Elsa Schiaparelli
Founder of the House of Schiaparelli
Elsa Schiaparelli was the Italian born couturier who founded her Paris house in 1927 and became the leading exponent of surrealism in fashion. Her collaborations with artists such as Salvador Dalí and her colour shocking pink made her one of the most inventive designers of the 1930s.
| Role | Founder, House of Schiaparelli |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1927, Paris |
| House closed | 1954 |
| Born | 1890, Rome |
| Died | 1973, Paris |
| Known for | Surrealist fashion and shocking pink |
Who was Elsa Schiaparelli?
Elsa Schiaparelli was born in Rome in September 1890 and died in Paris in November 1973. She founded the House of Schiaparelli in Paris and became, alongside Coco Chanel, one of the most important couturiers of the interwar years, celebrated for wit, experimentation and close links with the art world.
Career
Schiaparelli's house began in 1927 with a hand knitted sweater featuring a trompe l'oeil bow. The design attracted international attention and launched her business. In 1935 she moved to the Hôtel de Fontpertuis at 21 Place Vendôme, with interiors designed by Jean Michel Frank and Alberto Giacometti.
In 1937 she introduced the perfume Shocking and the vivid pink that became her signature colour. Her work with the surrealists included the famous Lobster dress of 1937, created with Salvador Dalí, as well as collaborations with Jean Cocteau, Man Ray and Giacometti. She also used visible zips as decorative elements and created novelty buttons and accessories.
After the Second World War fashion moved towards a different idea of femininity, and her house closed in 1954. That year she published her autobiography, Shocking Life.
Influence on the fashion business
Schiaparelli showed that fashion could operate as a form of art and conversation with other disciplines. Her influence can be seen in:
- Collaborations between designers and fine artists
- The use of humour and illusion in clothing
- Colour as a brand signature, through shocking pink
- Fragrance as a central pillar of a couture house
The Schiaparelli name was revived in the 2000s, and the house reopened at Place Vendôme in 2012. It received the official haute couture label in 2017, and Daniel Roseberry has been its creative director since 2019, drawing heavily on her surrealist codes.
Her Paris salon on Place Vendôme was designed to combine a boutique with workshop space, an early example of a couturier treating the retail environment as part of the brand experience. Schiaparelli also opened a New York branch in 1949, reflecting the growing importance of the American market for Paris fashion after the war. Her flair for publicity and accessories, such as a telephone shaped handbag, kept her name in the press throughout the 1930s.
Why it matters
Schiaparelli's legacy demonstrates how strongly defined creative codes can support the revival of a dormant house decades later. Her work remains a reference point for designers exploring the boundary between fashion and art.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Elsa Schiaparelli?
Elsa Schiaparelli was an Italian born couturier who founded her house in Paris in 1927. She was one of the leading designers of the 1930s and closed her house in 1954.
What is Elsa Schiaparelli known for?
She is known for surrealist fashion, including the Lobster dress made with Salvador Dalí, and for the colour shocking pink and the Shocking perfume. Her house was revived and is now led by Daniel Roseberry.