Elsa Schiaparelli, an audacious Italian fashion designer, with an aristocratic lineage back to the Medici family, was a 20th century fashion designer known for her avant-garde creations.

After lying dormant for decades, Tod's SpA Chief Executive Diego Della Valle, bought Schiaparelli (pronounced Skap-a-REL-ee) in 2006, without developing a reinvigorated brand.

Since 2019, Elsa Schiaparelli’s spirit has been renewed in an exciting and fresh translation in the Maison now led by Creative Director Daniel Roseberry.

Background Daniel Roseberry

Unlike Schiaparelli, Daniel Roseberry was born into more modest circumstances in 1985 in Plano, Texas, outside of Dallas. The son of an Anglican Minister and an artist-mother, he and his three siblings were raised in a deeply religious household.

After moving to New York for school, Roseberry found himself deeply influenced by the sensuality of Azzedine Alaïa, the emotive exuberance of Christian Lacroix and the cool, intellectual futurism of Nicolas Ghesquière.

To the extent that his family struggled quietly with the young designer’s embrace of his own homosexuality, they were enthusiastic about supporting Roseberry’s creative talents, including as a fashion designer.

Working for a decade under Thom Browne at his eponymous label and rising to be head of design, Roseberry developed his own eye for avant-garde aesthetics and attention to detail. His design philosophy revolves around reimagining classic silhouettes with unexpected twists, as the designer embraced surrealism and irreverence in his own collections.

Elsa Schiaparelli and Salvador Dali: A Daring Collaboration

In the 1930s, Schiaparelli often collaborated with Salvador Dali, the brilliant Spanish surrealist artist, to create a line of groundbreaking garments and accessories that defied conventional norms and pushed the boundaries of creativity.

Dali's surrealistic touch added a touch of madness and intrigue to Schiaparelli's designs. Together, they created pieces that challenged conventions and explored the realm of the subconscious but also the human body.

Body Language

Eyes, ears, nose, lips, and hands were among Elsa’s obsessions and were particularly evident in the collaborative artistic relationship of Schiaparelli and Salvador Dalí.

From hats adorned with lips to gloves embellished with nails, these accessories made a bold statement about individuality and self-expression. By incorporating body parts into their designs, they explored themes such as identity, sexuality, and gender roles. This innovative concept not only challenged societal norms but also questioned traditional views on beauty standards.

Today fashion remains a form of art at the French Maison, and Elsa Schiaparelli’s legacy continues in a very compatible mind meld with Daniel Roseberry. The designer’s critical success around his own prodigious talents has inspired him to play more often in the funhouse garden of ‘Schiap’ and her own partner in fashion-couture society crime Salvador Dali.

“There’s feminine energy and masculine energy, and for me, they’re both always in play, and that’s the kind of energy I want the clothes to have. It doesn’t have to be one or the other,” the designer told the New York Times in 2019.

These glamorous and bold accessories reflect the wit and artistic gamesmanship of the Schiaparelli legacy in a totally-modern style.

This series of Spring/Summer 2023 images was shot by Alina Gross [IG].