Written by guest contributor Eileen Keighley
With a stopover in London, I met my Gen Z niece at the Victoria and Albert Museum—the V&A, as locals call it. A former fashion student, she steered us to Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, curated in conjunction with the Creative Director at Maison Schiaparelli, Daniel Roseberry.
It opens with the story of Elsa Schiaparelli, the Italian-born visionary who redefined fashion for modern women in the first half of the 20th Century. She made exposed zippers chic and relished provocations, sending culottes onto the Wimbledon courts and creating the surreal shoe hat when hats were meant to flatter, not steal the spotlight.
Based in Paris, Schiaparelli collaborated with artists including Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau, and Alberto Giacometti, dissolving the boundaries between fashion and art. The legendary lobster dress created in conjunction with Dalí, was famously worn by Wallis Simpson, which many saw as a playful symbol of who held the power in their relationship. Her influence reached far beyond the atelier—Pablo Picasso was such an admirer that he painted her.
The exhibit starts in 1920 with her breakthrough piece using trompe-l’oeil technique featuring a bow on a hand-knitted sweater. She wore it for lunch at the Ritz, it caused a stir, and her career took off. From there she built a fashion business that dressed American Society and hinted at what we now know as a capsule wardrobe. Post war she pivoted into theatre and film costume creation, with over 30 films credits to her name.
The exhibition’s later galleries shift in tempo, tracing how Roseberry reinterprets Schiaparelli’s legacy. Drawing on iconic pieces like the Apollo Cape (1938–39), he transforms archival ideas into modern spectacle. His mantra “what can make it an unforgettable moment, not just a dress” is on full display including the Scorpion Tail, the Alien inspired Robot Baby, and Ariana Grande’s ruby red dress she wore at the Oscars – featuring a red slipper coming out of the back of her dress.
This final section radiates joy—through color, texture, and appreciation for the thousands of hours of embroidery behind each piece. The result is couture that transcends clothing, showing, unmistakably, where fashion becomes art.
Things to note: Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art continues until 8th November 2026. Tickets are available in advance or on the day. Free to members which also gets you access to the Members restaurant.
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