Schiaparelli biography

As much an artist as a dress designer, she commandeered the talents of a host of prominent artisans and artists, most notably those associated with the Surrealist movement. Distilling their disquieting dream-based imagery and provocative concepts through her own creative process, she incorporated themes inspired by contemporaneous events, erotic fantasy, traditional and avant-garde art, and her own psyche into her designs.

A repertoire of inventive devices—experimental fabrics with pronounced textures, bold prints with unorthodox imagery and colors, opulent embroideries, outsized and exposed zippers, and distinctive buttons and ornaments ranging from the whimsical to the bizarre—was her medium of creative expression. Even at an early age, the need for personal freedom, which she later expressed in her designs, was her first priority.

She was prone to mischievous pranks that often had adult consequences. Eager to avoid paternal pressure to marry a Russian aristocrat, Elsa took advantage of a childcare opportunity in London in , leaving Rome behind for good. The following year, she impulsively married a Polish-Swiss lecturer on spiritual mysticism within days of their meeting.

Following two years in Nice together, the couple moved to the U. After giving birth to her only daughter in , she separated from her husband and worked at various odd jobs to support herself until relocating to Paris in Dabbling at the time in writing and gold sculpting, she was also making clothes for herself and her two close friends.

Elsa schiaparelli designs

Poiret noted her sartorial flair and was the first to encourage her to pursue dressmaking as a suitable outlet for her artistic leanings. Over the next several years, her offerings evolved from sweaters and sporting wear to a full line of clothing. By , she already had employees producing 7, to 8, garments per year from expanded quarters at 4 rue de la Paix.

These early designs, while more conservative than her later work, incorporated her quirky and imaginative aesthetic. This connection served her well financially. While only a few of her clients would wear her most outrageous designs, she could clothe slightly less adventuresome sorts through her many commercial arrangements with American department stores and specialty shops.

Her design house remained open, but collections were prepared by associates.