The Victoria and Albert Museum in London will host "Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art" in March, the first major institutional exhibition in the U.K. dedicated to Italian couturier Elsa Schiaparelli. The show will feature around 200 objects, including garments, accessories, sculptures, and paintings, highlighting Schiaparelli's revolutionary use of color, surrealist collaborations with artists like Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau, and Man Ray, and her impact on 20th-century fashion. Key pieces include the Skeleton Dress, Tears Dress, and Shoe Hat, alongside works by Picasso and others that contextualize her creative circle.
This exhibition matters because it positions Schiaparelli as a pivotal figure who blurred the boundaries between fashion and art, challenging the conservative norms of haute couture with playful, surrealist designs. By showcasing her collaborations and newly researched insights, the V&A underscores the enduring influence of her avant-garde vision on contemporary fashion, including the current House of Schiaparelli under creative director Daniel Roseberry. It also reinforces the V&A's role as a leading institution for fashion history and its commitment to exploring the intersection of art, design, and performance.