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
http://issuu.com/sabrinabrownchi/docs/desinger-_elsa_schiaparelli.docx