Schiaparelli Presents Its New Haute Couture Spring Summer 2024 Collection: Schiaparalien

_{Promoted in United States}

In 1877, Elsa Schiaparelli’s uncle Giovanni Schiaparelli, the director of the Brera Observatory in Milan, discovered something new: a series of channels, an area as large as the Grand Canyon, scoring the surface of Mars. He also coined the term “martian,” and inadvertently began our modern fascination with creatures from out there, a fascination that continues to this day.

So it makes sense that space has always been an informal code of the Maison. Elsa was, famously, preoccupied with astrology, and why not? Looking to the stars was clearly a family pastime.

This collection is an homage to that obsession, as well as a study in contradictions — of legacy and the avant-garde, of the beautiful and the provocative, of the earthbound and the heaven-sent. But as art (and nature) teaches us again and again, the things and ideas that seem diametrically opposed to each other can also combine to make startling chimeras, objects composed of familiar parts that, when united, create something unexpected and new.

It is, in fact, one of the Maison’s guiding philosophies: Elsa was committed to unlikely marriages win her own design, and the looks in this collection honor that tradition, combining old world techniques (such as over-embroidered guipure laces, velvet and lace appliqués, and hand cut and embroidered chenille fringe) with new world shapes, patterns, and references (such as a motherboard-and-strasse microchip dress encrusted with pre-2007 technological artifacts — now, the technology I grew up with is so antiquated that it’s almost as difficult to source as certain vintage fabrics and embellishments). They also unite her personal references with my own: you’ll see abstracted references to iconographies of my home state of Texas throughout, from the bandana, here remade in hand-painted paillettes; to the cowboy boot, reconceived as a thigh-high fantasy bristling with buckles; to the iconic horse braid dressage knots redone as silk satin spikes and smothering a camel suede bomber jacket and a white denim corset suit. Elsa was famous for her codes — the keyhole, the measuring tape, anatomical body parts — and we’ve embedded them like Easter eggs in jewelry, shoes, clutches, and embroidery, a secret message from us to the woman who wears them.

The result are a series of profiles both familiar and not — part human, part something else. And, therefore, totally Schiaparelli.

Daniel Roseberry

_{Promoted in Italy}

• Look 1
  

Elsa Schiaparelli-inspired dress in shiny black vinyl enhanced with a white crochet collar in contrasting silk thread, decorated with a Swarovski crystal brooch and tonal topstitching. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules embellished with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 2
  

Asymmetrical black stretch velvet crop jacket with exaggeratedly rounded shoulders is embellished with tonal jersey embroidery on one sleeve and a signature Keyhole plaque embroidered on the back. High-waisted pants in black dry wool. Vintage-inspired curved bracelet in acrylic and Swarovski crystals and matching minaudière with signature Keyhole detail at the ends.

• Look 3
  

Black technical velvet top with oversized stand-up collar and matching long skirt. Black leather signature Keyhole mules.

• Look 4
  

Shiny black vinyl jacket with exaggeratedly rounded shoulders, worn over wool denim pants completely covered with cowboy-inspired silver-plated buckles featuring the Maison’s codes. Vintage-inspired domed tube necklace in acrylic fully covered with Swarovski crystals. Crocodile-effect embossed patent black leather cowboy boots inlaid with a molded ear covered with rhinestone piercings.

• Look 5
  

Transparent black mesh corset worn under a stone-encrusted metal and plaster “exoskeleton” structure, entirely covered in gold leaf. “Strawberry” volume skirt twisted in vinyl-effect black technical velvet. Swarovski crystal choker necklace and earrings featuring the Maison’s signature Keyhole. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules with metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 6
  

Off-white tank top in ribbed jersey worn over a matching corset. “Inside-out” pants embellished with tonal horsehair appliqué stripes, extra-large pockets and flipped epaulets in tonal white silk faille. Resin and rhinestone choker necklace inspired by an electronic circuit and matching earring. Crocodile-effect embossed patent white leather cowboy boots with inlay of a molded signature Ear covered with rhinestone piercings.

• Look 7
  

Robot dress enhanced with exaggeratedly rounded shoulders entirely embroidered with Swarovski crystal jewels and electronic chips in silver and green. Vintage-inspired curved bracelet in acrylic and Swarovski crystals and matching minaudière with signature Keyhole detail at the ends. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules embellished with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 8
  

Asymmetrical jacket in crocodile-effect embossed black technical velvet, enhanced by an oversized collar in contrasting white satin embroidered with tonal micro-tubes, rhinestones and silk threads, and cowboy-inspired silver-plated buckles featuring the Maison’s codes. Extra-wide cotton denim pants. Resin and rhinestone earring inspired by an electronic circuit. High-waisted corset belt covered with silver-plated cowboy belt buckles featuring the Maison’s codes. Crocodile-effect embossed patent black leather cowboy boots with molded ear inlay covered with rhinestone piercings.

• Look 9
  

A “creature” dress with exaggeratedly rounded shoulders and a slit front, embellished with nude petal embroidery with a “scale” effect, some encrusted with tonal micro-sequins. Matching balaclava with hand-painted black resin false eyelashes and hair. Nude leather signature Toes pumps.

• Look 10
  

Asymmetrical jacket with exaggeratedly rounded shoulders in openwork wool crepe on the front entirely covered with faux horse braids in tonal synthetic threads, chenille threads, sequins, and tonal tulle. Disproportionately large pants in hand-aged beige suede. Vintage-inspired domed tube necklace in acrylic fully covered with Swarovski crystals. Black leather cowboy belt with silver metal buckle featuring the Maison’s signature codes. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules embellished with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 11
  

Bi-material strapless top in nude jersey topped with a tonal nude molded jersey corset enhanced by lacing detail with silver metal eyelets at the back. Worn over a triple organza “strawberry” volume skirt, itself worn over a nude silk chiffon underskirt trimmed with contrasting black lace. Foliage earrings set with Swarovski crystals. Beige suede cowboy-inspired mules embellished with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 12
  

Off-white wool satin ensemble featuring a suit jacket with exaggeratedly rounded shoulders and XXL sleeves embellished with tonal signature Measuring Tape embroidery on the collar lapel, shirt, tie and extra-wide high-waisted pants.

• Look 13
  

An ensemble consisting of a top mounted on a metal structure entirely covered with threads and hand-embroidered in guipure style, and a matching, entirely embroidered pencil skirt. The guipure takes up the Maison’s signature codes such as the Padlock, Mouth, Keyhole etc... Swarovski crystal wire earrings topped with pearls. Matching spiral bracelet and sphere ring with retro-inspired rhinestone pavé. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules with metal toe cap and signature S-shaped heels.

• Look 14
  

Bi-material jacket in denim and white leather with exaggeratedly rounded shoulders featuring a hand-painted corset motif on the front and embroidered with tonal synthetic thread faux horse braids arranged in a geometric pattern. Matching white denim pants entirely embroidered with faux horse braids in tonal synthetic threads. Retro-inspired Swarovski crystal and baguette earrings. Cowboy-inspired mules in black leather, embellished with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 15
  

Shirt in linen cotton canvas with exaggeratedly rounded shoulders, closed at the collar with a pencil buttonhole and embroidered eyelets. High-waisted pants in dark blue wool denim enhanced with a signature Measuring Tape embroidery along the leg. Black leather cowboy belt with silver metal buckle featuring the Maison’s signature codes. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules embellished with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 16
  

Tank dress entirely in nude sequins and baguette rhinestone inlays, featuring a trompe l’oeil men’s boxer short motif in contrasting silver sequins, with a gathered train at the back. Beige suede cowboy-inspired mules with metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules embellished with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 17
  

White denim crop jacket with exaggeratedly rounded shoulders, fully embroidered with synthetic threads faux horse braids, designs featuring the Maison’s codes in tonal rope and rhinestones, and bangs in chenille velvet thread and small tonal satin marbles on the shoulders cascading down to the feet. Brown patent leather miniskirt entirely embroidered with silver-plated cowboy belt buckles featuring the Maison’s codes. Matching crocodile-effect embossed brown patent leather thigh-high cowboy boots.

• Look 18
  

Extreme plastron with vertiginous neckline in butter satin, embellished with embroidery featuring the Maison’s codes in rhinestones, gold lurex thread and tonal sequins, and contrasting black lining. “Strawberry” volume skirt twisted in matching butter duchesse silk satin. Swarovski crystal choker necklace and earrings featuring the Maison’s signature keyhole. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules embellished with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 19
  

Sculptural dress in black compact jersey set on a whalebone metal structure entirely embroidered with tonal sequins and freehand shapes featuring the Maison’s signature codes in tonal black velvet trimmed with passementerie cords. The dress is embellished with tonal chenille velvet thread bangs. Retrofuturistic earrings with Swarovski crystals and electronic microships. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules with metal toe cap and signature S-shaped heels.

• Look 20
  

Extreme plastron with vertiginous neckline in stretch velvet embroidered with cowboy fringe and ecru contrasting strings. Black and white sequin bandana belt. Extra-wide pants in black wool satin. White leather cowboy-inspired mules with metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 21
  

Asymmetrical jacket with, on one side, a black wool crepe base entirely embroidered with black and white sequins and pearls, featuring a Schiaparelli-style bandana motif and faux horse braids in white synthetic threads, and, on the other, a stretch velvet base encrusted with oversize bangs in ecru satin cascading to the feet and an oversized ecru epaulette. High-waisted pants in black dry wool. Black patent leather Keyhole pumps.

• Look 22
  

Dress with exaggeratedly rounded shoulders inspired by the iconic skeleton dress imagined by Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali in 1936, entirely embroidered in blush chenille velvet bangs and embellished with trompe l’oeil tonal padded bones. Hybrid geometric earring with turtle motif enhanced with Swarovski crystals.

• Look 23
  

Camel suede de bomber jacket and tonal wool border coat, fully embroidered with tonal synthetic thread faux horse braids arranged in a geometric pattern. Vintage-inspired domed tube necklace in acrylic fully covered with Swarovski crystals. Cowboy-inspired pants with exaggeratedly low crotch in off-white double satin embellished with floral motifs embroidered in rhinestones, sequins and rope. Cowboy-inspired mules in black leather with metal toe cap and signature S-shaped heels.

• Look 24
  

Column dress in black stretch velvet with an openwork bow-shaped bra at the top. Alien spiral earrings in silver-plated metal topped with pearls.

• Look 25
  

Maxi dress in black stretch velvet silk embellished with an extreme plastron entirely embroidered with ecru velvet chenille threads with tonal silk thread marbles. Signature Keyhole pumps in black patent leather.

• Look 26
  

Bi-material strapless dress in black bonded velvet and contrasting nude jersey, with draping cascading from the back to the bottom of the dress. Beige suede cowboy-inspired mules with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 27
  

Highly fitted strapless dress, flared at the bottom in double nude satin, enhanced by an aerodynamic bow at the neckline. Resin and rhinestone earring inspired by an electronic circuit.

• Look 28
  

Asymmetrical ball gown in draped black jersey with a spike on the shoulder and a round volume bottom in contrasting blush duchesse satin on the right side. Earring featuring a signature silver-plated Ear embellished with crystals and rhinestones. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules embellished with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 29
  

Top mounted on a metal structure entirely covered with black wires embroidered with lace tulle inlays and tonal Swarovski crystals featuring the Maison’s signature shapes such as the Padlock, the Keyhole, the Mouth, etc. “Strawberry” volume long skirt in white silk faille. Swarovski crystal earrings featuring the Maison’s signature Keyhole. Cowboy-inspired mules in black leather, embellished with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 30
  

Transparent nude voile dress entirely embroidered with Swarovski crystals, enhanced by a long black jersey scarf to conceal nudity. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules embellished with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 31
  

Sleeveless long sheath dress in black silk satin with vertiginous neckline, held in place by rhinestone jeweled buckles on the straps featuring the signature Keyhole. Black jersey hood. Retrofuturistic earrings with Swarovski crystals and electronic microships. Swarovski crystal choker necklace and earrings featuring the Maison’s signature Keyhole. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules with metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.

• Look 32
  

Asymmetrical dress with unstructured collar and vertiginous neckline, slit at the back entirely embroidered with silver sequins, crystals, rhinestones and tassels for a “vibrating” effect. Matching sphere ring with retro-inspired Swarovski crystal pavé. Black leather cowboy-inspired mules embellished with a metal toe cap and signature “S”-shaped heels.