The Victoria & Albert Museum is opening a new exhibition titled 'Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art' on March 28, celebrating the designs of Italian fashion house Schiaparelli, founded by Elsa Schiaparelli. The exhibition runs until November 8. Tristram Hunt, museum director of the V&A, said in a press release that the exhibition will celebrate one of the most ingenious and daring designers in fashion history.
Elsa Schiaparelli collaborated with surrealist artists Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau, and Meret Oppenheim. She opened her first Paris business in 1927 and designed clothes for Mae West and Marlene Dietrich. Schiaparelli once stated that dress designing is not a profession but an art and that she likes to amuse herself through some of her creations.
For me, dress designing is not a profession but an art.
The exhibition includes 400 objects, such as Dalí's Lobster Telephone and the Lobster Dress, which was famously worn by Wallis Simpson. According to The Independent - Main, Rosalind McKever, curator of the Schiaparelli exhibition, described the Lobster Dress as shocking in 1938 and a kind of punk look. The V&A has not disclosed how it selected the 400 objects or what criteria were used.
Schiaparelli's signature color was 'shocking pink', introduced in 1937, according to major media. She died in Paris in 1973 at age 83 following a stroke and was buried in a magenta-hued outfit, major media reports. The full extent of Schiaparelli's financial or personal struggles after her husband left remains unclear.
Chanel and Schiaparelli didn't need to compete really because their clothes were so different.
Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli were rivals who exchanged insults. Coco Chanel referred to Schiaparelli as 'that Italian artist who makes clothes.' Schiaparelli referred to Chanel as 'that dreary little bourgeoisie,' according to major media. According to Bettina Ballard, Coco Chanel steered Elsa Schiaparelli into a candlelit chandelier at a costume ball ahead of World War II. Schiaparelli reportedly went up in flames at the costume ball, with guests squirting soda water on her to put out the blaze. According to The Independent - Life, Sonnet Stanfill, senior curator of fashion and textiles at the V&A, described the rivalry by noting that Chanel and Schiaparelli didn't need to compete because their clothes were so different.
Current creative director Daniel Roseberry continues Schiaparelli's legacy, dressing stars like Margot Robbie and Ariana Grande. Ariana Grande wore a red jewel-encrusted Schiaparelli dress to last year's Oscars for a performance from 'Wicked.'
I like to amuse myself through some of my creations. If I didn't, I should die.
Elizabeth Debicki attended the Schiaparelli exhibition gala dinner in London on Tuesday evening. Debicki won an Emmy award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Princess Diana in The Crown. At the event, she said she didn't write anything down because she's very superstitious and now she's in a real pickle. A new David Bowie exhibition titled 'David Bowie: You're Not Alone' opens at Lightroom in London on April 22. According to The Independent - Main, Mark Grimmer, writer and director of the David Bowie exhibition, described his approach by saying he'd always thought there was more work to be done with Bowie as a character and performer. According to The Independent - Main, David Sabel, executive producer at Lightroom, said they felt a great privilege and responsibility working on this, and the show possibly takes the enigma out of it because Bowie makes you laugh. The specific new insights or previously unseen materials in the David Bowie exhibition have not been detailed, and it is unknown if there are plans for the Schiaparelli or Bowie exhibitions to tour internationally.
The V&A Museum held a Friday Late evening series in collaboration with the London Games Festival, showcasing video games and interactive experiences. According to The Guardian - Technology, Susie Buchan, co-curator of the V&A Friday Late event, described the experience by saying she was really interested in how playing a game within a gallery setting turns players into performers. According to The Guardian - Technology, Kristian Volsing, senior curator at the V&A, said it's incredibly important to present and critique video games as a major, serious part of our culture, and putting them in a museum context does exactly that with an emphasis on a communal experience. The public and critical reception to the Friday Late event has not been reported.
I was really interested in how playing a game within a gallery setting, particularly when it's on a large scale and you have an audience, turns the players into performers of sorts.
It's incredibly important to present and critique video games as a major, serious part of our culture, and putting them in a museum context does exactly that, with an emphasis on a communal experience.
You cannot imagine how shocking this would have been in 1938 when it was first shown. It is a kind of punk look.
I didn't write anything down because I'm very superstitious and now I'm in a real pickle.
Since that point, I think I'd always thought there was more work to be done with Bowie as a character, as a performer.
We felt a great privilege to be working on this, and indeed, a great responsibility.
I think the show does possibly take the enigma out of it, because he makes you laugh.