The V&A in London Explores Schiaparelli’s Surrealist Legacy in a Major New Show

Fashion enthusiasts will find reason to linger at the V&A with  “Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art” opening March 28 and on view through November 8, 2026. The exhibition offers a sweeping look at the maison’s evolution from its founding in the 1920s to its present-day revival under creative director Daniel Roseberry. Bringing together more than 400 objects—including garments, artworks, photographs, and archival material—the exhibition positions Schiaparelli not simply as a fashion house, but as a site of ongoing dialogue between art, performance, and design.

Founded by Elsa Schiaparelli, the house emerged during a period of social and cultural upheaval between the two world wars. Working across Paris, London, and New York, Schiaparelli developed a distinctly experimental language, often in collaboration with artists and thinkers of her time. As Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A, notes, Elsa Schiaparelli remains “one of the most ingenious and daring designers in fashion history,” a figure whose work continues to resonate across disciplines.

Origins of a Radical Vision

The exhibition begins with Schiaparelli’s early work, charting her rise as a pioneering designer who challenged conventional ideas of fashion. Her 1927 trompe l’oeil bow-knot sweater, included in the exhibition, exemplifies her ability to merge illusion with everyday wear, setting the tone for a practice that would consistently blur boundaries.

“For me, dress designing is not a profession but an art.”

-Elsa Schiaparelli.

By the 1930s, Schiaparelli had expanded her vision across multiple categories, from tailored daywear to elaborate evening pieces. Her “Pour le Sport” and “Pour la Ville” lines introduced sharply tailored silhouettes and unexpected details, while “Pour le Soir” embraced theatricality through richly embellished gowns. Accessories became a key site of experimentation, with designs that transformed familiar forms into surreal objects—hats resembling hair, shoes reimagined as sculptural statements.

Creative Constellations

At the heart of the exhibition is Schiaparelli’s engagement with the Surrealist movement. Collaborations with figures such as Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau, and Man Ray positioned her work within a broader artistic context, where fashion became a medium for conceptual exploration.

Among the highlights is the iconic “Tears” dress, created in collaboration with Dalí, alongside works that reveal the exchange of ideas between artist and designer. Paintings and objects by Pablo Picasso, Eileen Agar, and others provide further context, situating Schiaparelli within a network of creative experimentation. These relationships were not merely decorative but foundational, shaping a practice that embraced the absurd, the symbolic, and the unexpected.

As Delphine Bellini, CEO of Schiaparelli, reflects, the exhibition “celebrates her enduring influence through iconic collaborations with 20th-century masters and a pioneering fusion of creativity and commerce.” The V&A, she adds, offers “the perfect setting to showcase her legacy alongside Daniel Roseberry’s creations,” which continue to reinterpret that vision today.

The Contemporary Continuum

The final section turns to the present, exploring how Roseberry has revitalized the house since his appointment in 2019. His work draws on Schiaparelli’s surrealist foundations while introducing a distinctly contemporary sensibility, defined by sculptural silhouettes, intricate embellishment, and a willingness to push formal boundaries.

Recent pieces worn by figures such as Ariana Grande and Dua Lipa illustrate the maison’s continued relevance within both fashion and popular culture. These designs, often characterized by bold structure and unexpected materials, maintain a dialogue with Schiaparelli’s original ethos, one that embraces transformation and reinvention.

Rather than presenting a linear history, the exhibition creates a layered narrative, where past and present coexist. Roseberry’s work does not replicate Schiaparelli’s vision but extends it, demonstrating how her ideas continue to evolve in response to contemporary contexts.

A Living Legacy

“Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art” ultimately positions the maison as a living entity—one that has consistently moved between disciplines and resisted categorization. From early experiments in trompe l’oeil to collaborations with Surrealist artists and contemporary couture, the exhibition reveals a practice defined by curiosity and transformation.

The decision to stage the exhibition in London reflects both the city’s historical connection to Schiaparelli and its role as a global center for fashion and design. Here, the maison’s history unfolds not as a closed chapter, but as an ongoing conversation—one that continues to shape how fashion is understood today.