“Shocking! The Surreal World of Elsa Schiaparelli” is currently on view at Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris through January 22, 2023. The long-awaited exhibition rejoices in the daring and breathtaking creations of Elsa Schiaparelli, who drew much of her inspiration from her close ties to the Parisian avant-garde of the 1920s and 30s. Twenty years since the last retrospective devoted to Schiaparelli at the museum, the moment has arrived to revisit the exceptional designer’s work: her creative sense of feminine style, her sophisticated designs, and enchantment that she brought to the world. The exhibition’s poetic and immersive scenography was created by Nathalie Crinière.
The retrospective assembles 520 works, including 272 silhouettes and accessories by Schiaparelli herself displayed alongside iconic paintings, sculptures, jewelry, perfumes, ceramics, posters, and photographs by Schiaparelli’s dear friends and contemporaries: Man Ray, Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau, Meret Oppenheim, and Elsa Triolet. The presentation also showcases creations designed in honor of Schiaparelli by fashion icons including Yves Saint Laurent, Azzedine Alaïa, John Galliano, and Christian Lacroix.
