Schiaparelli Exhibition Coming to V&A
A new exhibition, "Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art," is set to open at London's V&A museum. The show highlights the ongoing trend of art-fashion collaborations, which provide deep narrative and social capital for luxury brand storytelling.
This will be the first-ever UK exhibition dedicated to Elsa Schiaparelli, spanning her work from the 1920s to the house's current output under creative director Daniel Roseberry. The V&A will bring together over 200 objects, including garments, jewellery, paintings, photography, and rare archival materials to trace the brand's history. The exhibition will heavily feature Schiaparelli's seminal collaborations with Surrealist artists. Iconic pieces created with Salvador Dalí, such as the "Skeleton" and "Tears" dresses, will be on display alongside an evening coat designed with Jean Cocteau and works by Man Ray. These collaborations were central to her identity, leading rival Coco Chanel to call her "that Italian artist who makes clothes." A key focus will be the London branch of the Schiaparelli house, which opened in Mayfair in 1934, highlighting its independent clientele and Elsa's personal involvement. The V&A holds the most significant collection of Schiaparelli garments in Britain, making it uniquely positioned for this retrospective. The exhibition extends to the present day, connecting Elsa's original vision to the work of current creative director Daniel Roseberry. Appointed in 2019, the American designer has revived the house by reinterpreting its surrealist codes, creating high-profile garments for celebrities like Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and Kim Kardashian. Roseberry, who previously spent over a decade as design director at Thom Browne, was the first American appointed to lead a French couture house. He has translated Schiaparelli's legacy into a modern aesthetic featuring gold metalwork, molded leather breastplates, and upcycled denim, pushing the boundaries of what constitutes couture. This exhibition joins a legacy of blockbuster fashion retrospectives at the V&A, including shows on Christian Dior, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen. The museum's Senior Curator of Fashion, Claire Wilcox, has been instrumental in developing these major shows, which have become increasingly popular, often selling out for months.
