Schiaparelli. A true fusion of surrealism and Haute Couture with Olga Leffers
The brand created by the unstoppable genius of Elsa Schiaparelli today is one of the most iconic fashion houses and, since its foundation in the 1920s has become a true synonym not only for innovation in fashion but also for a unique style.
Elsa has always had a penchant for unconventional, out-of-the-box solutions, which more than once shocked the Parisian world of Haute Couture, and unique models and collaboration with such great artists as Salvador Dali and Jean Cocteau are remembered by the world especially. Her most famous creations, the "Lobster" and "Tears" dresses, truly challenged traditional notions of fashion and beauty, combining the filigree art of couture with the eccentricity of surrealism.
A closer look at the Schiaparelli DNA reveals bright colors in bold combinations, such as the iconic "pink Schiaparelli", bizarre and unusual shapes, and absolute attention to detail.
Today, under the creative patronage of Daniel Roseberry, Schiaparelli continues Elsa's unbroken tradition and preserves her love for a kind of theatricality and artistry. Fashion in Daniel's hands literally becomes a canvas for his unbridled imagination. Historically, Schiaparelli's creations are more than just clothes: they are a dialog between the past and the present, as well as not forgotten considerations about the future. It is a statement of art in the world of fashion, an art not limited by routine and standards, and above all, a tribute to the brave soul of Elsa Schiaparelli.
The 2024 collection has its own backstory, which begins in 1877, when Elsa's uncle Giovanni Schiaparelli, being the director of the Brera Observatory in Milan, discovered something unique: a series of "canals" dotting the surface of Mars, as large as the Grand Canyon. This discovery started an unbridled fascination with creatures from "out there" or Martians that continues to this day.
What I saw in Paris was a tribute to the brand's obsession with space, and I would even say "stable madness", as well as an exploration of contradictions through their fusion - old and new, beautiful and provocative, earthly and heavenly, classical and futuristic. In general, the fusion as a form of expression was seen in everything and caused absolute delight, and the admiration of some outfits made my heart sink.
At some moments it was completely unclear where the dress ends, and the headdress begins. Daniel skillfully erased all visible boundaries between the elements of clothing.
"Being an American in Paris, I feel like I'm digging my heels into the ground and feeling my Americanness even more," Roseberry said after the show. "I feel a lot of freedom being inside the styling of the Schiaparelli house."
Daniel was very honest in his words, he let his imagination feel as free as possible. Models carrying robots studded with crystals on their arms, bold combinations of verified geometry and punk rock elements, a dress made of microchips adorned with calculators and other incredible images that looked more like alien creatures than people we are used to. All this was both shocking and impressive.
A lot of different jewelry was presented in huge sizes, with crystals and without, jewelry not dependent on clothes, able to live and exist completely independently and self-sufficiently. From accessories, I will single out belts, and on completely different models, from pants to jackets.
Schiaparelli succeeded in accomplishing what was intended, namely, to allow people to touch eternity by seeing the cosmos in its infinite details without raising their eyes to the sky or taking them away from the catwalk.
Among the guests at the show were the incredibly beautiful and charming Jennifer Lopez, whose appearance was met with a standing ovation from the audience, dressed in an insect-like chic dress Zendaya, and Renata Litvinova in a bright red jacket by Schiaparelli, decorated with ants made of crystals.
Noteworthy was the episode connected with rumors about the sale of the brand by Italian fashion baron Diego Della Valle. These rumors were largely confirmed in Paris by the presence at the show of the heads of LVMH, the current and future president of the Fashion Group, which operates, in particular, Celine, Fendi, Pucci and Givenchy - Sidney Toledano and Michael Burke.
When Burke was asked directly about the possibility of buying the brand, he smoothed the edges by replying, "Diego and I are old friends and neighbors in Miami." While Toledano added: "We just came to see a great show by a very interesting designer." But all in all, it was clear. Well, this will be a great acquisition for LVMH.
