Elsa Schiaparelli was one of the most innovative and influential fashion designers of the 20th century. She was born in Rome in 1890 and studied philosophy at the University of Rome before publishing a book of sensual poetry. The controversial book shocked her family and she was sent to a convent. Schiaparelli soon fled the convent and married Count William de Wendt de Kerlor, with whom she moved to New York.
In New York, Schiaparelli discovered her passion for fashion and began designing her own hats. She moved to Paris and opened her own fashion house in 1927. She quickly became known for her original and bold style, which was inspired by the Surrealism art movement. She collaborated with artists such as Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau and Alberto Giacometti, creating garments that played with humor, fantasy and provocation.
Among her most famous creations are the lobster dress and the zipper dress, which used the first visible zipper in fashion history.
Schiaparelli was not only a creative genius, but also a skillful businesswoman. She built a successful fashion empire that included not only haute couture but also perfume, cosmetics, jewelry and accessories. She was the first fashion designer to launch a boutique collection that offered more affordable and practical clothing. She was also the first fashion designer to market herself as a brand, using her own image to promote her products.
Schiaparelli was a fashion icon and an inspiration to many other designers. She influenced Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Miuccia Prada and John Galliano, among others. She was worn by famous women such as Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn, Mae West and Audrey Hepburn.
Schiaparelli closed her fashion house in 1952 and retired from the fashion industry. She died in Paris in 1973 at the age of 83. Elsa Schiaparelli was a rebellious fashion designer who broke the boundaries of fashion and combined art and life. She was a pioneer of modern fashion and a woman ahead of her time.