 1920s and 30s, she found affinity with the surrealists who embraced the absurd, erotic and subversive – qualities they often found in clothing. Both at her invitation and on their own initiative, artists created designs for Schiaparelli garments, accessories, perfume bottles, and jewellery.

Schiaparelli did not consider herself an artist, but fellow designers begged to differ. Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel called her ‘that Italian artist who’s making clothes’ (a phrase intended as a put-down, but which Schiaparelli would likely have taken as a compliment), and Cristóbal Balenciaga called her ‘the only real artist in couture’. With an artist’s response to dressing the body, Schiaparelli created striking spectacle out of little more than fabric. 

The exhibition includes numerous examples of Schiaparelli in dialogue with creative practitioners, but two artists stand out for their fantastical collaborations with Elsa Schiaparelli over multiple seasons. Spaniard Salvador Dalí was a leading proponent of Surrealism, known for precisely painted dreamlike images, and Jean Cocteau was a French avant garde writer, artist, and intellectual who blurred modernity and classicism, fantasy and reality. Working with these two creative talents, Schiaparelli created some of her most memorable fashions, which will be shown in the exhibition.

Were there any key pieces that were particularly difficult to secure?

One thing we searched for in vain was a Schiaparelli ski suit. Elsa Schiaparelli enjoyed skiing and designed ski suits and clothing from as early as 1928. In her hands, these were both stylish and practical, and usually comprised of trousers with a matching jacket often accessorised with corresponding gloves, hats, and scarves. Sadly, though we tried to locate an example we were not successful. I live in hope that, someday, one will appear!

Is there a “hidden gem” in the exhibition that visitors shouldn’t miss?

There are several! Although the exhibition includes a number of her best-known designs, it also contains little-known but evocative designs worth looking out for. These include the stylish trouser suit worn by actress Marlene Dietrich, with buttons designed by artist Alberto Giacometti and a bear brooch, a version of which was owned and often worn by Elsa herself (note: this brooch was very personal to Elsa thanks to birthmarks on her face which her uncle, astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli, told her looked like the outline of The Great Bear or Ursa Major constellation). Also, we will display for the first time two exuberant printed floral evening dresses worn by art collector Maud Russell, also known for her secret wartime work for British naval intelligence.

Finally, why do you think her work continues to resonate nearly a century later?

Schiaparelli had a fertile imagination. She once said, ‘I like to amuse myself through some of my creations. If I didn’t, I should die’. This creative impulse was a career constant. Also, she designed during a complex period. The interwar years in Paris were filled with tensions and economic challenges, and as the Second World War approached, her collections became even more outrageous. It’s almost as if the instability of the age drove her to even greater creative statements. Equally, today, fashion houses operate against a backdrop of international tension, financial challenges, and the myriad difficulties of our time. Hand-crafted haute couture garments are a luxury, but the crafting of these beautiful, memorable creations that require time and expert skill remains a riposte to challenging times.

Daniel Roseberry, Creative Director of Maison Schiaparelli since 2019, continues to create spectacular, intricately crafted garments that challenge perceptions, incorporating wit and the unexpected. His skilled emphasis on particular design codes includes body anatomy, the measuring tape, as well as elegant colour combinations like black and gold. He also turns to Americana design elements like oversized western buckles that reflect Roseberry’s Texas roots.

Innovation remains a constant, channelling the founder's daring experiments with textiles and techniques. Maison Schiaparelli continues to celebrate the talents and techniques of Parisian haute couture, featuring skilful draping, intricate embroidery, and lavish embellishment. On today's red carpet, it remains one of the leading choices for prominent personalities and daring tastemakers. 

 

Through The Egerton’s longstanding partnership with the museum, visitors can access complimentary tickets to headline exhibitions, priority entry even for sold‑out shows, and exclusive use of the V&A Members’ Lounge – a serene retreat usually reserved for members alone. It’s a uniquely elevated way to experience the world’s leading museum of art and design.

 

All images are taken from the Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art exhibition at © Victoria and Albert Museum, London