In the high-stakes world of luxury fashion, where brands constantly reinvent themselves to stay relevant, Schiaparelli under Daniel Roseberry has captured attention with a bold, surrealist approach that is anything but conventional. His designs have transformed Schiaparelli’s legacy from a historical fashion house into a modern-day powerhouse, and at the center of this reinvention stands the enigmatic “Schiaparelli woman”. She’s daring, she’s otherworldly, and she’s far from what we might expect from couture. But who exactly is she, and what makes her so different?
When Roseberry took over as creative director in 2019, he had big shoes to fill. Elsa Schiaparelli, the brand’s founder, was one of the most eccentric figures in fashion history. Her collaboration with Salvador Dalí in the 1930s brought surrealism into fashion, turning ordinary items into something strange and beautiful. Schiaparelli’s work was shocking and unexpected – dresses with built-in skeletons, lobster-printed skirts, and shoes that looked like hats. Roseberry has clearly kept this spirit alive, but he’s added a twist that makes the Schiaparelli woman feel entirely unique and relevant to our times.
Daniel Roseberry photographed for The New York Times
So, who is she? One of the first things we notice about the Schiaparelli woman is her fearlessness. Roseberry doesn’t design for someone who wants to “blend in”. In fact, she might not even be interested in beauty in the traditional sense. Instead, she’s drawn to drama, power, and individuality. When celebrities like Bella Hadid or Lady Gaga wear Schiaparelli, they’re not just putting on a dress – they’re putting on a persona. Roseberry’s creations often look like armor or sculptures, with bold silhouettes, exaggerated shoulders, and massive gold embellishments. The Schiaparelli woman doesn’t shy away from attention; she demands it, almost challenging the onlooker to keep staring.
Bella Hadid at the 74th Cannes Film Festival
Lady Gaga at Joe Biden’s Inauguration Ceremony
Yet, Roseberry’s designs do more than simply make a statement – they make you question what “luxury” really means. The Schiaparelli woman seems to redefine luxury from the old- school idea of elegance to something that’s edgy and, honestly, a bit weird. While other luxury brands aim to create timeless, beautiful pieces, Schiaparelli leans heavily into fantasy, playing with exaggerated body parts, eyes, lips, and even human forms sculpted into trompe l’œil pieces and jewelry. These aren’t subtle pieces, and they might not be “pretty” in the usual sense. But they are undeniably captivating. The Schiaparelli woman isn’t afraid to look strange if it means embracing something true to herself, and that is where her strength lies.
The boldness makes her unique, but it also raises questions. In a world where we’re often obsessed with looking flawless – where every outfit and accessory is curated for Instagram – what does it mean to be a woman who isn’t afraid to look bizarre, mysterious, or even a little uncomfortable? Roseberry seems to be inviting his audience to think beyond the typical standards of beauty and luxury. Maybe, for the Schiaparelli woman, luxury isn’t about fitting in or following trends; it’s about embracing something unique that only a few will understand. In this sense, she’s almost an outsider, someone who doesn’t need validation from the mainstream because she’s in her own world.
Schiaparelli Haute Couture SS21
However, the Schiaparelli woman isn’t just a rebellious figure. She’s also refined, sophisticated, and even a bit elusive. She might wear Roseberry’s designs to an exclusive gala or a red-carpet event, but she’s not someone you’d see in everyday luxury settings. There’s a certain mystique about her that makes her feel almost untouchable, like a work of art that’s meant to be observed but never fully understood. In an age where so many brands try to make luxury accessible, Schiaparelli seems to be moving in the opposite direction, creating a woman who’s unapologetically complex and selective.
The question is, can this vision of the Schiaparelli woman resonate with the broader luxury market, or is she too niche for a world that’s increasingly focused on inclusivity and wearability? On one hand, Roseberry’s designs capture the attention of a younger audience looking for fashion that feels authentic, bold, and thought-provoking. But on the other hand, they’re so high concept that they risk becoming something that only works in the fantasy world of couture and high fashion editorials. The Schiaparelli woman, thus, finds herself poised between avant-garde and alienation.
Ultimately, the Schiaparelli woman is like no other. She’s powerful, a little strange, and unafraid to make people uncomfortable – all qualities that make her impossible to ignore. In a sea of luxury brands that often play it safe, Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli gives us a character that feels like she stepped out of a surrealist painting. She might not be everyone’s idea of luxury, but perhaps that is the point. As fashion continues to evolve, the Schiaparelli woman stands as a reminder that true luxury is not just about beauty or status – it’s about expressing something rare, strange, and deeply personal. And in a world obsessed with perfection, this kind of honesty might just be the most luxurious thing of all.
By Ashley Wee
Sources:
https://system-magazine.com/issues/issue-19/daniel-roseberry-schiaparelli-interview
https://davidroseberry.medium.com/fran-roseberrys-very-big-day-as-a-schiaparelli- muse-20c7d909b642
https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/celebrities-in-schiaparelli-2021- 1234970536/
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/27/style/schiaparelli-daniel-roseberry.html https://www.thecollector.com/elsa-schiaparelli-artistic-collaborations/
https://www.vogue.com/article/everything-you-need-to-know-about-elsa-schiaparelli- ahead-of-the-shocking-exhibition-in-paris
