This is a relatively recent addition to my collection of fashion history books. I’ve been aware of Elsa Schiaparelli’s work for some time, but recently started to do more in depth research about her career as a fashion innovator.
The Little Book of Schiaparelli – front cover.
This little book (it measures only 7 1/2″x 5 1/4″ in case you are curious) is a nice compact account of her life and wide ranging collections of garments, costumes and accessories. There are lots of photos of existing garments as well as archival shots of her fashion shows, and her original design sketches. This pocket sized volume has increased my love of Schiaparelli. She was definitely a woman after my own heart.
Schiaparelli in 1935. From The Little Book of Schiaparelli.
Her collections range from the delicate to the absurd, always with an element of the unexpected or the whimsical.
The design sketch, and a variation of the same dress from 1937. Based on the sheet music staff. From The Little Book of Schiaparelli.
A design from 1946. From The Little Book of Schiaparelli.
This is a great volume for anyone interested in fashion history. Flipping through examples of her vast body of work, you can see her influence on modern designers. Some of my favourite discoveries: She invented the colour ‘shocking pink’. She had whimsical perfume bottles designed for her fragrance line, one of which was the shape of a woman’s torso. This design was later adopted by Jean Paul Gaultier in the 1990s.
The famous perfume bottle for ‘Shocking’ – supposedly modelled on the figure of Mae West. From The Little Book of Schiaparelli.
I love the mini tape measure around the bottle!
There’s a lot of great info and visual info (eye candy) packed into a little book. Definitely worth it for the price!
Love Heather
