History's Runway: The Schiaparelli Circus Jacket, 1938

Jacket
Elsa Schiaparelli, 1938
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Four acrobats leap across the front of this jacket.  Well, okay, they’re buttons, but they’re shaped like acrobats.   This bright pink fitted jacket  is the work of the renowned Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973). The silk twill comes alive with a repeating pattern of rearing horses in two shades of blue--their saddles, manes and plumes are picked out in brilliant metallic thread.

The jacket was originally designed to be worn over a dark purple crêpe evening dress with a draped hem as part of Schiaparelli's Circus collection of 1938. The runway show for the collection was described as “the most riotous and swaggering fashion show that Paris had ever seen. It had a million novelty effects, including prancing dogs and horses, grey elephants, spot-lit acrobats, tents and clowns.”

The jacket was one of the collections’ centerpieces and was featured prominently in Schiaparelli’s Nineteenth Album of her work—1938.  

History's Runway: The Duchess of Devonshire's Schiaparelli Gown, 1953

Ballgown
Elsa Schiaparelli, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Celebrated designer Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) was born in Rome and, as a young woman, studied philosophy. After she married, she traveled to Boston and New York, moving to Paris in 1920.

The design which first cast the spotlight on Schiaparelli was a black sweater knitted with a trompe l'œil bow in white. The sweater was spotted by a store buyer and the orders she received put her into business. By 1928 she had launched her own boutique called Pour le Sport. An exclusive salon would open a year later where Schiaparelli garnered much acclaim and attention for her witty, smart, sophisticated, theatrical and elegant evening ensembles. Her eccentric designs earned her many loyal fans, among them, a good many popular artists. Many of these artists collaborated with Schiaparelli to create sumptuous, innovative new looks. Among these artists were Salvador Dalí, Christian Bérard and Jean Cocteau who each designed fabrics and accessories for her lines. Cubism and Surrealism influenced Schiaparelli's work considerably. She also loved to experiment with color, dying furs and textiles unusual colors. She favored shocking pink--like the gown we see here.

This dress from the Summer of 1953 was worn by the Duchess of Devonshire and now is part of the Cecil Beaton Collection at the V&A. The under dress of her trademark pink is crafted of Thai silk. It features short sleeves and a pleated off-the-shoulder neckline with a dropped waist and flared skirt with an over-lain white silk organza pattern of apple blossom embroidered in pink, green, yellow and white on velveteen appliqué. 

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Schiaparelli Evening Coat, 1939

Silk Evening Coat
Elsa Schiaparelli, 1939
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This delicious, crimson long evening coat is made of red grosgrain. Floor-length with a straight front and wide self-faced edges, it has a narrow band collar and wide straight sleeves and is slightly pleated at the head into padded shoulders.

The back of the garment has been designed to fit as far as the waist where it blossoms into two wide cross-cut panels which extend into a dramatic train. A button, covered with matching silk, is bound with white metal is adorned with a small mother of pearl flower in the center. This is stitched at the top of the pleat. Half way down the train is a fleur de lys shaped loop which, when attached to the button, pulls the train up into a bustle. The coat is lined with a slightly darker scarlet silk.

The coat was designed by Elsa Schiaparelli for her 1939 Summer collection and is an example of the historicism which defined the fashion at the end of the 1930s, as designers reinterpreted the shapes of the leg-of-mutton shoulders and bustles that dominated the 1880s.

Schiaparelli always put the cut of a garment first. Her silhouettes were frequently described as having a “strict neatness with angles replacing feminine curves.” With its theatricality and almost cardinal-like overtones, this evening coat demonstrates modern and forceful lines and the streamlined simplicity which dominated late 1930s fashion.

History's Runway: The Schiaparelli Circus Jacket, 1938

Jacket
Elsa Schiaparelli, 1938
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Four acrobats leap across the front of this jacket.  Well, okay, they’re buttons, but they’re shaped like acrobats.   This bright pink fitted jacket  is the work of the renowned Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973). The silk twill comes alive with a repeating pattern of rearing horses in two shades of blue--their saddles, manes and plumes are picked out in brilliant metallic thread.

The jacket was originally designed to be worn over a dark purple crêpe evening dress with a draped hem as part of Schiaparelli's Circus collection of 1938. The runway show for the collection was described as “the most riotous and swaggering fashion show that Paris had ever seen. It had a million novelty effects, including prancing dogs and horses, grey elephants, spot-lit acrobats, tents and clowns.”

The jacket was one of the collections’ centerpieces and was featured prominently in Schiaparelli’s Nineteenth Album of her work—1938.  

History's Runway: The Duchess of Devonshire's Schiaparelli Gown, 1953

Ballgown
Elsa Schiaparelli, 1953
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Celebrated designer Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) was born in Rome and, as a young woman, studied philosophy. After she married, she traveled to Boston and New York, moving to Paris in 1920.

The design which first cast the spotlight on Schiaparelli was a black sweater knitted with a trompe l'œil bow in white. The sweater was spotted by a store buyer and the orders she received put her into business. By 1928 she had launched her own boutique called Pour le Sport. An exclusive salon would open a year later where Schiaparelli garnered much acclaim and attention for her witty, smart, sophisticated, theatrical and elegant evening ensembles. Her eccentric designs earned her many loyal fans, among them, a good many popular artists. Many of these artists collaborated with Schiaparelli to create sumptuous, innovative new looks. Among these artists were Salvador Dalí, Christian Bérard and Jean Cocteau who each designed fabrics and accessories for her lines. Cubism and Surrealism influenced Schiaparelli's work considerably. She also loved to experiment with color, dying furs and textiles unusual colors. She favored shocking pink--like the gown we see here.

This dress from the Summer of 1953 was worn by the Duchess of Devonshire and now is part of the Cecil Beaton Collection at the V&A. The under dress of her trademark pink is crafted of Thai silk. It features short sleeves and a pleated off-the-shoulder neckline with a dropped waist and flared skirt with an over-lain white silk organza pattern of apple blossom embroidered in pink, green, yellow and white on velveteen appliqué. 

History's Runway: The Schiaparelli Circus Jacket, 1938

Jacket
Elsa Schiaparelli, 1938
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Four acrobats leap across the front of this jacket.  Well, okay, they’re buttons, but they’re shaped like acrobats.   This bright pink fitted jacket  is the work of the renowned Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973). The silk twill comes alive with a repeating pattern of rearing horses in two shades of blue--their saddles, manes and plumes are picked out in brilliant metallic thread.

The jacket was originally designed to be worn over a dark purple crêpe evening dress with a draped hem as part of Schiaparelli's Circus collection of 1938. The runway show for the collection was described as “the most riotous and swaggering fashion show that Paris had ever seen. It had a million novelty effects, including prancing dogs and horses, grey elephants, spot-lit acrobats, tents and clowns.”

The jacket was one of the collections’ centerpieces and was featured prominently in Schiaparelli’s Nineteenth Album of her work—1938.  

History's Runway: The Schiaparelli Evening Coat, 1939

Silk Evening Coat
Elsa Schiaparelli, 1939
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This delicious, crimson long evening coat is made of red grosgrain. Floor-length with a straight front and wide self-faced edges, it has a narrow band collar and wide straight sleeves and is slightly pleated at the head into padded shoulders.

The back of the garment has been designed to fit as far as the waist where it blossoms into two wide cross-cut panels which extend into a dramatic train. A button, covered with matching silk, is bound with white metal is adorned with a small mother of pearl flower in the center. This is stitched at the top of the pleat. Half way down the train is a fleur de lys shaped loop which, when attached to the button, pulls the train up into a bustle. The coat is lined with a slightly darker scarlet silk.

The coat was designed by Elsa Schiaparelli for her 1939 Summer collection and is an example of the historicism which defined the fashion at the end of the 1930s, as designers reinterpreted the shapes of the leg-of-mutton shoulders and bustles that dominated the 1880s.

Schiaparelli always put the cut of a garment first. Her silhouettes were frequently described as having a “strict neatness with angles replacing feminine curves.” With its theatricality and almost cardinal-like overtones, this evening coat demonstrates modern and forceful lines and the streamlined simplicity which dominated late 1930s fashion.