Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art

Elsa Schiaparelli sent shockwaves through the fashion establishment with her witty, ingenious and artful designs. Lauded by Cristóbal Balenciaga as the ‘only real artist in couture’ she infused he ...

Elsa Schiaparelli sent shockwaves through the fashion establishment with her witty, ingenious and artful designs. Lauded by Cristóbal Balenciaga as the ‘only real artist in couture’ she infused her collections with Surrealism, and collaborated on pieces with contemporaries from the art world, including Man Ray, Jean Cocteau, Salvador Dalí and Alberto Giacometti.
Her garments still look fresh today and, though provocative at the time, were eminently wearable, attracting many society and celebrity clients. She caused a stir at Wimbledon by sending Lilí Álvarez to the 1931 tennis tournament in