Elsa Schiaparelli Couture

What happens when after 60 years Schiaparelli is reintroduced to the Couture realm. [...]

13 shortcuts for reviewing the year in record time - part I

Jan. 2 Stella McCartney is honored with the OBE

(same thing happened to Suzy Menkes and Adele, not remotely related but so damn brilliant both we can’t not mention that)

Jan 17 Man Fashion Week from the ladies’ perspective 

Jan. 18 John Galliano + Oscar de la Renta make history and when, on 

April 20,  we were able to attend the trunk show and later the 'it's a tragedy' (cit. Suzy menkes) continuation of the story

Jan. 22 Midsummer Night’s Dream is the theme of Chanel Couture that ends with 2 female brides down the runway and the debut of Lagerfeld’s godson. Not to be so mono-partisan, a Valentino cape inspired by the gate of a secret garden will do here.

Feb.1 Riccardo Tisci still with Givenchy, but 2013 looks like the year of reshaping and rebranding 

Feb.10 Pantone declares the year of Emerald Green (we have a Pinterest board dedicated, do you?)

Feb. 24 Jil Sander was back and gone in the same year this time around. Third time is a charm? So far the design team is taking care of the new fall ‘14 We loved the collection and her one of a kind color combinations. 

March 1 Couture is a Russian affair whereas the spring Couture in Paris is a Schiaparelli type of love (interpreted by Christian Lacroix).

May 9 The MET Costume Institute gala stirrup (we had some thoughts about it)

June 23 Pitti and it’s summer at last #italiansdoitbetter

July 4 Karl Lagerfeld is at it again, this time in a disheveled abandoned theater reminiscent of a scene from Les Miserables.

July 12 Schiaparelli like the Phoenix resurges from the ashes at the peak of its glory through a tribute by Christian Lacroix.

TO BE CONTINUED

Bonus. Ever wander what’s behind a door? Kinda what pushed Alice through the rabbit hole and go ‘down, down, down’? If you are as curious as I am, I’ll take you to our trip to Paris. 

Elsa Schiaparelli, the come back: from 'Sleeping Beauty' to debutante

After many speculations, suppositions and assumptions, 

Marco Zanini , who, with mastered sophistication, has put Rochas back on the map of the runways of which people talk about, has been appointed creative director at Elsa Schiaparelli. 

Congratulations! Another Italian at the elm of couture wonders.

After being dormant for over half a century, if was awaken from her own Parisian ashes with 'Impossible Conversations', the exhibit of NY city’s MET Costume Institute. 

Acquired by Tod’s Monsieur and Maitre D’ Diego Della Valle, it surged to couture glory with a one-of-a-kind collaboration with Christian Lacroix  during Couture Week last July. It was a dream that only the few and elected were able to admire. The pieces will be retired in the archives, not sold nor produced for anyone. 

It was a struck of love. Heart lifting to see art in the form on fashion manifested. 

Diego Della Valle has his own dreams set and realized. Same way he dressed half Europe, from royals, to elite to all the wanna-bees in between, with his car shoe. Similarly he paired Roger Vivier with muse Ines de la Fressange and made it covetable. He’s at it now with Schiaparelli and Farida Khelfa. 

In the spirit of Elsa

The most exclusive, expensive, exquisite collection in the world, as Della Valle confesses his dream. Coming from a Shocking Life of not knowing anything about fashion, sewing, knitting but just having that individual mix of exquisite taste and artistic penchant that resulted in what is now a legacy. 

'Dresses that are truly beautiful, they are never unfashionable' is what she believed in and from a princesse dormant we can’t wait to see Schiap as a new debutante.

From the inventor of the shoulder pads, animalier and shocking pink to us, again. 

Schiaparelli: the utilitarian couturier

Paris Couture Week was a splash in the past. Eat, drink, love, breathe couture at its highest glories.

Karl Lagerfeld presented “The Glory Of Water” on the Quai of Pont Alexandre III giving a whole new perspective to the millenial spectacular fountains of Rome. Did we forget to mention the Chanel Couture theatrical presentation in a make believe disheveled theater?

Vionnet presented an utterly impressive retrospectives of her genius, we re-discovered this time through the eyes of its creative director Goga Ashkenazi.

Then the Christian Lacroix’ tribute to Elsa Schiaparelli and it was a dream at first sight. The debut to the high society after the stint with Miuccia Prada. Elaborate, fascinating, exquisite celebration of her legacy, the collection will remain in the annals. The Shakespeare of fashion? 

The cages, the virtual chirping birds and bamboo manipulated a surreal ambiance. The mannequins carrouseled the 18, looks each one bearing vivid reminiscence of Schiaparelli’s dark, surrealistic elements. The parachute pockets from the “cash and carry” collection, the jumpsuit, the symbolism of the “circus” line all recall the idea that the designer was creating something elegant yet convenient. The inspiration dates back to a the dark and scary period of World War II when “Paris could still be elegant” to say it with Lacroix.

Bravo to Lacroix who presented couture at its highest and produced a show that surpassed all expectations. Stakes are even higher for whomever will be the actual creative director now. On another note, our enthusiasm was stimulated to the point that compared all the other couture shows seemed blushing (not completely though).

And, yes indeed, Paris was more than simply elegant as usual, at least for those three days. Another milestone of fashion history was marked.

What will happen to the collection? There were no comments from Mr. Lacroix and la maison. What we know is that nothing is up for sale.    

can we really trust Stefano Tonchi? the skinny on Elsa Schiaparelli

WHAT’S HAPPENING.

In the past years, we have assisted to a rising of historical fashion houses that had been temporarily defunct under old patina. Madame Vionnet, to name a glorious one dear to the inner-circles, is being re-interpreted after shutting down over 60 years ago and is now on its route to the original haute-couture splendor thanks to  Matteo Marzotto and the 2            sisters. Some other “gold mine” cases of labels dug out of the ashes like the Phoenix are Givenchy with Tisci, Emilio Pucci with Peter Dundas, not to forget the unprecedented genius of Alber Elbaz for Lanvin. Faux-pas there are lots, but we don’t want to mention them here.  

The talk of the town, or as we ought to say now, the top trending fashion topic of the entire month are Miuccia Prada and Elsa Schiaparelli, their “Schiaparelli – Prada. Impossible Conversations” exhibit at the Costume Institute (along with the most glamorous event of the year, the Gala).

 

Schiaparelli’s Lobster dress re-interpreted by Prada

the Lobster’s close-up

SCHIAP.

So: who was Elsa Schiaparelli? Besides being Marisa Berenson’s grandmother, Schiap (her nickname) was a surreally modern sophisticated artist, artist not designer as she disputes in the curated video tour with Miuccia whether fashion is art or not. She created jewelry, objects of decoration and art and clothing in her atelier in Place Vendome.

Italian fashion mogul Diego Della Valle made his moves declaring a prêt-a-couturecomeback, for the few fortunate capable of affording some expensive and unique pieces.

• acquired archives and trademarks in 2006 
• following the same tactic he used with Roger Vivier and Ines de la Fressange, recently tapped Farida Khelfa as muse d’inspiration.
• the scoop is it will be exclusively sold in Place Vendome,
• no commercial ads nor wholesale, that is from the Southern Riviera we’ll have to go transatlantically.
• first official runway Paris March 2013
• only two runways per year and not the frantic tour de force of eight.

 

THE SUCCESSOR.

Diego Della Valle will announce the designer in September, meanwhile speculations flock. Stefano Tonchi (how did he even come out in the equation?) bids on John Galliano, Jenna Lyons confesses she would see Iris Apfel would be perfect as “full of life and attitude”. We only have left to wait until September to know who will let the brand express at its best. Meanwhile we can buy original Schiaparelli pieces on www.1stdibs.com and replicas on Moda Operandi and delight ourselves with the most sophisticated baubles and style.