Sabrina BrownIntro to Fashion BusinessKate ShaeferOctober 23, 2013

Life of Elsa Schiaparelli

Elsa Schiaparelli was an Italian fashion designer. Many may say that she is not

given enough credit for the impact she made in fashion. Coco Chanel was fashion

designer also in this time zone. Elsa though was the queen of innovations for sure. Many

new designers in this century feed off of her designs as inspiration.

Elsa Schiaparelli was born September 10, 1890 in Palazzo Corsini, Rome. Her mother

was a high-class citizen and her father a professor of literature. Elsa went on to study

philosophy at the University of Rome but realized that she wants to pursue an acting

career. Growing up under such studious and strict parents, Elsa took a different path.

While still in college she published a very sexually explicit book of poems, which her

parents were outraged about. To discipline and gain back control of their daughter, her

parents sent her away. In later years she moves to London and gets invited to a ball. She

doesn’t have a gown so she buys fabric and pins it in place. She proceeds to the party

with only pins holding up her creation!

While in London, Elsa marries count William de Wendt de Kerlor, then moved to

New York and had her daughter GoGo. The family is shattered when Elsa’s daughter

becomes ill. Her husband dies in later years, but he had already departed from his family.

GoGo has to stay in a clinic because of her health issues. Elsa moves to Paris and starts

working and hanging out at restaurants socializing. On her expedition of life, she was

introduced to Gabrielle Picabia, wife of Dadaist Francis Picabia, a famous artist. This is

where she began her involvement in the Surrealist movement. She soon meets Paul

Poiret, a French designer, and he instantly knew she was something special. He dresses

because he knew she could pull off the elegant style perfectly.

Now, Schiaparelli starts to create her own style of dresses. Her inspiration comes from

her now role model Paul Poiret, and the Surrealist movement. With her assortments of

sweater, she features “trompe l’oeil” artwork. Her first collection did not catch on quite

yet to the world, but boy did her knitwear collection become a sensation. Elsa was

featured in VOGUE Magazine. Her knitwear was as elegant as a pair of gloves could be.

The knitwear was considered visual art pieces. The pullover with the pig bow on the front

became a signature piece. This item was solely made of wool fabric. Her clothes became

so popular that famous actresses wore them, such as actress Greta Garbo, and Daisy

Flowers. She was also now known for her prints that she put on her clothes, specifically

cheetah prints. She was not afraid to play with colors especially hot pink, which she

called “Shocking Pink”. Her use of wool, and velvet show that the women must have the

best of fabrics to look their best. Branching off from knitwear, she started creating more

dresses. Her style targeted the women who wanted to look elegant and the women who

weren’t afraid to be daring in her outfits. Her cliental was manly people statue, or people

in the public eye. Successful women around their late twenties early thirties who were

outgoing and also making a lot of money wore Elsa Schiaparelli.

She later had a collection of sportswear that would be sold out of a little apartment in a

luxury apartment complex. She is also known for her swimwear that she created the top

bikini to be made like a bra with the bottom wire. On top of just sportswear, and

swimwear she made skiwear.

As women, respect is a big standpoint that she showed in her designs. Her view

on women and respect is another reason for her success. When World War II begins and

she decides to design more considerate designs for the hardship the world was in. In her

designs this time she decided to attach many pockets so if during the war they needed to

escape and carry things they have accessibility. Elsa also stops designer for a while to

partake in volunteer work as a nurse aid for the war. After she designs her last collection,

and then she moved to New York. She wins the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award,

becoming the first European to win it.

Now it is coming to the end of her career and she settles down in a house she owns and

lives there until she dies in Paris at 83 years old. Before she died, her House of

Schiaparelli declares bankruptcy.

Her legacy lives on today. Her collaborations with so many different people not

only included people who were not fashion related. A major collaboration was with artist,

Salvador Dali. He became the fabric designer for her House of Schiaparelli. If you look

into fashion now, designers and artist go hand in hand with projects. She infused glam

and art. That is the reason she was so great at what she did.

Schiaparelli’s designs were once in her House of Schiaparelli and sold for

probably $30-$50. In her century her designs were expensive. Her designs are not sold in

stores now, but they are shown in the Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The

Metropolitan Museum of Art.

ISSUU.COM

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